PREFACE

As a part of course requirement of my MBA program from IIPM we were asked to do a

project of Recruitment and selection in any organization so as to give us exposure to

practical management and to get us familiar with various activities taking place in the

organizations.

We got an opportunity to do our project on The Oberoi Group of Hotels. The project has

been prepared to deliver as much information as we could gather from whatever limited

resources we had.

It is very important for every organization to recruit and select the right person at the

right time for the right post.

Our project is based on this important topic i.e., recruitment and selection. It deals with

all the important steps, which are taken while recruiting and selecting a candidate.

Internal organizational survey helped us in our project to find employees opinions

suggestion, which can help in improvement in the recruitment and selection procedure.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thank everyone who was involved in the completion of this report. We

would specially like to thank Prof. Satish Kumar who has been a source of inspiration

and a guide all throughout our project. The people at the Oberoi Group have been very

supportive to us and thanks are due specially to Mr. Raj Sisodia (Human resource

Manager , Udaivilas , Rajasthan) , Mr. Jay Rathore (General Manager , New Delhi) , Mr.

Yuvraj Srivastava (Director Human Resources , The Oberoi) , Miss. Rachita Butan

(Executive Trainer , New Delhi) and Maj. N.P.Singh ( Chief project manager and

liasoning officer , Rajasthan).

Thank you very much!!!!!!!!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Topics

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

Industry study

Company’s profile

Detail about various departments

OBJECTIVES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF PROJECT

LITERATURE REVIEW(RESEARCH UPTIL NOW IN THIS FIELD)

RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PROCEDURE ADOPTED IN OBEROI GROUP

QUESTIONNAIRE

RECOMMENDATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ANNEXURES

INTRODUCTION

The Hotel IndustryThe Hotel Industry

A Hotel is defined as “a place, which supplies boarding and lodging to travelers”.

The common law states that a hotel is “a place where all who conduct themselves

properly, and who being able and ready to pay for their entertainment are received, if

there be accommodation for them, and who without any stipulated engagement as to

the duration of their stay or as to the rate of compensation, are while there, supplied at

a reasonable cost with their meals, lodging and such services as are necessarily

incident to the use of the house as a temporary home”.

SALIENT FEATURES

Productivity is based on personal ability factor.

Business fluctuates by the week /day /hour.

Constant fluctuations in short term customer demand.

Irregular job workflow for the workers.

Subjectivity of standards due to concepts like hospitality, service, cleanliness.

Complicated pay system-linked with range of skills.

An in-built quality Vs speed dilemma.

Unsociable hours- “ The Hotel never sleeps”.

A range of skills for each occupation, example chef (Chinese/ Continental).

A set of skills specific to the industry, example chef, housekeeper.

The hotel industry is predicted to grow by leaps and bounds in the years ahead. There

is a great need for professionally trained personnel at both operational and managerial

levels.

A hotel is a business entity that is made up of a large number of departments, each

performing a specialized function. Each department employs professionally trained

individuals, qualified to handle a particular functional area. Every department,

therefore, requires a distinct skill set, specific to that particular function. For example,

employees in the Food Production Department would require an entirely different skill

set as compared to what is required by the Front Office staff. Managing training in

hotels is, therefore, a complex and challenging task.

Hotels, being a service industry, also require a high level of interaction between the

guests and its employees. It is therefore, vital for hotels to recruit and train their

employees in guest-handling skills, etiquette, communication skills, personal grooming,

telephone manners, computer proficiency and allied skills. Employees are also required

to have a certain level of knowledge and awareness so as to ensure that quality service

is provided to the guests. The whole concept of ‘Impression Management’ is extremely

important and relevant to the hotel industry. A great deal of emphasis is thus laid on

Recruitment and Selection of candidates in this industry, so that when they interact

with the guests, they come across as people with well-rounded and pleasing

personalities.

ORGANIZATION PROFILE

The Oberoi Group

The Oberoi Group, founded in 1934 by Rai Bahadur M. S. Oberoi, owns or manages 35

hotels and luxury cruisers across seven countries. The group has two principle brands

– the deluxe ‘Oberoi Hotels & Resorts’ and the first class ‘Trident Hilton’. The Group is

also engaged in flight catering, airport restaurants, travel and tour service, car rentals,

project management, corporate air charters and luxury cruisers.

Rai Bahadur Oberoi laid the foundation of the Oberoi Hotel by acquiring his first

property “The Clarks Hotel” in shimla. In 1943, he acquired eight properties of the

associated hotels of India thus giving shape to the Oberoi Group of Hotels, India’s first

hotel chain. On 26th May 1949, M. S. Oberoi floated “The East India Hotels Ltd.” a

corporation which has grown into EIH Limited – the flagship of the Oberoi Group. His

son P. R. S. Oberoi played a key role in introducing new concepts in Indian Hospitality

Industry. He took his father’s dream further by exporting Oberoi management

expertise to Australia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Indonesia. Today they have 35 Oberoi

Hotels in seven countries of the World.

Oberoi Hotels and Resorts under the flagship of EIH Ltd is the second largest hotel

chain in India. The group is one of the recipients of the numerous awards and

accolades in the world of International travel and hospitality. Five Oberoi hotels are

the members of the “Leading Hotels of the World” and the eight Oberoi Hotels are the

members of the “Leading Small Hotels of the World” (these hotels are chosen for their

extra-ordinary levels of guest comfort and services).

Oberoi Hotels & Resorts are synonymous the world over for providing the right blend of

service, luxury and quiet efficiency. Internationally recognized for all-round excellence

and unparalleled levels of service, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts have received innumerable

awards and accolades. A distinctive feature of The Group’s hotels is their highly

motivated and well-trained staff that provides the kind of attentive and sensitive service

that is rare today. The Group’s new luxury resorts have established a reputation for

redefining the paradigm of luxury among leisure hotels around the world.

The Oberoi Group employs over 12,000 people worldwide. Training is a particular

strength. Set up in 1966, The Oberoi School of Hotel Management, which is now known

as The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development (OCLD), is considered one of the

best in Asia, providing high quality, professional training in hospitality management.

The people development activities in their company take shape from the 'Corporate

Training and Development Vision' of the Oberoi Group, which states:

Oberoi Hotel is an organization where people are nurtured through continuous learning

and skill improvement, and are respected, heard and encouraged to do their best.

Oberoi is recognized as the best centre for training and developing its people.

The Group’s commitment to excellence, attention to detail and personalized service has

ensured a loyal guest list and worldwide accolades in the hospitality industry.

The Group is committed to employing the best environmental and ecological practices

with technology, equipment and operational processes. In the same spirit, The Oberoi

Group also supports philanthropic activities that range from education to assistance for

the mentally and physically challenged. The Group is also a keen contributor to the

conservation of nature and of cultural heritage.

The Group has an international sales and marketing presence with sales offices in New

York, London, Dubai, Singapore and several cities in India.

Nine Oberoi Hotels & Resorts are members of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, a

select association of international luxury hotels chosen for their extraordinary levels of

guest comfort and service.

Trident Hilton Hotels are superior first class international hotels with contemporary

facilities offering quality and value. Friendly and efficient service in a warm and relaxed

atmosphere makes Trident Hilton Hotels the ideal choice for both business and leisure

travelers. The Oberoi Group opened its first Trident Hotel in Chennai in 1988. In

October 2003, it entered into a strategic alliance for the Trident Hotels with Hilton

International Co. This alliance presently covers eight hotels with approximately 1900

rooms across India under the ‘Trident Hilton’ brand. There are Trident Hilton Hotels in

the following cities in India: Agra, Udaipur, Cochin, Jaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai,

Gurgaon (Delhi NCR) and Mumbai. The Group also operates Trident Hotels in the Saudi

Arabian cities of Jeddah and Khamis Mashayt.

The last few years have seen the debut of new luxury leisure hotels in India and abroad.

In India, these hotels include The Oberoi Rajvilās, Jaipur; The Oberoi Amarvilās, Agra;

Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas; The Oberoi Vanyavilās, Ranthambhore; The

Oberoi Cecil, Shimla and The Oberoi Udaivilās, Udaipur. Overseas, the new hotels

include The Oberoi Lombok in Indonesia, The Oberoi, Mauritius and The Oberoi Sahl

Hasheesh in Egypt.

The Oberoi’s Group Vision

We see an organization which aims at leadership in the hospitality industry by

understanding its guests, and designing and delivering products and services which

enable it to exceed their expectations. We will always demonstrate care for our

customers through anticipation of their needs, attention to detail, distinctive

excellence, warmth and concern.

We see a lean, responsive organization where decision making is encouraged at each

level and which accepts change. It is committed and responsive to its guests and

other stakeholders.

We see a multi-skilled workforce, which consists of team players who have pride of

ownership, translating organization vision into reality.

We see an organization where people are nurtured through permanent learning and

skill improvement, and are respected, heard and encourages doing their best.

Oberoi is recognized as best practice for training and developing its people.

We see a multinational organization which has been exposed to different culture,

problems and situations and can use its experiences to enrich the local employees

whether in India or Overseas.

We see the world dotted with the hotels of the Oberoi Group, in strategic commercial

and resort locations.

We see user friendly technology enhancing value for our customers and helping our

personnel by making information more accessible.

We see an organization which is conscious of its role in the community social needs

and insuring employment from within the local community

We see an organization which is committed to the environment using natural

products and recycling items, thus ensuring proper use of diminishing resources.

The Oberoi’s Group Mission

Our Guests

We are committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of our guests through our

unremitting dedication to every aspect of service.

Our People

We are committed to the growth, development and welfare of our people upon whom

we rely to make this happen.

Our Distinctiveness

Together, we shall continue the Oberoi tradition of pioneering in the hospitality

industry, striving for unsurpassed excellence in high-potential locations all the way

from the Middle East to Asia-Pacific.

Our Shareholders

As a result, we will create extraordinary value for our stakeholders.

The Oberoi Dharma

As members of the Oberoi Organization they are committed to display through their

behavior and actions the following conduct, which applies to all aspects of their

business.

Conduct which is of the highest ethical standards – intellectual, financial and moral

and reflects the highest levels of courtesy and consideration to others.

Conduct which builds and maintains teamwork, with mutual trust as the basis of all

working relationships.

Conduct which puts the customer first, the Company second and the self last.

Conduct which exemplifies care for the customer through anticipation of need,

attention to detail, excellence, aesthetics and style and respect for privacy, along

with warmth and concern.

Conduct which demonstrates two-way communication, accepting constructive debate

and dissent whilst acting fearlessly with conviction.

Conduct which demonstrates that people are our key asset, through respect for

every employee, and leading from the front regarding performance achievements as

well as individual development.

Conduct which at all times safeguards the safety, security, health and environment

of customers, employees and the assets of the company.

Conduct which eschews the short-term quick fix for the long-term establishment of

healthy precedent. for the long-term establishment of healthy precedent.

The Oberoi People Philosophy

Organizational Structure and Manning

Organization structure will be lean with a minimum number of levels and with clear

individual reporting and accountability.

Recruitment and Selection

At entry level of the organization we select people of the highest quality and with the

highest potential to advance our business.

Performance Appraisal

To inculcate a culture of personal growth and organizational excellence based on the

principles of performance based results

Learning and Development

They aim for world-class managerial and technical excellence using continuous learning

and development to support the business and encourage growth within.

Career Development

They provide careers, not merely jobs, to their people, through developing them in ways

where organizational needs are matched with personal strengths and potential

Succession Planning

Their focus on development of people will reflect in their international character and

ensure that they have the right number of employees with the appropriate skills in the

right place at the right time.

Transfers

Transfers, National or International will be based on organizational needs and career

development requirements of the individuals.

Compensation

Their compensation philosophy enable them to recruit and retain the best and most

highly motivated talent and will encourage the highest level of performance amongst

their employees through result based reward and recognition and be related to the

company’s overall business performance.

Employees relations

To create and preserve an open and harmonious environment in which employees at all

levels will want to give off their very best delivering world class service at the highest

level of productivity.

Retention

Retention of talent is a key management responsibility as is separation of those whose

performance is consistently below par or who breach the accepted ethical standards

and rules of conduct.

Strategy and Thrust Area

Oberoi group, one of the Asia’s hospitality enterprise, exemplifies the quest for

excellence in the world of hospitality.

With relentless commitment to quality, consistent dedication to guest satisfaction and

unparalleled standards of service, the group has emerged as an international

benchmark in hospitality services, the group has been a pioneer in setting standards

and believes in quality rather than volume. The oberoi hotels are synonymous the

world over for providing right blend of service, luxury and efficiency.

Training & Development is a key component of the corporate vision. A distinctive

feature of Oberoi hotels is highly motivated and well trained staff that provides the kind

of attentive and sensitive service that is rare today.

Organization Structure

The organization has a lean structure with decision – making authority at each level.

The decision making is divided between responsibility levels (RL). A responsibility level

is a band of positions.

RL1 - Vice Chairman and Managing Director

RL2 - Corporate Directors

RL3 - General Managers

RL4 - Managers

RL5 - Assistant Managers

RL6 - Executives

RL7 - Supervisors

RL8 - Staff members

Corporate Governance

Mr. P. R. S. Oberoi - Chairman and Chief Executive

Mr. S. S. Mukherji - Vice Chairman & Managing Director

Mr. Vikram Oberoi - Deputy Managing Director (Operations)

Mr. Arjun Oberoi - Deputy Managing Director (Development)

Independent Directors

- Mr. S. K. Dasgupta

- Mr. Anil Nehru

- Mr. Rajan Raheja

- Mr. Christopher Reeves

Departments in a Hotel

The various departments in a Hotel is subdivided into two broad categories:-

Operations Department

Support Department

Operation department is necessary for the business activity of the hotel and for dealing

with all needs and requirements of guests. This department includes activities of Front

Office Staff, Housekeeping, Food & Beverages and Engineering & Laundry

departments.

Support departments are those which contains the additional specialist expertise which

is an essential back up to any five star hotel. This department includes services of

Accounts personnel, Finance Personnel, Material handling personnel and Human

Resource personnel.

The functions of the departments included in the Operational Activities:-

Front Staff

Personal Interaction with the Visitors and Guests

Telephone bookings, reservations & cancellations

Handling queries of visitors and guests

Taking care of check-in and check-out

Entering the data into the data warehouse about the customers and their

preferences and tastes so that if they turn in again, everything is taken care of in

advance.

Housekeeping

Shift Management

Energy conversation

Taking care of the ambience of the room

Guest handling and emergency handling

Gate pass system

It is the most important area for guest satisfaction because these people come in

contact with the guests on a daily basis and even more than twice in a day.

Food & Beverages

Food menu

Various styles of salads

Specialty dishes

Maintaining Hygiene, Health and Safety

International Beverages

Various Languages

Business Segments

Rollout Chronology

THEORIES

“The only thing constant in life is change”

The HR revolution as it is called, words like selection strategy and resource dynamics

have crept into the HR vocabulary. Traditionally business and consequently human

resource policies and organizational structures grew to reflect and self fulfil each other.

However the present scenario is highly evolved and different from traditional thinking.

Today the business has changed and so has the rationale behind attracting, selecting,

rewarding and retaining trends.

Recruitment And Selection

Employees well selected and well placed would not only contribute to the efficient

running of the orgnaisation but also offer significant potential for future replacement.

Recruitment is concerned with both engaging the required number of people, and

measuring their quality. It is not only a matter of satisfying a company’s needs; it is also

an activity which influences the shape of the company’s future. It is a process that not

only helps to select and fill a vacancy physically, mentally, and temperamentally but

also helps to develop an employee into a desirable employee. Selection process

searches persons with potential who would grow in the organisation.

The organisational practices in selection in India vary considerably. The private and

public sector organisations differ in their selection practices. Selection for public sector

undertakings is governed by the principles laid down in 1961 (Prasad, 1973) and are

operationalised by Public Enterprises Selection Board, Union Public Service

Commission, National Institute of Bank Management, Subordinate Services

Commission, etc.

The process of selection begins with the understanding and definition of the job to be

performed by those involved in selection. These are then converted into job

specifications (qualifications) which are made public. Job opportunities should be

publicized in such a way that they enable the organisation to draw upon prospective

candidates from a wide cross- section of the society.

Systematic and planned selection helps the organisation to derive the following

advantages.

1. It helps to generate only relevant applicants through a self- selection process on the

part of the potential applicants. It thus saves time and money.

2. Careful selection is functional in choosing highly motivated employees and thus

develop a culture of a committed way of work life. Pareek and Rao (1981) suggest

that through proper selection of new entrants it is possible to build a desirable

culture and desirable norms in the organisation. Once such a culture is established it

also influence the new entrants orientation.

3. Proper selection also ensure high degree of satisfaction among the employees by

letting them know that their capabilities are being properly utilised and that they are

now wasting their time and talent. This feeling is likely to raise the morale of the

employees and may result in higher levels of commitment and productivity.

4. It ensure supply of the right type of personnel in a short duration of time.

5. In any selection there are chances of selecting a wrong person and also chances of

losing a right person. Both are equally costly to the orgnaisation. Systematic

selection ensures minimisation of such errors:-

Error of omission

Error of commission

6. It helps build the image of the organisaiton. It ensures purely objective, merit-

related selection and hence establishes an image of impartiality. This attracts more

qualified and better candidates tot he organisation.

7. Systematic selection is a tremendous blessing for human resources information

systems. It provides a useful data bank for personnel audit and research, and

potential for upward mobility in the organisation.

The process of Selection consists of three stages:- Recruitment, Screening and

Selection

Recruitment

The first stage in selection is to make the vacancies known to a large number of people

and the opportunities that the organisation offers. The process of attracting people to

apply is called recruitment. Recruitment is also defined as a process of searching for

prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for jobs. It is different from

selection which begins after recruitment has ended. While recruitment, is a process of

attracting people selection is a process of choosing a few among those who have been

attracted.

The need for recruitment may arise our of the following situations.

1. Vacancies due to transfer, promotion, retirement, termination, permanent disability,

or death.

2. Creation of vacancies due to expansion, diversification, growth, or job re-

specification.

Recruitment is done by using a number of methods.

1. Employment Agencies

There are a number of private employment agencies like Ferguson Associates, ABC

Consultants, SB Billimoria, who register for employment and can furnish a list of

suitable candidates when sought by employers from their data bank. Generally, these

agencies, these agencies also recruit on behalf of the organisation without necessarily

disclosing the identity of the organisation. They go as far as short listing the candidates

for organisation but the final decision is taken by the representatives of the

organisation.

1. In terms of cost this might turn out to be cheaper than the organisations doing it

themselves. The time and manhours saved by the company executives in processing

and short-listing the candidates could perhaps be utilised elsewhere by the

organistaion.

2. Up to a certain point the organisations identity remains unknown.

On the other hand, there is always the risk of losing out in screening some person

whom the representatives of the orgnaisation would have liked to meet.

2. Advertisement

It is the most widely used method for generating applications. Its reach is very wide.

Different mass media could be used to make people aware of the opportunities. There

are special journals and magazines that cater to different market segments and putting

an advertisement in them may generate a large number of relevant applications.

However, in preparing and advertisement, lot of care has to be taken to ensure that

some self-selection among applicants takes place. In other words, only qualified people

should think of responding to advertisements.

A good advertisement has to be specific and clear cut in what it is looking for.

Subramuniam and Devi (1984) studied 496 advertisements published in the Hindu

during 1981. Public sector enterprise inserted as many as 125 out of 496

advertisements. Their results revealed that public sector enterprises provided better

job descriptions, job specifications, compensation details, qualifications, age and

selection procedures as compared to private sector enterprises.

A good, carefully worded advertisement can also help in building the image of the

organisation.

3. Campus Recruitment

While campus recruitment is a common phenomenon in the West, in India it has made

its mark rather recently. Many organisations send their representatives every year to

national institutes of higher learning like Indian Institutes of Management Indian

Institutes of Technology and similar others. I In fact many institutes have regular

placement offices which not only send out the profiles of graduating students, but also

help the visiting company representatives in administrative details. The organisations

have definite advantages throug campus recruitment. First, the cost is low; second,

they can arrnage interviews at short notice,; third, they can meet the teaching faculty;

fourth, it gives them an opportunity to ‘sell’ the organisation to a large student body

who would be graduating later, as well as establish a goodwill through presentations

and distribution of company material. One of the drawbacks of campus recruitment for

employing organisations is that they interview candidates who have similar experience

and education.

4. Deputation

Deputation refers to sending an employee to another orgnaisation for a short duration

of two to three years. Deputation is a pretty common method of recruitment in the

public sector organisations and government agencies in India. It also take place in the

private sector when an employee is sent to another unit of the same group for some

time. However, deputation in Indian context is generally, seen with reference to public

sector organisations and government agencies. Deputation is useful because it provides

ready expertise and the organisation does not have to incur the initial cost of induction

and training. Since the deputation period is generally limited to two to three years, it is

often a handicap.

5. Professional Association

Very often, for certain professional and technical positions it may be useful to go to

professional associations (e.g. All India Management Association). An application routed

through these associations would, perhaps, be better in terms of qualification as some

of these association themselves do a preliminary screening. In India, this is not a very

common practice and those few that do provide this kind of service have not been able

to generate a large number of applications.

6. Word of Mouth

Sometimes it may be more economic, both in terms of time and money, to pass the word

around about the possible opening. This could be done either through individual

employees or unions. It often serves the purpose of keeping the union involved in

recruitment and ensuring industrial harmony.

7. Casual Applications

Often the organisation receives self- solicited applications seeking suitable

opportunities. Many organizations I keep a live file of such casual unsolicited

applications and whenever a befitting position opens, invite them to apply through

formal channel. One major problem with this method is that such people apply to a

number of organizations, and when they are needed by the organisation, either they are

absorbed by other organizations or are not interested in the position.

8. Raiding

Raiding is a technical term used when employees working elsewhere are attracted to

joint organisations. The organisations are always on the lookout for qualified

professionals, and are willing to offer them a better deal if they make the switch. There

are always some employees who are professionally very competent, but dissatisfied

with something or the other in the organisation. They form the ‘easy’ group to attract.

The other group is formed of those who are equally competent but are quite satisfied

with their present position. To attract them, the organisation has to offer a very

lucrative package of perquisites. Whatever may be the means used to attract, often it is

seen as an unethical practice and not openly talked about.

PERSONNEL/ HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MODELEconomic

ForcesLabor Markets Laws and

RegulationsLabour Unions

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

PERSNNEL/HUMAN RESOURCE ACTIVITES

PERSONNEL / HUMAN RESOURCE

OUTCOMES

Support Activities

Analyzing Individuals and jobs

Assessing Outcomes Attraction

Human Resource Planning

Performance

Functional Activities Retention

External Staffing Attendance

Internal Staffing and Development

Satisfaction

Compensation Other

Labour Relations

Work Environment

INDIVIDUALS Ability Motivation

JOBS

Requirement Rewards

THE TWO FACE OF SEARCHING AND SCREENING

Closed internal Recruitment System

Under a closed internal recruitment system, employees are not made aware of job

vacancies. The only people made aware of promotion or transfer opportunities are those

who oversee placement in the human resource department, line managers with

Organisation

Activate search

Communicate job openings and attributes Applicant 600 Make inquiries

and apply

Activate search

Individual

Screen applicants

Reject

Continued interest

Potential hires

Continued interest

Screen opportunities

Reject

vacancies, and contacted employees. The way a vacancy is typically filled under a

closed system is shown on the next page.

CLOSED INTERNAL RECRUITMENT SYSTEM

Open internal recruitment system

Under an open internal recruitment system, employees are made aware of job

vacancies. Usually this is accomplished by a job posting and bidding system.

Manager notifies human resources of vacancy

Human resources searches filed for candidates

List of candidates given by human resources to manager

Position filled by manager

An open system gives employees a chance to measure their qualifications against those

required for advancement. It helps minimize the possibility of supervisors selecting only

their favourite employees for promotion or transfer. Hidden talent s often uncovered.

OPEN INTERNAL RECRUITMENT SYSTEM

Manager notifies human resources of vacancy

Human resource posts job opening

Human resources receives bids from interested applicants

Human resources screens candidates

List of candidates given by human resources to managers

Manager interviews candidates

Manager fills position

An open system may, however, create unwanted competition among employees for

limited advancement opportunities. It is a very lengthy and time- consuming process to

screen all candidates and provide them with feedback. Employee morale may be

decreased among those who are not advanced.

Targeted system of internal recruitment

Under a targeted system, both open and closed steps are followed at the same time.

Jobs are posted, and the human resources department conducts a search outside the

job posting system. Both systems are used to cast as wide a net as possible. The large

applicant pool is then narrowed down by KSAOs. Seniority eligibility, demographics,

and availability of applicants.

A targeted system has three advantages; a thorough search is conducted, people have equal opportunity to apply for postings, and hidden talent is uncovered.

SCREENING

In the overall process of selection, screening comes after the recruitment is complete.

Screening is a process of reducing the number of applicants to a few who have better

chances of selection than those screened out. Screening is generally done on two

counts- eligibility and suitability.

Eligibility is to see if the applicants fulfil the minimum qualifications stipulated n the

recruitment announcement. Those who do not qualify are straight away eliminated

from the selection. It is difficult to decide on the criteria suitability. One can choose

only those with a high percentage of marks, but that is not always a guarantee for good

performance. A judgement has to be made looking at the job specifications. In general,

those distant from job specifications are screened out in the first round itself.

Screening can be done by using a variety of methods. Some of these method are

discussed below:

1. Preliminary applications

On the basis of minimum information in a preliminary or self- prepared application,

screening could be done. Only those who qualify at this stage are sent a comprehensive

application blank. If this facility is not available, then the information provided in the

comprehensive application blank itself becomes the basis for screening.

2. Tests of Deselection

Many organisations in India are now using psychological tests to deselect a number of

applicants. If the number of applicants is large, higher cut- off scores are set to reduce

the number to a manageable size. These are generally tests of intelligence and

environmental awareness. In many academic institutions, banks, etc., this is a common

practice. The cut- off point is determined by a general formula of a number of vacancies

multiplied by four. The idea is to get four times the number of vacancies, call them for

interviews, group discussions, or any other subsequent methods of selection. Research

has shown that 1:4 ratio for selection gives enough margin for choice. Although this

ratio is not always strictly adhered to , it is a common practice.

3. Screening interviews

Another method of screening is to have a short duration interview with all the

candidates and then decide who should be asked for a comprehensive interview at a

late date. This is a good technique, provided the number is not large. Many companies

in campus interviews use this technique.

While screening does help to reduce large numbers to manageable proportions, it also

has the possibility of losing some applicants who could have performed well in the

subsequent selection. With more clear understanding of job description, however, this

risk could be reduced

SELECTIONManaging Recruitment and Selection System

ATTRACT

ENGAGE

TRANSACT

SATISFY

RETAIN

Selection is choosing a few from those who applied. Some selection are:

1. Application Banks

This is one of the most common methods used for collecting information from the

applicants. The general purpose of application blanks, according to Athreya (1968), is

to “secure desired factual information from an applicant in a form convenient for

evaluating the applicant’s qualifications”.

Purpose of Applications Blanks: Lipsett, Rodgers and Kenter (1964) have identified

three purposes of application blanks: preliminary screening, aid in interview, and a

selection device in its own right. A wider application shows that the application blank

serves the following purpose.

1. The provide the candidates first formal introduction to the company. Prior to

receiving the application, the company knows nothing about him/her.

2. They generate data in uniform formats and hence make it easy to make cross

comparison of the applicants.

3. They generate data that can serve as abasis to initiate a dialogue in the interview.

This may be true for both preliminary and final interviews. Areas that need to be

further explored are identified on the basis of blank also provide leads for

subsequent interviews.

4. Data in the application blank can be used for purpose of analysis and research in

personnel. In addition, some minimum data on employees selected have to be stored

for subsequent use.

5. Since the major part of the application blank is structured, the responses could be

pre-coded for computersation. This is particularly useful when a large number of

applications are generated and there are time and resource constraints.

6. Often application blanks require the applicants to provide information in an

unstructured way (i.e. “anything else you would like to mention” or “state in your

own handwriting why you wish to be considered for this post”, etc.). This gives a

very useful clue to the organising and presentation abilities of the applicant.

7. Sometimes the application blanks are designed with weightages assigned to various

items in the applicants blanks based on past experience. These are called weighted

application blanks.

Contents of application blanks: Though the information sought in applicant blanks

may vary according to the level of the position and the organisation, most application

blanks seem to contain the following kinds of information.

1. Personal data- name, date and place of birth, address sex and other identification

marks.

2. Marital data- whether married, number of children, whether spouse is working,

education of the spouse and children, other dependents, etc.

3. Physical data- height, weight, general health condition, whether physically

handicapped, etc.

4. Educational data- various levels of formal education, years, marks obtained,

distinctions, subjects taken, merit awards, scholarships, etc.

5. Employment data- past experience, years, position, company, salary, promotions,

professional courses attended, nature of duties, reasons for leaving previous jobs,

membership of professional bodies and associations.

6. Extra academic data- sports and games, NSS, NCC, level of efficiency achieved in

extra academic activities, prizes, hobbies and interest, pastime activities etc.

7. References- names of two or more people who can credentials by way of the

suitability of the candidate to the announced position.

Generally, they are ex-employees or ex-teachers, and the references consists of a free-

floating letter.

2. Interview

Interview is, perhaps, one of the most widely used method of selection. A survey by

Spriegeland James (1958) conducted on 236 firms in USA in 1930 and a second survey

by the same authors conducted on 852 firms in 1957 showed that 94 per cent and 99

per cent organisations, respectively, used interview as a method of selection.

Unfortunately we do not seem to find a similar survey in the Indian context, but if one

talks to the representatives of ten organisations, chances are that nine out of ten

would be using interview as a method of selection.

Interview is one of the few situation where a candidate comes face-to-face with the

representatives of the organisation. It is, thus, seen as an interaction between the

interviewer and the applicant and a situation in which both participate. Tharp (1983)

explains the rationale of the interview process when he says, “Only through the

interview process can a manager gather sufficient data to be able to predict whether a

candidate will be successful in the position for which he or she is being considered.

A face-to-face interview has several advantages which are not otherwise available.

1. To an organisation it may provide a situation to verify certain information given in

the application blank.

2. There are certain areas where information can be sought only through interview.

For example. How does one evaluate the motivation and commitment. Or hopes

and aspirations.

3. In an interview setting the applicant also gets an opportunity to explain certain

things which he may not like to put on paper. Additionally, he can seek information

on the organisation, its future plans, his own growth prospects in the organization so

as to help him take a well informed decision.

4. Interview, provides an opportunity of two-way interaction facilitating the gathering

of complete information to take meaningful decisions.

5. Interview provides an overall picture of the applicant which comes as piecemeal

when other methods are used. A well conducted interview that puts the applicant at

case and provides an environment where the applicant can talk freely about himself,

helps generate information that would provide useful insight into the personality of

the applicant as a whole.

There are different methods of interviewing applicants. These methods vary

according to the purpose of interview and the nature of position for which the

applicants are interviewed.

3. Business Games

For positions where decision-making is the most important components, some

techniques are developed to assess the decision- making ability of the applicants. These

are called business games. Applicants for supervisory or managerial positions are put in

a simulated exercise of actual decision- making. A problem is provided to them along

with all the necessary information and constraints. The applicant is asked to make a

decision and the quality of this decision is judged by how well the applicant has

processed the information provided to him. One example of business games is the “in-

basket” techniques.

IN-basket technique for selecting managers was developed by Lopez (1966). It consists

of providing the applicant with background material on the organisation such as its

history, orgnaisation structure, operating procedurs, roles, financial data, targets, and

past achievement, etc. It helps to set the applicant in a more of less realistic situation.

Along with this information a set of problems are provided. In basket is like an in-treay

in an office where the incoming papers are placed. The problems contained in the in-

tray by way of memos, letters, and reports are related to each other in some way and

are also related to a master plan. The idea is that the decision taken should be in

consonance with the overall reality of the orgnaisaition and should not be an isolated

case (Jaffee, 1971_. Once the exercise is over the applicants judgement and

performance is evaluated. The applicant explains the decisions that he took and why he

took those decisions.

It is a powerful technique for selection, particularly for the managerial cadre and

provide insight into the applicant’s abilities and behaviour. However, the development

of such an exercise is time consuming. Often the exercise may not be taken seriously by

the participants; hence the behaviour may not be very spontaneous.

In the Indian context this excise is quite often practised but as part of interview. Here

the interviewer may provide a situation to the applicant and ask him to indicate what he

would do and why. However, as an independent selection tool its use has been

nominal.

4. Group Discussion

Another frequently used technique for the selection of supervisory and management

staff and particularly for management trainees in India is known as leaderless group

discussion or just group discussion. Before the individual, face-to-face, interview takes

place a group of applicants ranging from six to ten are either provided a company

situation or a topic on which they are allowed some times to discuss among themselves.

The discussion is preceded by a preparation time which provides an opportunity to the

applicants to think of the subject matter and evolve strategy of making their

contribution.

Group discussion are generally unstructured. There are no predetermined expectations

of who will perform what role seen is how the group takes its shape, what is this shape,

and who has contributed most to this. Depending upon the job expectation a variety of

things could be examined. Generally, the quality of content, its delivery time

management, interpersonal competence, and behaviour in the group are assessed. The

assessment is done by more than one person who are also members of the interview

panel. These assessments are done independently.

Since the assess are also members of the interview panel, it provides them an

opportunity to follow up certain points during the face-to-face interview. This method

is extremely useful as its generates some very useful data on the behaviour,

personality, and leadership qualities in the group . It is time saving as six to ten

applicants can be observed simultaneously. However, the assessors have to be careful

because vocal applicants with better schooling may score better because of their

delivery. Hence emphasis should be placed on content and general behaviour.

6. Physical Examination

This, as a method of selection, is most useful where physical strength is most important

or where physically handicapped are employed. Other than providing a sound, hygienic

environment and legally protecting the organisation, there does not seem to be any

other reason why physical examination should be undertaken.

SELECTION DECISION

Calhoon (1967) defines selection as a two-way decision making process in which both

the organisation and the applicant match talent with requirements of the job. While we

may not be so much concerned with the decision-making process of the applicant, a

closer look has to be taken to see how and why an organisation takes the final selection

decision.Monappa and Saiyadain (1979) have identified four methods of taking selection

decision when multiple methods are involved.

1. Multiple Hurdle

As the name suggests the decision is sequentially taken. Each method of selection is

sequenced as a scale of importance and in each case a minimum performance is

predetermined. All the methods of selection are hurdles that have to be crossed till the

applicant competes the last hurdle. An applicant must score above the minimum score

in the first hurdle before he goes to the second. Similarly, he must get the minimum

score before he goes to the third and so on till he has crossed all the hurdles.

One significant advantage of this technique is that at every stage the number of

applicants is reduced. In other worlds, there is a progressive reduction in the number of

applicants and this also reduces the cost of selection. However, it has the danger of

losing some capable applicants on earlier hurdles because either the cut-off on these

hurdles was arbitrarily set or due to psychological factors the applicants could not

perform well.

2. Profile matching

This method has elements of multiple hurdles because first, a profile of a successful

employee has to be developed. The technique to develop such a profile is the same as

identifying the cut-off score. Once the cut-0off score of the average successful

employee is ready this can be used against fresh applicants to see who comes closest to

the profile. The most important point in this technique of taking selection decision is the

proximity with the ideal profile. A is the ideal profile on a variety of selection methods,

B and C are the profiles of two applicants.

The proximity in case of B and C with A is calculated by s using the statistical technique

of correlation of coefficient. If we calculate the coefficient, we will find a higher

relationship between A and B than A and C, although the profile of C happens to be on

much higher levels than the ideal profile. In terms of decision B would be the most

suited applicant than C despite the fact B has scored less on interview and application

rating when compared to the ideal. C scored better on all counts and yet would not be

selected. The logic is simple. A successful employee does not have to be the one who

has done exceptionally well on all the selection than another. Hence, his contribution

may be good to begin with but may not sustain long. This is true of all high fliers in the

organisation. They soon start believing that every rule, instruction, policy, etc. is

designed to frustrate them and hence lose motivation.

C

3. Multiple cut off

The multiple cut off technique the applicant has to score above the ideal on all the

methods of selection. Unless an applicant scores above the ideal on all the components

of selection he cannot be considered for selection.

The major problem of this technique is that a simple addition of all the scores above the

ideal does not help in ranking the applicants. One may score better than the other on a

given segment and yet it is possible to get the same total as the other because of

variations elsewhere. Sometimes this problem is solved by giving weightages to each

segment, multiplying weightages with the raw scores for each segment, and then

adding them to get a single total. To some extent this takes care of the intersegment

variations. However, developing weightages for each segment is a time consuming

exercise and requires a number of statistical exercises in advance.

4. Multiple Regression

An efficient way of taking care of the problem discussed in multiple cut- off is to use

multiple regression model which has a built-in facility of taking into consideration the

relative contribution of all the segments. Readymade computer packages are already

C

Application Rating Score

Test Score

Group Discussion

Interview Score

available and all one needs to do is to feed the selection data in the computer. This

technique assumes that each score on the selection method is linearly related to the

performance score and that selection scores have compensatory power. In other words,

high score in one makes up for the low score in the other. This technique is

mathematically very elegant but unfortunately is not practised quite often in selection.

An Ideal Selection ProgramAn Ideal Selection Program

An ideal selection program is one that effectively links people requirements into

the goals of the firm as shown below:-

People Requirements Goals of a Firm

Self Directed Flexible Multi skilled Creative Team oriented

Reward creativity Retain talent Pay at market Internally equitable Manage poor performance Encourage growth

Internal equity is a measure of how an organization values each of its jobs in relation to

one another.

Once an employee has been selected for a particular position in a firm, he/she must be

made aware of exactly what his/her job entails and how will he/she be rewarded.

An illustration of such a process can be as follows:-

What does the job do

How much is the job worth

Review

benefit

eligibility

Determine pay, salary range Determine

bonus

eligibility

Appraise performances

Reward through merit, bonus

These are usually based on the “going rate” for a job.

The quality of external comparison is critical.

Not all position exist in all organisation thus determining job worth is difficult.

Pay levels can jump substantially due to labour shortages.

A job market value does not always reflect internal equity.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

In the changed economic scenario, the prospects of gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage is extremely essential for organizations to survive. This can only be achieved if the organization works as an integrated unit and has a sound recruitment and selection procedure.

The employees are the most valuable assist of any organisation so utmost care should

be taken to develop a sound recruitment and selection process in orders to attract,

engage, satisfy and retain employees.

Thus the study of recruitment and selection is of extreme importance as it aims at

gaining meaningful insights into the organisations policies and identifying the gaps that

may exist in the current system.

As it has been rightly said “Today’s Recruit is Tomorrows Industrial Relation Problem”.

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

Preparing a list of information needed

Frame questionnaire

Collect Information Primary

Secondary

Convert information into data and graph

Analysis and interpretation

Primary Data Collection

This was done by means of a questionnaire which was designed and administered to HR

Managers and employees at Oberoi Hotel..

Personal Interview was also conducted on a one to one basis to find out the policies

and procedures regarding recruitment and selection at Oberoi Hotel.

Secondary Data Collection

This involved extensive research of Oberoi Hotel databases. Finally collected

information from the latest books and journals on HR available has been used and

specially “Gary Dessler”.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Time is the biggest constraint. But all efforts have been made to get all the relevant

information required for this study.

There may be biases on the part of the Hotel Managers and Staff while providing the

information. This will not directly affect the study but will have some impact on the

conclusions.

Some of the respondents may not be willing to provide information on their Hotels

but this information will be collected from the selected Hotel’s website.

FINDINGS & ANALYSIS

THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IN INDIA – EMERGING TRENDS

The Indian hotel industry is poised for a quantum leap in the coming years. It is

growing and expanding at an incredibly fast pace. Liberalization of the economy has led

to the market being flooded by a number of global players, who consider India a major

tourist and business destination. The current scenario is a far cry from the times when

just three domestic players –ITC Welcomgroup, East India Hotels and Indian Hotels Ltd.

dominated the scene. With international hotel chains like Marriott, Hyatt, Le Meridien,

Hilton, the Carlson group (which has under its umbrella Regent Hotels, Radisson

Hotels, TGI Friday, Country Inns and Suites), Nikko etc. setting up shop in India, the

competition has never been as stiff and the pressure to perform never been as intense.

Apart from this major growth and expansion, the industry itself is in a state of flux. The

onrush of information technology has touched everyone, the hotel industry being no

exception. Web-based services are fast becoming the order of the day in the industry.

Most hotels are going online, either through launching a portal of their own or through

a travel portal connected to a global reservation system (GRS). The Internet is slated to

be the medium of the future, owing to its speed and connectivity-both extremely

important for a service industry like hotels. It also promises reduced costs, efficient

operations and higher profits. According to experts, the online hotel market is expected

to grow by leaps and bounds in the near future.

Another relatively new concept in the hoteliering business in India is the sprouting up

of reverse auction sites like RazorFinish.com on the Net. Since hotel rooms fall in the

category of perishable products, hotels want to sell off before the last date on the

principle of ‘some- return -is-better-than-none.’ Under this arrangement, customers can

key in their choice of hotels, kind of room, location, price etc. and the sites

electronically relays this information to the chosen hotels, who then anonymously bid

and try to match the offer.

The immense potential of a new market segment, previously ignored by most hotel

majors has been recognized off late. The needs of the emerging Indian middle class

traveler, who is looking for first-class facilities and services at a comfortable price are

now being catered to by most hotel chains with the launch of mid-tier hotels like

Fortune Park Hotels (ITC Hotels Ltd.), Country Inns and Suites (Carlson Group).

Besides targeting metros, hotel majors are now also looking to tap the potential of

smaller urban and sub-urban cities like Ahmedabad, Indore, Jaipur, Gurgaon etc.

With Marriott setting up its 178-room apartment hotel in Mumbai lately – the first of its

kind in India and the fourth Marriott apartment hotel in the world, the Indian hotel

industry has been introduced to a new concept in hoteliering. The concept of executive

apartments is itself fairly new. The first Marriott Executive apartment was

commissioned at Budapest in 1997, the second at Hong Kong in 1998, the third at

Prague in the Czech Republic in Feb,2000 followed by the Executive Apartments (better

known as The Lakeside Chalet) at Mumbai. The apartment hotels are designed to meet

the needs of corporate travelers planning a long-term stay. These apartments, which

range in size from 500-1000 sq. feet come with fully equipped kitchens and seek to

combine the amenities of a hotel with the feel of home. They are attached to adjoining

business hotels so that guest at the apartments can avail all the additional facilities at

the business hotels.

With hotels vying with each other to woo customers and constantly increasing the width

of their offering- exotic cuisine, exciting packages, fantastic facilities, quality service,

the consumer never had it better. Increasing competition has led to hotel majors

realizing that unless a high degree of professionalism is displayed and stringent

standards are maintained in every aspect of their functioning, they may well be out of

the rat race soon.

APPOINTMENTS APPOINTMENTS

1. Recruitment forms the first stage in the process, which continues with selection and

ceases with the placement of the candidate. It Concerns with the persons of

attracting qualified and competent personnel for different job

2. Whenever any vacancy occurs, at Hotel for the placement for RM level or above is

through Qualified internal resources. The placement in level 1 to 6 (below the RM

level) is through advertisement or sometimes through consultancy.

3. Prior to external recruitment scanning is done for internal talent in consultation with

HR Personnel. External souring will be done in case the Management fails to source

the candidate internally. The responsibility for recruitment of employees in the

management cadre will be that of corporate HR, with subsequent approval of the

Business Head.

4. Suitability for the position and meritocracy will be the only criteria in the selection

process.

5. The process after selecting the candidate is:-

a) Forms to be sent to Corporate HR and all the details in Forms are sent to chairman

b) Letter of offer is released within 10 days.

c) Letter is handed over to HRD

d) Letter of offer is signed by the new employee.

e) Subsequent to recruitment the above, the letter of probation is released.

6. Letter of appointment is issued by the chairman/ Managing Director subject to

medical examination.

Individuals will be entitled to reimbursement of fares, professional packing changes and

freight expenses (limits as mentioned in section. ' Transfer and Disturbance Expanses')

for reporting to their initial place of posting, in case they joint at some other location.

7. Joining report is sent to (FC/CS) accounts Department, Personal file.

PROBATION & CONFIRMATION

1. Individual appointed in level (1 to 6) will undergo a period of probation of six

months.

2. There would be no probation period for individuals, joining after 1st April' 2005 at

Managerial level & above.

3. On completion of probation period, an appraisal of performance will be conducted

for considering confirmation in the services of the company. It is the responsibility of

the Manager conducting the confirmation appraisal to ensure the same. The

Confirmation Appraisal Form should be routed through the Vice President/General

Manager of the Unit

4. Letter of confirmation is issued by the chairman. A copy signed by the individual is

sent to the (FL/CS) and are to the HRD that it keeps with itself for maintaining

personal records.

5. The confirmation appraisal form should be routed through GM of the Department.

Extension of probation, if any, will require clearance from the Vice-President. The

Manager conducting the appraisal will communicate the reasons for extension of

probation in the Confirmation Appraisal Form. Once agreed upon by the authorized

body, it will be communicated in writing by Corporate HR to the individual concerned.

APPRAISAL & INCREMENTS

1. The Company From Time To Time administer exercises that help it to assess the

performance of individuals, this exercise is developed and designed so as to allow a

formal forum for discussing performance of an individual and provide feedback to

improve the same and allow for enhancing the career of the individual.

2. The appraisal exercise is an annual exercise. And based on the findings through

these exercises the individual will be given increments.

3. The reward system in Hotel is based on meritocracy.

4. This exercise is developed and designed so as to allow a formal forum for discussing

performance of an individual and provide feedback to improve the same and allow

for enhancing the career of the individual in Hotel.

RULES:

1) Increments are done after the fitment into the new grade.

2) For every individual an appraisal form is filled separately, by the department head/

immediate boss.

3) The appraisee is assesed on personality traits/ Performance (but the overall objective

is never constant).

4) In case the head of the Branch summits the resignation, he has to complete

Appraisals of all the individuals under his charge.

5) The appraisal report should be sent to the Personnel department (HR/ Corporate

office) through the Department Head with view/closing comments.

STEP

A revolutionary program started by the Oberoi group wherein they recruit students

from the 12th class and make them a part of SYSTEMATIC TRAINING AND

EDUCATION PROGRAM. Under this they provide them with education as well as

training and then they are shifted to OCLD or OCER for further training and after that

they join as hotel executives. This approach is really very beneficial for the students as

it gives them a career right after school and they do not waste time.

SURVEY RESULTS

Minimum age required of a candidate at the time of recruitment

68%

20%

0% 12%

Minimum age of 27 ------- 68%

Minimum age of 25 --------12%

Minimum age of 20 -------- 0%

Less than 20 ---------------- 20%

Mode of appointment in the organization

20%

80%

0%0%

External -------------- 20%

Internal --------------80%

Deputation ------------0%

Whether the vacancies are properly organized

76%

20%4%

Yes 76% Can’t say 4%

No 20%

Better source for fulfilling the short-term requirement

72% both

12% external

16% internal

How frequently the organization have recruitment programme?

68% as per requirement

20% every year

0% every 2-3 year

12% no fix time

Is it is necessary to change the present way of recruiting new employees ?

76% no

14% yes

Are any benchmarking exercises conducted for recruitment and selection

process ?

92% no

0% yes8% to some extent

Methods are used for recruitment process

0

10

20

30

40

50

1 2 3 4

Through newspaper ----------- 28%

Campus placement ------------12%

Placement agencies ------------ 44%

Through references ------------- 16%

Are the employees satisfied with the present way of recruitment process?

84% satisfied

16% dissatisfied

KEY FINDING

Findings about how the recruitment process is working in practice at Oberoi’s New

Delhi

1) The minimum age of a candidate required at the time of recruitment is 27 if he/she is

applying for the post of a Manager, but in case the candidate is applying for the

position of Assistant, Trainee then the minimum age required is 20 years.

2) Maximum people in the organization say that the vacancies are properly organized

for the top level employees but for the lower level employees it is not the case.

3) The employees think that the better source for fulfilling the short-term requirement

can be both external sources as well as internal sources.

4) Most of the employees say that it is not necessary to change the present way of

recruiting new employees though some improvement can be done. Employees are very

much satisfied with the present way of recruitment process.

5) Maximum recruitment is done through the placement agencies like HRM search,

Tacit India, Accuris Consultants, etc. Recruitment is also done through newspaper,

through references, and campus placements are also done.

RECOMMENDATION AND

SUGGESTION

Employee recommends for his/her friend/relative directky to the HR person. Here no

commission is given which leads to less involvement of employees, as they don’t get

any monetary benefits from company. The employees should be given commission in

return which in turn acts as a motivating tool for them (employee referral).

Psychometric tests should be conducted. A psychometric test is a way of assessing a

person’s ability or personality in a measured and structured way. Psychometric tests

provide useful information about how effective the candidate might typically act and

perform in the job.

E-recruitiment can be a solution for the outstation candidates. E-recruiting involves

screening candidates electronically, directing potential hires to a special website for

online skill assessment, interviewing candidates via videoconferencing. The

organization can benefit immensely through speed enhancement and extended

worldwide candidate reach which the internet offers.

The interview of the candidates takes a long time which is actually troublesome and

wastage of time for both the employees and the candidate. The second round of

interview can be conducted on the same day to save time and trouble.

At the time of campus recruitment the students can go through a one hour written

test pertaining to their subject. This test will give the interviewer a clear picture of

the knowledge and skills the student have, so that the interviewer can decide

whether the student can appear for the interview or not. This method can save time.

CONCLUSIONS

The training served as a platform to know practical applicability of Human Resource

Functions.

Learnt the art of effective communication.

Overall the training was a platform to develop personal, professional and academic

skills in relatively short period.

We managed to build a lot of new contacts which may be useful in the future.

The Oberoi group is running on it’s service and the way it is providing service to

people hence human resources play a very important role.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Organizational Behaviour

- Stephen Robbins

Human Resources

- Garry Dessler

Designing and Managing Human Resource Systems

- Udai Pareek , T.V. Rao.

The Economic Times

The Oberoi Training Journal

APPENDICES

QUESTIONNAIRE TO MISS RACHITA BUTAN (EXECUTIVE

TRAINER)

Name:___________________________________________

Designation:______________________________________

Age:_____________________________________________

Q. At what levels does your Hotel recruit people? Q. At what levels does your Hotel recruit people?

_________________________________________________

Q. Which medium does your Hotel employ to recruit people? How

receptive are you to an e-mail application?

_________________________________________________

Q. What personal characteristics do you look for in your employee?

_________________________________________________

Q. What is Hotel's selection procedure?

_________________________________________________

Q. What kind of growth opportunities does your Hotel provide to its

employees.

_________________________________________________

Q. What importance is given to training?

_________________________________________________

Q. What kind of appraisal system is used what is it aimed at?

_________________________________________________

Q. What does your Hotel do to retain today's highly mobile

employees?

_________________________________________________

Q. What innovative HR practices your Hotel Employ that make it

different from the rest?

_________________________________________________

THANK YOU

QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED TO MR. YUVRAJ SRIVASTAVA

( DIRECTOR HR)

1.    What is the minimum age required of a candidate at the time of

recruitment ?

a) 27 b) 25 c)20 d) less than 20

2.     What is your mode of appointment in the organization ?

a) internal       b) external c) deputation

3.     Do you think that the vacancies are properly organized for the

organization ?

a) Yes b) No c) Can’t say

4.     Which source do you think is better one for fulfilling the short-

term requirement ?

a) internal       b) external c) both

5.     How frequently do you have recruitment programme in the

organization?

a) Every year       b)Every 2-3 years      

c) no fix time      d) as per requirement

6.     Do you think that it is necessary to change the present way of

recruiting new employees ?

a) Yes b) No If yes then why? ……………………….………..

7.      Are any benchmarking exercises conducted for recruitment

and selection process ?

a) Yes               (b) No                c) To some extent                  d)Not

required

8.     Which methods are used for recruitment process ?

9.     Are the employees satisfied with the present way of

recruitment process?

a) satisfied b) dissatisfied If no then why? ……………………

10.      Any other comment or suggestion from your side.

QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED TO MR. RAJ SISODIYA ( MANAGER HR)

What are the aspects of life at The Oberoi that have the greatest impact on the newcomers each year?

The meaning of the word 'professionalism'.

The Oberoi is a place where you are groomed personally and professionally to become an effective executive with the Group.

There is a lot of individual attention.

The teaching-learning process is very interactive.

Regular, planned professional experience in the hotels provides a context for the ready comprehension of the principles and concepts.

" Theory is not learned unless it can be applied

  

I am a commerce student, in my final year at university. If I get into The Oberoi, will I be able to keep up with the people who have already completed three years at a hotel school?

It might reassure you to know that many top managers in the Oberoi Group are graduates with degrees in other fields. We can't pretend that things are easy for graduates: they have a steep hill to climb, but nothing worthwhile is easy. The management, some of whom are graduates themselves, appreciate the challenges that will face you, and have planned each module so you can build your technical skills and knowledge step-by-step.

   

It does not seem fair that graduates are considered for OCLD. Why is the commitment made by students from other hotel schools not recognized ?

For the Kitchen Management (KM) programme, we only recruit people who have a passion for food and who have spent some years developing their technical skills and knowledge. It would be impossible for a non-hotel graduate to have reached the level where we start the KM programme. However, there is no reason why college graduates should not compete for places in Guest Service Management (GSM) and Housekeeping Management (HM). The OCLD system is effective for people from all kinds of backgrounds.

   

If someone is already working for one of the hotels in the Oberoi Group and applies for OCLD, it seems only fair that he should get preferential treatment because of my prior commitment to the company.

Everyone walks into OCLD on his or her own merits. However, the selection process we use for internal candidates does differ from what we use for other candidates. Since they have already been found suitable for employment, there is no need for them to repeat the same preliminary rounds of OCER. Each year, a qualifying examination for internal candidates will be held at the same date and time at every hotel in the company. If the internal candidates are able to qualify, they will be able to compete directly with external candidates during the semi-final and final rounds, with the same chance as everyone else: no more, no less. We are looking for people who fit a certain profile. Working in our company, or any other company for that matter, might help improve one's

experience, brush up one's image, or become more mature, but a fresh IHM or college graduate could still take precedence if his or her profile is closer to our ideal.

   

   

   

   

If an employee is not working in the operational departments, can he still apply as an internal candidate at the OCLD ?

Sure. We have associates at OCLD who have worked in HR, in sales, even the gift shop. The main challenge is that you will still need to pass the National Qualifying Examination, which includes 50 questions with a bias on one of the technical specialisations: F&B, Front Office, Housekeeping or Kitchen. If you have absolutely no background in hotels, you may be better discussing an application as a private candidate with your training manager. If you do have a hotel background, then choose your favourite speciality and hit the books!

   

   

What are the evaluation systems at The Oberoi ?

We take evaluations and appraisals seriously. You will get feedback on your performance, your attitudes and behaviour, all the time. We will encourage you to appraise yourself, to be willing to listen to feedback from fellow associates and from mentors and supervisors when you are on professional experience. During the orientation programme at the beginning, you will be given a copy of our Standard Regulations, which will explain the evaluation system, clarify what you have to do with the best possible results, and describe the penalties for poor performance.

   

   

I work for another hotel group. Will I be at any disadvantage if I apply?

It is not our practice to 'poach' from other companies. Whilst they may be competitors in some senses, in other ways they are our collaborators and colleagues. However, if you have decided to leave your current employer, we would be pleased to consider you for Oberoi on his or her own merits. We welcome candidates from many different kinds of background.

   

If I don't make it through The Oberoi, will I be able to try again next year ?

The doors never close. Some people come back a second or third time, and eventually get accepted. On the other hand, some people come back again and again, but never make it. Paradoxically, this might be the best thing that could happen. If they do not fit the profile, they would be unhappy at the job.

   

If I fail to get into The Oberoi, will I be at a disadvantage next year?

First, if you don't get selected, you should not see this as a 'failure'. The chances are that you did not make any mistakes. It is just that we are looking for square pegs to fit square holes in our company. You might be an excellent round peg, but we are only looking for square pegs. If you pretend to be something you are not, you would simply become an uncomfortable round peg in a square hole. On the other hand, you might almost fit our ideal profile. You might almost be a square peg; just not quite square enough. In time, you might have acquired more experience, more focus, more confidence, and have become perfectly square. So you would definitely not be at any disadvantage. Of course, you could also still be a round peg - a brilliant fit for some other company, but still not what we are looking for in an Oberoi Executive.

   

What is the compensation structure like?

The only answer we can give is that we 'benchmark against the best'. The cost of living in various cities is quite different, and these differences have to be reflected in the pay. If we quote a take-home pay for one city, it might not be the same for another city. So rather than setting up incorrect expectations,

let's just say that our pay and benefit packages are highly competitive.

   

What are the fees at your internal school OCLD?

Since you are asking this question, it shows that you don't understand what OCLD is about. It is not a graduate college. It is not a finishing school. It is simply a unit of the Oberoi Group that manages the development and grooming of young people who have the potential to become executives with our company. There are no fees. They pay nothing. We pay them a monthly stipend.

   

Is there a bond at OCLD?

We do not have a bond in the sense you mean. Taking only the stipend over two years, our investment in you is already over two lakhs of rupees. The total investment is about four times that. We are investing in our future by investing in your future. We expect a return on our investment, and so should you. Please do not accept a place at OCLD unless you are serious about your future as an executive with our company. Sometimes people need to move on at a certain point in their careers, but you should not start out with that intention. The only bond we have is a moral obligation between you and your conscience. If you join OCLD, it should only be because you are serious about becoming an executive with the Oberoi Group, and are willing to provide us with a dividend on our investment with your loyalty, commitment and contribution.

   

   

   

What are the possibilities of getting a transfer to another hotel?

The Oberoi Group is keen to retain high performers and facilitate their career development. Once you have shown your value, and if your circumstances are such that relocation is the only alternative, we will do everything we can to help. We may be able to hold a position in another hotel, and arrange a transfer for you. At executive level, transfers become a certainty, rather than a possibility. After two years or so, it is normal to be transferred to another hotel in a different position.

   

   

On what basis are candidates eliminated or chosen from Self Introduction Round?

We look for people with good verbal and listening skills, confident body language, and the ability to interact with the rest of the group. People who say nothing or who cannot assert themselves, will not be able to show their potential, and so will not be chosen.

   

   

What are you looking for in the trade test?

Let us take the kitchen trade test as an example. We are not going to ask you to do anything advanced or showy. We just want to see if you know your basics. Can you work safely, cleanly and neatly? Are your skills of using knives, tools and equipment acceptable? Do you know the basic methods of cookery? Can you sequence your work so that everything is ready for presentation at the right time? You cannot really do much to prepare or revise, except maybe to practice. If you have what it takes, you will be able to do what is asked of you.

   

Why is OCLD seen as being so difficult and stressful? Why are people so afraid of OCLD that they do not even appear for the selection? Why is OCLD considered to be so 'out of reach'?

We are sorry to hear that people are afraid of OCLD, but we also understand that some people instinctively know they are not ready for the challenge. We want to recruit the brightest and the best. Some people realise they are not the best. They may not have worked hard enough. They may not have the confidence or competence they need to become an Oberoi executive. We make no apology if some people think OCLD is out of their reach. Every year, we see thousands of candidates for only 24 places on each of our three courses. To help us identify the best out of so many good people means that we have to use increasingly challenging selection procedures. Some people may perceive that process as being difficult and stressful, but the people we are looking for will take it all in their stride. To some people, what they hear about life at OCLD

might also sound difficult and stressful. Again, we make no apology. Nothing worth having is easy. Our associates are already self-motivated and ambitious. We only provide a supportive environment within which they can stretch themselves, challenge themselves to reach ever-higher standards, and be the best they can be. That can sometimes appear difficult and stressful to outsiders. Our associates gladly accept the pressure because they know that they are being groomed for a great future with the Oberoi Group.

   

Is it true that employees have to lose their own personality and character to become 'carbon copies' of the Oberoi profile?

We select our associates because they have great personalities and strong characters. It would be foolish to destroy the very qualities we prize. Talk to any two executives in our company, and you will see that their personalities, styles and interests are quite different. However, all Oberoi executives do have a few things in common. When we are at work, we are very serious about our guests, our company, our jobs, our grooming and our exemplary standards of behavior. We share the Oberoi Mission, Vision and Dharma. We are proud to be a part of the Oberoi Group, and are comfortable with its culture. We are obsessed with quality. We continually try to exceed the expectations of our guests: we want to 'wow' them. We strive to improve the standards of our products and services every day. The company would never ask us to sacrifice those qualities that make us individuals, so rest assured that outside of our working lives, we also have a Life!

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