1. GHZP 4033 Human Resource Management in Tourism & Hospitality
Lai Yee Wei

2. SEASONALITY in Tourism Employment
Human Resource Challenges

3. Seasonality in tourism
Defined as cyclical variations in tourism demand.
Described as one of the most predominant, yet least understood, features of tourism. (Highman and Hinch, 2002)
Viewed as a challenge and often a problem affecting many areas.
Check : what is predominant

4. Seasonal jobs
Defined as a non-permanent paid job that will end at a specified time, once the seasonal peak has passed. (Marshall, 1999)
Example: promoter, event staff/performers, summer/winter resort employees, etc.

5. Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Defined as the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable the firm to achieve its goal. (Wright and McMaham, 1998)

6. SHRM and Seasonality in Tourism Employment
When the SHRM appropriately deployed, it will provide a primary source of competitive advantage for a firm. Yet, the advantages depend largely on the concept of “fit”.
FIT

7. What is fit? Vertical Fit Horizontal Fit
“Fit” is a kind of function has to be aligned to assist the formulation and implementation of an organization’s strategies and priorities.
Vertical Fit
CHECK AGAIN WHAT IS FIT
Horizontal Fit

8. SHRM context HORIZONTAL FIT VERTICAL FIT
Involves aligning HRM practices with one another.
Involves alignment between a firm’s HRM practices and its business strategy.
The coordination among a variety of HR practices.
Concerned more with the compatibility between HR practices in a systematic way.

9. How does the firm achieve the goal?
Customer’s
Satisfaction
GOAL
Customer’s
Experience
Horizontal Fit
Vertical Fit
Employee’s
Behavior

10. Result
Linking the HR practices & business strategy will shows the employees exhibiting desired role behaviors, in turn, contribute to firm success.

11. Managing Seasonality in Tourism Employment
“Embrace” or “Challenge” seasonality.
Embrace
Seasonality
Challenge
Seasonality
The model of managing seasonality n HR practices.
“as you can see the arrow that pointing at two sides which is the extreme points of seasonality strategies.

12. Embrace Seasonality
The business that by choice or circumstance accept the seasonal nature of their industry.
8-12 weeks, not whole year.
Supplement income with a tourist-related business.
Example: summer bed-and-breakfast operation.

13. Challenge Seasonality
Tourism operators that are, not by choice, affected by seasonality, nature of a non-seasonal business.
Operate a year-round enterprise.
Try to extend their season by offering visitors discounts during the shoulder season.
Example: Hotel extra-ordinary promotion during off season.
Add note: other offers, such as additional services and activities.

14. How to decide to embrace or to challenge?
Align their HR policies and practices with their business strategy.
External Fit
Internal Fit
Situation1: if a business chooses to challenge seasonality as a part of its business strategies, then the overall HR strategy would need to support business beyond the normal season. EX: staff training, development…
Situation 2: if a business chooses to embrace seasonality, then their staffing practices would focus on those activities that support a relatively short business season. EX: short-term staff, briefing on specific task only.

15. Definitions In short, the HR practices support the overall strategy
EXTERNAL FIT
INTERNAL FIT
The need to align HR programs with the overall business strategy.
Refer to two types of alignment:
The need to align HR programs with other functional areas.
The need for alignment among HR programs.
It relates to programs, activities and strategies that the organization develops to respond to the external environment.
Focus on how organizational and HRM systems are connected.
Useful to each other and to internal clients.
In short, the HR practices support the overall strategy
(external fit), and support one another (internal fit).

16. HR practices based on seasonality
Embrace Seasonality
HR Practice
Challenge Seasonality
Focus on temporary workers, employee retention less important
Staffing
Focus on full-time core workforce, employee retention valued
Focus on brief orientation and task specific training
Training and development
Focus on continual training and employee development
Example staffing: (embrace-students) (challenge-full-time worker)

17. HR practices based on seasonality
Embrace Seasonality
HR Practice
Challenge Seasonality
Focus on ability to perform specific tasks (informal appraisal techniques)
Performance appraisal
Focus on broader based competencies and task specific abilities (formal & informal appraisal techniques)
Match or lead competitor’s base pay: bonuses based on staying entire season
Compensation
Match competitor’s base pay; benefits and merit increases encourage retention; bonuses for staying beyond normal season

18. Extra Information https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJDjXfM5NBc
Sharing Staff in tourist areas

19. Thank You
for
your attention