P6 – Explain the factors that contribute to an effective workplace in travel and tourism
organisations.
Working environment:
Location and working conditions –
The location of a job can have a big impact on an employee as it can have an effect on their
motivation and mood. Having a short commute to their place of work can be beneficial to
the employee as there is less effort needed to find a way to work, especially if it’s in walking
distance. Working in a sunny and warm tourism resort would give an employee a sense of
happiness and relaxation, as they would be out in a sunny area, getting the chance to talk to
the customers about their enjoyment of the attraction. This compared to working in a travel
agency in a small closed space with their whole working day being occupied by a computer
and taking phone calls. This would make them feel depressed and that there is no proper
job satisfaction due to its repetitive nature. Also working in a negative environment can
decrease an employee’s motivation in the job and therefore, decreases their ability to
produce quality work. An example of a positive work location would be working as a tour
guide for Niagara Falls. They would get the daily opportunity to meet new and interesting
people whilst taking them on boat tours around Niagara Falls. Due to the chance of meeting
new people each day, this would give the employee a sense of job satisfaction and reduce
the repetitive nature of the job.
Hours of work –
Depending on the type of employee, the amount of work hours that suit them will vary. The
maximum amount of healthy work hours per week is around 40. However, these may vary
according to the employee’s life style and social needs. The reason being, some employees
find it easier to work in non-social situations compared to others who may prefer to work as
part of a group. Therefore, resulting in some employees working more hours than others.
For example, an employee with social needs working a 38-hour week cleaning as part of a
team at Premier Inn. They may not like the job itself, but are still able to fulfil their social
needs by talking to their team counterparts.
Health and safety –
For a business to effectively follow the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, they need to
consider any threats in their work place that would go against the act. The type of health
and safety being applied will depend on the operations of the business. Not following the
Act can lead to a business failing they would not be allowed to operate due to the risks
posed. For example, Alton Towers is required to check maintenance on their machinery
every week and ensure that there is a list of items that passengers cannot take on their rides
(such as loose clothing).
Equipment and resources –
Having high quality equipment can help improve the resources on which the employees get
to use in their job. These changes can help increase the employees comfort and motivation
at the job as they know their equipment will allow them to complete work with ease. For
example, if 2TemptU got the newest MacBook’s for their employees. They would be able to
be confident that they can connect to the internet and complete research for their
customers at a quick pace. Knowing that they have reliable IT technology that is up to date
and able to run all required programs.
Theorists (Maslow) –
, P6 – Explain the factors that contribute to an effective workplace in travel and tourism
organisations.
A theorist is a person that has great concern for a subject, such as the wellbeing of the
employees in the business. An example of a theorist is Maslow, who understands that all
employees have their individual needs and are able to find satisfaction in different aspects
of the job, according to their likings, such as a receptionist who works at Premier Inn. If they
enjoyed interacting with people and are generally social, then working in a receptionist role
would give them the most job satisfaction.
Social events –
Social events in a workplace are a good way to make employees feel motivated and help
them feel comfortable. A normal work social event will give employees the opportunity to
enjoy each others company and get to know one another. These events are normally office
parties, monthly fun activities or a time of the day that gives employees the chance to
socialise with each other each day, such as a break room. At Hampton by Hilton, employees
are given the chance to socialise with one another during their break at 3pm. They are
allowed access to the staff room and are give the ability to socialise with once another for
an hour, before beginning their next shift.
Impact on motivation –
The impact that these motivational techniques have on employees is good for a business.
The reason being, motivation gives an employee a sense of security and job satisfaction as
they know the business cares about their workplace needs are. Therefore, increasing the
quality and quantity of work they deliver and keeping them happy and fulfilled with their
job. In Emirates, their employees are kept motivated by being given privileges, such as a
good accommodation for cabin crew to stay at after flying a long haul flight. Having a high
quality accommodation makes the cabin crew feel cared for by the business and excited for
the next time they have a stay over after a long-haul flight. This gives them the motivation
to work hard and provide good quality customer service when on board a flight.
Incentives:
Remuneration –
Being paid fairly is something that all employees expect to get for a full day’s work. To
ensure that all employees are paid fairly, the government has set up an act called the
National Minimum Wage rates (NMW). It helps to ensure that all employees are getting paid
at a fair rate according to their age and job role. The main pay rate for adults over 22 in the
UK is £9.18 per hour (April 2022) and the rate for 18 year olds is £4.81 (April 2022) per hour.
If a business is paying an employee under these rates (according to their age) then they are
being unfair to the employee. In the case of a receptionist at Premier Inn, they get £8.74 per
hour, which is around 50 pence under the recommended pay. However, the job does not
require much maintenance as the employees is only required to take bookings, check
people in, show them their rooms for example.
Performance-related pay –
Performance-related pay is when a business pays an employee according to how well they
preform in their job. For example, being a travel agent at 2TemptU, an employee will get
paid per commission. Depending on what they sell in the holiday, they can get paid from 7%
to 9% per sale. If they sell a rented car, the employee gets 50p per sale, if they sell an
