CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND ETIQUETTE

What is Professional Development?

● Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials
such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and
informal learning opportunities situated in practice.
● Gain Self-Knowledge - Focusing on self-knowledge can be invaluable as you
pursue a career. Although employers look for specific technical skills and abilities
in job candidates, character counts.
● A new you - If you’re just beginning your career, you’re on the verge of becoming a
whole new person
● Know Yourself - If you can learn more about yourself, you can equip yourself for
your career. For example, if you know that your energy can be “refueled” only
when you’re alone, you know to plan time to be by yourself. If you’re aware of
your laid-back tendencies, you know to give yourself an occasional go-ahead kick.
Knowing yourself gives you a chance to meet your own needs

PROFILES AND TYPES

➢ People seem to be born with tendencies toward specific temperaments, learning
styles, and thinking styles. No one style is the right one or even the preferable one.
But if you know your styles and your temperament, you can use your strengths in
work situations—and can be on guard against your potential weaknesses

PERSONALITY
➢ Each personality is completely unique, but many have common characteristics
that can be grouped together. In the Middle Ages, physicians divided the
temperaments of personalities into four categories: phlegmatic, sanguine,
choleric, and melancholy. Many variations exist among the categories, and nobody
fits completely into one of the categories. Yet most of us can easily see ourselves
in one or two of these four divisions.

APPLYING YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF PERSONALITY

➢ Each of the four temperaments, or personality types, carries with it a set of
strengths and corresponding weaknesses. If you wrote most of your words and
phrases under one category, pay special attention to the tendencies of that
temperament.
Phlegmatic - Life for the phlegmatic-type person tends to go along smoothly. Her
strengths lie in her combination of abilities and her steady consistency. She can relax,
enjoy friends, and keep the peace. She’s easy to live with and undemanding. The
phlegmatic may need to be on guard against laziness or a lack of motivation that keeps
her on the sidelines as a spectator. She can become stubborn, indecisive, and even
fearful.

Melancholy - The melancholic-type person sees things in life that others miss. He’s
sensitive and often gifted. He doesn’t mind sacrificing himself for others and makes a
faithful friend and a good listener. He is thoughtful of others. He’s always dependable
because his perfectionist tendencies make him conscious of letting people down. The
melancholic may need to work on controlling his moods, which can vary widely with his
emotions. He needs to stand up for himself and make tough decisions. He may have to
work on meeting new people and not worrying about what others think about him.

Sanguine - A sanguine temperament is great in a crowd. She loves new situations and
experiences and is seldom at a loss for words. She’s cheerful, enthusiastic, and a great
motivator, full of energy. The sanguine person may need to improve her organization and
follow-through. She should work on becoming a better listener and on forming deeper
relationships. Sanguines tend to get bored easily and become restless and undisciplined.

Choleric - The choleric is independent, decisive, and self-sufficient. He has little trouble
making decisions and usually makes a strong leader. He loves activity and has lots of
ideas and the plans to implement them. He’s determined, practical, and knows his own
mind. The choleric may be so goal-oriented that he’ll need to be careful not to overlook
other people’s needs. He can be a tough person to live with, inflexible, and impatient. He
may need to work on people skills to become a motivator rather than a dictator.

LEARNING STYLES
➔ The brain has two sides, and each hemisphere functions differently. Most of us
depend more on one side of the brain than the other as we learn new information.
In part, that explains our different learning styles.
➔ BRAIN HEMISPHERE DOMINANCE: Left - Brain learner ; Sees in parts, logical,
learns in numbered steps, follows in straight lines, likes words, Orderly organized.
Right - Brain learner ; Sees the whole, creative, learns by figuring out, sees the
pattern, likes images, spontaneous.
CHAPTER 2: RECOGNIZING OUR VALUES AND ETHICS

Value Systems
➢ Values are the unarticulated beliefs that form the foundation for ethical behavior,
i.e. practices that are viewed by our society as correct behavior. As future
hospitality management students you should acknowledge the fundamental
importance of the following values both for yourself and your profession:

1. Quality of life - people being satisfied with their whole life experience;
2. Health, human potential, empowerment, growth and excellence - people being healthy,
aware of the fullness of their potential, recognizing their power to bring that potential
into being, growing into it, living it, and, generally, doing the best they can with it,
individually and collectively;
3. Freedom and responsibility - people being free and responsible in choosing how they
will live their lives;
4. Justice - people living lives whose results are fair and right for everyone;
5. Dignity, integrity, worth and fundamental rights of individuals, organizations,
communities, societies, and other human systems;
6. All-win attitudes and cooperation - people caring about one another and about
working together to achieve results that work for everyone, individually and collectively;
7. Authenticity and openness in relationships;
8. Effectiveness, efficiency and alignment - people achieving the maximum of desired
results, at minimum cost, in ways that coordinate their individual energies and purposes
with those of the system-as-a-whole, the subsystems of which they are parts, and the
larger system of which their system is a part;
9. Holistic, systemic view and affected parties orientation - understanding human
behavior from the perspective of whole system(s) that influence and are influenced by
that behavior; recognizing the interests that different people have in the system's results
and valuing those interests fairly and justly;
10. Wide participation in system affairs, confrontation of issues leading to effective
problem solving, and democratic decision making.

ETHICS
➢ Ethics deals with right and wrong. It’s the code of unwritten rules that govern how
we act toward others. In fact, “ethics” comes from the Greek word ethos, meaning
“character.” Socrates, the great fifth century B.C. The Greek philosopher asked his
students to ask themselves this question: “Why do you do what you do?”
 ➢ Whereas values are the things we consider important, ethics are the “shoulds” and
“should nots” of living we adhere to as we try to get what we want.
➢ Ethics is relevant to you in your everyday life as at some point in your
professional or personal life you will have to deal with an ethical question or
problem, e.g. what is your level of responsibility towards protecting another
person from threat, or whether or not you should tell the truth in a particular
situation?
➢ EXAMPLES OF POOR ETHICS:
- Your fair share is whatever you can get away with
- Nobody expects you to be honest when they're not looking
- It's not stealing unless they catch you

RECOGNIZE YOUR VALUES AND ETHICS

➢ Values are the things and principles that are most important to us. Values involve
our feelings, ideas, and beliefs. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you operate
according to a system of values. Everything you do, every decision you make,
comes from inside you. Your values are in place and at work all the time. Ideally,
in your career, you’ll make decisions according to your values. But if you’re not
aware of your own values, you can expect confusion. A good knowledge of
personal values will help you take responsibility for your decisions and your
career.

Observe yourself and value questions

● How well do you know yourself on the inside? Do you make your decisions
according to what you think is most important? Do you think you’re unselfish,
polite, respectful, generous, and honest?
● Another way to get at the root of your values is to ask yourself questions.
Remember that the more you understand your own values, the better equipped
you’ll be to handle the tough choices in a new career.

YOUR PERSONAL CODE OF ETHICS

● Become familiar with your own already-existing code of ethics. Understanding
your unwritten rules will help you make decisions you can live with. Examine
your decisions. See if you can decipher your own ethical code. Is it the way you
want it to be? If not, now’s the time to start changing it—before you hit the
pressures of a new career.
1. BECOME MORE RELIABLE AND RESPONSIBLE - The best way to prove you’re
dependable is through your actions. Showing up on time and completing assigned tasks
are good examples of dependable behavior.

2. BE ON TIME - Whether you’re digging ditches or trading stocks, you’d better show up
to work on time. Time management in detail. But for now, just know that if you’re in the
habit of running late, you’d better shake the habit.

HOW TO GET TO WORK ON TIME

★ Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier.
★ Always plan to get to work early-not on time.
★ Use the buddy system with a punctual coworker.
★ Have that second cup of coffee after you get to work.
★ To avoid bad traffic hours, leave an hour early. Use the extra time to get work
done, read, or eat breakfast.
★ Iron and set out your clothes the night before.
★ Keep your gas tank filled.
★ Have a Plan B for emergencies, someone who can take you to work, or a cab to
call if your car won't start.
★ Never carpool with tardy people.
★ Count on something going wrong and plan accordingly.

3. GETTING THE JOB DONE - Another basic responsibility is simply doing your job.
Most jobs aren’t like school. You don’t put in your time from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. and
leave as soon as the bell rings. You don’t slide by with minimum effort. At the very least,
you hold up your end and get the job done.

4. THE ART AND IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOW-THROUGH - When someone says, “I’ll call
you,” do you expect a call? If somebody borrows your pen, what are the chances you’ll
get it back? How many times has a friend borrowed something (a book, a T-shirt) and
forgotten to return it? When you call a store or business and ask them to return the call,
do they?

5. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - Dependability and responsibility begin at home. If you

feel you haven’t grown up yet, do it now. Take charge of yourself. Being responsible
means keeping a clean living space and paying your bills on time. It means balancing
your schedule so you get enough sleep and can perform well at your job.
 ● You can become more responsible by doing the little things, such as laundry,
dishes, and taking the garbage out, in a punctual manner. Building personal
responsibility also means making much larger, more important commitments and
following through with them.

6. FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Even if you get only a few bucks for a weekly
allowance, budget your money. Once you’re out on your own, paying for rent, food,
entertainment, and insurance, you’ll have to keep a handle on your finances. If you don’t,
it will affect your work.
● Start a simple log to record your spending. Once you see where your money (or
your parents’ money) is going, you’ll know the areas you need to budget. How
much can you afford to spend in each area monthly?
● One tip is to mark a set of envelopes with the financial category you’re
budgeting.For example, if you live with your parents, you may need only a few
envelopes: School needs, Entertainment, Clothes, Savings, and Miscellaneous.
Until you get the hang of budgeting, put the actual money allotted into each
envelope. When the money’s gone, you’re done. This might keep you from
spending everything on movies, for example.

7. TEAM RESPONSIBILITY - Once you become part of a working team, your

responsibilities take on an added dimension. You have to become a team player. Each
person on a team needs to take personal responsibility for team relationships. You’ll have
to do more than just be a nice person. You have to take responsibility for your team’s
development.

8. PERSONAL INITIATIVE - One of your responsibilities will be to act on your own

initiative. Don’t always wait until someone tells you what to do. Ask for advice. Learn
from people with experience and expertise. But don’t distrust your own abilities. Have
the confidence to act on your own and to follow through, without bothering your boss
with every little problem.

CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD TO PROFESSIONALISM

I. ACHIEVING PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

- When you start your career, you raise your personal stakes. Always strive for
excellence on the job.
1. ESTABLISHING A WORK ETHIC - Excellence isn’t an abstract prize that only a chosen
few can win. Excellence is almost always within your power—if you’re willing to work
for it. You can always work harder and longer. Unlike in school, the bell doesn’t dismiss
you from the workplace.
2. UNSELFISH EXCELLENCE - Hard work and excellence do more than make you look
good. You can transform your work team with your professional attitude of unselfish
excellence.
3. PROFESSIONAL DRESS - Excellence involves more than just hard work. You need to
conduct yourself as a professional in the way you dress, talk, and act.
4. PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE - Professional etiquette includes everything from good
table manners and environmental awareness to introductions. Etiquette is a set of rules
we live by. Manners are the way we put those rules into effect.
● Mind your Manners
● Greetings
● Environmental Awareness
● Unspoken After-Hours Etiquette
5. PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE - It’s difficult to define, but there’s a certain attitude that
professionals must maintain at work. This attitude includes the way you act toward
co-workers, the expectations you have at work, what you talk about or bring with you to
work, and the way you carry yourself on the job. Keep an even tone about yourself. Even
when the pace gets hectic and anxieties run high in the office, tell yourself, “No drama at
work.” Speak calmly and not too loudly. Take deep breaths, and wait before you react
and get pulled into a frenzy. Earn a reputation as someone with a level head.
6. PROFESSIONAL PRIVACY - Possibly the best advice on professionalism is “Keep your
private life private and leave your personal life at home where it belongs”
7. PROFESSIONAL HONESTY - You can’t attain professional excellence without basic
honesty. Do you consider yourself an honest person? Most of us do. But your level of
professional honesty and integrity has to be high. You have to remain above reproach at
all times.
8. CUSTOMER HONESTY - Another place for honesty is in your customer relationships.
You may be able to push a sale by stretching the claims of your product, but you’ll
probably lose in the long run. The customer will eventually find out the truth, and you
will have lost all the sales he might have brought back. Always go out of your way to play
fair, even in the tightest negotiations.
II. IMPROVE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS IN THE OFFICE
- Make a list of 10 ways you would like to be treated by team members. Use those
principles to help you deal with others. Use the statements that follow as a guide
in developing your list.

● I’d like to be respected.

● I’d like someone to listen when I talk.
● I’d like people to give me the benefit of the doubt.
● I’d like to be appreciated.
● I’d like to be given a chance to show what I can do.
● I’d like to be forgiven when I mess up and not have it constantly thrown in my face.
● I’d like to be congratulated when I do a good job.
● I’d like to be able to trust other people to do what they say they will do.
● I’d like to be left alone when I’m working on a deadline.
● I’d like others to ask me for my opinion.

III. BE A LEARNER
- Did you know that 89 percent of work knowledge is acquired on the job? No
wonder many employers believe the number one responsibility of new workers is
to become learners.

THE POWER OF QUESTIONS

➔ Asking questions helps you get answers that equip you to do your job. So don’t be
afraid of looking or sounding stupid. It’s better to be honest about your ignorance
than to pretend you know more than you do.
➔ It is important to be totally honest about how much you know from the start at a
new job. Your employer doesn’t expect you to know everything, so be honest
about what you really do and don’t know. To save yourself time and
embarrassment, ask these key questions.
● How exactly does this work?
● Am I doing this satisfactorily?
● What could I do to do a better job?
● May I see if I understand you correctly?
● Is there someone I can go to if I need help? How could I help with that?
● Would you run that by me again?

➔ Besides helping you learn your job, asking questions can get you a reputation as a
learner—and that’s a reputation you want. There’s a world of difference between
 “I don’t know” and “I’d like to know.” Don’t stop with your lack of knowledge.
Make it clear that you really want to know how things work. You want to know all
you can about this company.
➔ Questions can help you handle conflicts and authority. Put your disagreements in
the form of questions. “Do you think it would work to try this?” “What do you
think about it?” “If we tried this instead, what do you think might happen?” Never
underestimate the power of a good question.
➔ Besides helping you learn your job, asking questions can get you a reputation as a
learner—and that’s a reputation you want. There’s a world of difference between
“I don’t know” and “I’d like to know.” Don’t stop with your lack of knowledge.
Make it clear that you really want to know how things work. You want to know all
you can about this company.

IV. EARN YOUR STRIPES

- You may think that because you’ve been hired, you’re automatically entitled to the
same respect and consideration as everybody else. But when you start a job, you
have to prove yourself and earn the respect of your team. While you’re learning
the business your first year, you’re laying the foundation for your reputation.

What can you do to earn your stripes?

1. Work harder than anybody else. Come in early and leave late, even if all you do is
polish your desk. Do more than you’re asked to do. Develop a reputation as a hard
worker.
2. Have a positive attitude at the office, even if you feel you’ve made the worst mistake in
your life taking this job.
3. Keep a notebook. Remember dates, names, clients, and instructions. Go home and
memorize.
4. Be a professional cheerleader, quick to congratulate (sincerely) and express
appreciation.
5. Be the most available person on your team. If you get a free minute, ask somebody
what you can do to help.The best thing you have to offer your team is you—your time,
your abilities, your energy.
6. Stay sharp, ready for your big moment. When you first start at a job, your main
responsibilities may be small, so do everything you can to learn about the company and
help and encourage others. When you finally get the chance to do more, your research
and observations of coworkers will be useful, and others will encourage you.
7. Demonstrate your commitment to the company. Learn all you can about functions,
titles, and clients. Ask others for their ideas about the future of the business. Do outside
research and keep up on competitors. Be knowledgeable. Volunteer for assignments. Ask
to sit in on meetings. Join professional organizations. Learn all you can.

V. IMPROVE YOUR TIME-MANAGEMENT, GOAL-SETTING, AND MEMORY SKILLS

1. GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT

● Start by listing the things that are most important to you. Some factors to weigh
and consider are the amount of time you spend with your friends versus your
boyfriend or girlfriend, your summer job versus your summer beach plans, and
the amount of time you need to devote to both schoolwork and extracurricular
activities in the coming year. Once you have a list of issues, start determining your
priorities by placing the most important items—the items that need your attention
most—near the top. Once you establish your list of priorities, you are ready to
start setting goals.

2. SETTING PERSONAL GOALS

● Goals come in all sizes, from large life goals such as finding your dream job to
daily goals such as making your bed. If you’ve never set goals before, it might be
worth your time to jot down a general life goal in each of the following major
areas of your life:
● Family
● Financial
● Intellectual
● Physical
● Social
● Spiritual
● Vocational
● Other

3. SHORT-TERM GOALS
● Your initial goals should be short-term specific. This will help you work on your
larger life goals in a more organized manner. Try setting up goals for one semester.
Now you get to chip away at a piece of that life goal.
● Your next step is to break up your goals into parts or steps, called objectives. If
you fulfill each objective, you’ll reach your goal.

.
4. SCHEDULE THE PLAN
● So far you have goals, objectives, and plans. But you also need to accomplish
these items within a certain time period. Say you’ve made it your goal to study
more for tests this semester. To accomplish that goal, you need to make a weekly,
or even a day to day schedule.

5. AVOID PROCRASTINATION
● You have goals, objectives, a plan, and a schedule. Now all you have to do is fulfill
them. And the only thing that can get in your way is procrastination.
● Procrastination is the habit of putting off until tomorrow and the next day and the
day after. It’s a good habit to break.

VI. MAINTAIN BALANCE TO SUCCEED IN THE WORKPLACE

- Ever notice how life is filled with contradictions? You’re told to relax but to be on
guard; to trust people but to watch your back; to be nice but to not let people walk
all over you; to live for the moment but to plan for the future; to have confidence
that you can do anything but to be realistic about your limitations. Do these
expectations seem difficult to balance?

1. UNREASONABLE EXPECTATIONS - Be realistic—you’re not going to come in like a

Broadway star and wow the corporation your first week. You probably won’t get a raise
your first year. Nobody will pat you on the back for coming in on time and doing what
they hired you to do. Your first employee evaluation may be lukewarm.
2. BE PREPARED - Don’t “wing it” on the job. Prepare. Over prepare until you don’t have
to think about what you’ll say. Solid preparation is one of the surest ways to relieve job
stress and to take the pressure off.
3. THE POWER OF WORKING HARD - You might think you’ll have a better chance of
escaping job stress if you don’t work so hard. But usually the opposite is true. There is
power in knowing you’ve done your very best. When you work hard and do your best,
you don’t have to kick yourself when something goes wrong. You can at least know that
you did what you could. And others will know it, too.
4. MARK YOUR SUCCESSES - Most of us pay a lot more attention to our failures than to
our successes. But if you want to build your self-esteem, give yourself credit for the little
successes along the way. If you get to work early every day for a week and if that’s an
accomplishment for you, pat yourself on the back. You deserve credit. If you know you
did your best and did more than was required of you that day, good for you. Celebrate
your success. If you keep a journal, write down your victories.
5. ADMIT YOUR MISTAKES - Job stress is usually at its highest when you make a
mistake. Everybody will make mistakes on the job. How you handle your mistakes will
determine your level of stress. First, try to keep a positive perspective. Try to view your
mistakes in comparison with all the things you’ve done right. Don’t keep focusing on the
mistake and interpreting everything around you in light of that error. It’s just a small part
of a much bigger picture. It’s also important to own up to your mistakes. Don’t try to shift
the blame or waste time trying to explain yourself and justify what you know is wrong.
Do what you need to do—admit it and apologize. Try to lessen the fallout.
6. MAINTAIN BALANCE - Balanced individuals have a life outside the workplace. Keep
your home life in order; make your home a place of refuge and relaxation. Have a hobby
to pursue for entertainment. Give yourself outside events and engagements to look
forward to, especially when you’re not looking forward to going to work. Take care of
yourself with healthy eating, ample sleep, and regular exercise.

CHAPTER 4: COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

● Communication is central to all meaningful collaboration and teamwork.

Communication keeps a whole organization moving. There are different ways we
can communicate such as written communication, verbal communication,
non-verbal communication and visual communication. It is important that
whatever type of communication we choose, the information needs to be
conveyed effectively. Various modes or mediums to transmit and receive the
information are referred to as “communication channels”.

There are number of different types of communication channels exist as listed below:
1. Face-to-face conversations
2. Videoconferencing
3. Audio conferencing
4. Emails
5. Written letters and memos
6. Chats and messaging
7. Blogs
8. Formal written documents
9. Spreadsheets etc.
The above communication channels further can be categorized as:
1. Formal channels - It is an official way of communicating. A formal communication
channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and procedures of an
organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a chain of
command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates and they in
turn pass on the information to the next level of staff. Some examples include company
newsletters, business plans, instructions, annual reports, agreements, company-wide
communications, board presentations etc.
2. Informal channels - It is also an official way of communicating, with somewhat relaxed
norms. There may not be a need for a chain of command or hierarchy in this kind of
communication. There will be immense official communication where such hierarchy or
command is not needed, but they happen within the official framework. Some examples
will include conversations on the work floor addressing queries of team members, lunch
time conversations, many of the emails where formal command is not needed such as
someone is seeking some quick information etc. Under the official environment, both
formal and informal channels are used as needed.
3. Unofficial channels - There exists an unofficial mode of communication as well. The
employees communicate outside the work environment on topics not related to work.
General social, sports, political and personal communication are unofficial channels. But
a manager needs to be aware about the existence of such a channel and information
flowing in them. Many times rumors and gossip also provide very important information
which otherwise will not be available.

COMMUNICATION METHODS
➢ Communication is a very important skill and art. There are four different ways we
communicate with others. No matter what form of communication we choose, it
is important to have the right intention to connect with the other person.

1. Written - It refers to printed or recorded materials such as plans, contracts, memos,

minutes of the meeting, requirement analysis document, design documents risk registers
and other related written materials. It is used to provide well-thought and well-planned
details, thus easier to be reviewed than verbal communication because everything that
has been written cannot be altered right away. More so, it can be used for future
reference. Written communication can be time consuming, but is extremely essential for
formal scenarios which require approvals and have legal implications as well. Emails
have ushered in a revolution in making written communication very fast and thus have
become a preferred mechanism for sharing detailed information in fraction of a second.
2. Oral/Verbal - It involves the exchange of messages or information by using words
verbally through face to face or telephone conversations. It is the most common type of
conversation as it paves way to get feedback right after receiving the message. It is
known to be spontaneous as well. In verbal communication, the ability to listen and
think carefully before speaking is critical. A person must be careful of the words or
expressions to be said. Any word that has been spoken cannot be taken back, so it is
important to formulate expressions or sentences carefully

3. Non-Verbal Communication - Non-verbal communication is sending information

without the use of words. It is mostly through one’s body language, gestures,
eye-contacts, appearance, pitch and tone of one’s voice etc. one can communicate a huge
amount of feelings and emotions. They say, “It is important to understand what has not
been said explicitly”. Non-verbal communication includes body-language, paralanguage
(pitch and tone of voice), appearance etc. Research has shown that nonverbal cues or
body language along with facial expressions, tone of voice and body stance account for
almost 55% of all the communication that takes place.

4. Visual Communication - “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Visual aids such as

animation, color, illustration, graphs & charts, drawing, signs and logos immensely
enhance written communication. Visual communication is also used in the right balance
for making information sharing more effective and efficient.

COMMUNICATION MODEL
➢ Communication is the central mechanism for meaningful collaboration between
various stakeholders in making any endeavor successful. Communication needs
to be both “effective” as well as “efficient”. It is important to provide the “right
information to the right stakeholder at the right time”. Since it involves humans,
communication becomes a very delicate and subtle process. Smallest of errors or
negligence in communication can lead to confusion, misunderstanding and
sometimes even chaos.
➢ Let us refer to the below communication model and try to understand how
communication works.
 ❖ Communication should happen with clear understanding between the involved
parties such as the “sender” and the “receiver”. In order to make communication
successful, the “sender” will need to “encode” the message in a manner which the
“receiver” will be able to “decode” and understand. The sender needs to use the
right language, right words and even sometimes right emotions which will convey
the message in an effective and efficient manner and which the receiver will be
able to receive and understand.
❖ The “receiver” will be responsible to receive the message, decode the message
and also need to give a “feedback” message. The communication will be treated as
complete only after receiving a “feedback” message in return. This way both
“sender” and “receiver” are sharing responsibility to make communication a
complete act and achieve the purpose.
❖ When the “message” and the “feedback message” will be sent, there could be
potential “noise” factors which may exist, which could create obstacles leading to
miscommunication. Some of the noise factors include wrong language, excessive
usage of technical jargons, physical noise such background noise, line noise etc.,
cultural issues and even sometimes the personal attitude of the parties involved in
communication.
❖ Hence it is extremely important to identify the potential noise factors or so called
barriers to communication which may exist in the specific project scenario.
Proactive identification of the potential noise factors will help the team to plan to
eliminate them to make communication smooth, effective and efficient.
❖ Effective and efficient communication requires upfront agreement between the
sender and receiver of communication. Both need to lay down their expectations
clearly and also define each other’s responsibilities for the process of
communication. It is also equally important to identify the potential barriers to
communication upfront and ensure that they are eliminated.

Barriers to Communication
- Hence it is important to start with a quick understanding of some of the major barriers
or obstruction to communication which can prevent the right understanding of
information.
● Cultural differences
● Lack of clear communication channels
● Physical and temporal distance (time zones)
● Technical language
● Distracting environment (noise, temperature)
● Poor attitudes (antagonism)
Common Mistakes in Communication
- Communication must be open, honest and sincere. The intent must be clear. Some of
the common errors we make during communication include the following:
● Speaking more and listening less
● One-size fits-all communication
● Not allowing to finish and Interrupting the speaker
● Reacting than responding
● Unclear communication with lacking facts and specific information
● Being indifferent and insensitive
● Being too emotional and hyper (using the wrong tone)
● Attacking the character rather than the behavior

Effective Communication Skills

- Hence in order to communicate effectively we need to:
● exhibit the right attitude,
● show immense empathy for other person,
● listen carefully before speaking,
● understand other’s point of view first before responding,
● use clear and specific information in all communication,
● use specific communication methods for different people as the need may be
● summarize and paraphrase regularly,
● use good body language,
● use the right tone and pitch to make communication more effective,
● probe and ask questions for clarity,
● develop trust and rapport with all stakeholders

CHAPTER 5: WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

➔ Work-life balance is an important aspect of a healthy work environment.
Maintaining work-life balance helps reduce stress and helps prevent burnout in
the workplace. Chronic stress is one of the most common health issues in the
workplace. It can lead to physical consequences such as hypertension, digestive
troubles, chronic aches and pains and heart problems.
➔ Chronic stress can also negatively impact mental health because it’s linked to a
higher risk of depression, anxiety and insomnia. By creating a work environment
that prioritizes work-life balance, employers can save money and maintain a
healthier, more productive workforce.
CREATING A FLEXIBLE AND HAPPY WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL
● Creating a flexible work environment is one of the best ways to satisfy the work,
life balance needs of most. A flexible work environment has been shown to
decrease stress, boost levels of job satisfaction, and help employees maintain
healthier habits. For an employer, promoting work-life balance can seem a
daunting challenge. How can a company promote a healthy lifestyle, both
physically and emotionally, without sacrificing employee productivity? These are
some ways to create a flexible and happy work environment for all:
● Employers should offer flexible work hours, the ability to work from home, and
unlimited PTO (paid time off) to create a more flexible work environment that
appeals across generations of workers. Employers need to realize that work-life
balance is about more than just hours.
● Besides promoting flexibility, employers should also strive to improve the overall
workplace experience for their employees. Prioritizing a healthy culture and
cultivating a happy workplace environment promotes work-life balance. When
employees are happy in their roles, work will feel more like a second home, and
less like working for a paycheck
● Employers should prioritize competitive compensation, comfortable office
conditions, opportunities for professional growth, and opportunities for social
connections.
● Ensuring employees have the time they desire away from the office and enjoy
their time spent in the office is the best way to maximize employee productivity.

WHY WORK-LIFE BALANCE MATTERS?

● The drive for change in employment practices is to some extent, related to changes in
family life.
● The gap on economic activity rates are affected between men and women, and because
of this there will be a decreased labor market.
● Political pressure for legislation to promote more efficient work-life balance which
aims to modernize and reform the labor market most especially for the woman.
● Social pressure for more flexible working hours is strongly related to the needs of the
employees and employers itself.
● The tension between the individual's desire for work-life balance and employers' need
for greater flexibility are reflected in employees' attitude and work behavior.

IMPORTANCE OF WORK LIFE BALANCE

● It helps to maintain mental health
● It also helps physical health
● It can make you well rounded
● It increases productivity

❖ Here are some workplace practices employers can adopt to ensure they’re
supporting their employees to get the balance right.

1. Offer flexible and remote working

● Workers value employers who empower them to manage their own time.
Employees feel valued at companies where they know they can finish earlier, get
their boiler fixed or see a physician when needed, safe in the knowledge that their
employer knows that they’ll still get the job done.
2. Encourage managers to focus on productivity rather than hours
● Rather than count the hours employees work, encourage managers to focus on
the completion of a particular task. Some days employees may need to put in long
hours to complete a task, but this is offset by the days when they don’t need to do
a full eight-hour day.
3. Encourage breaks
● Encourage employees to take breaks, take a walk, or even work in an entirely
different part of the office. Break-out rooms can be created or set aside spare
desks that workers can go to. Sometimes team chatter and phones can be
overwhelming and it’s healthy to break away for a bit.
4. Regularly review workloads
● Review allocation of duties to ensure individuals have achievable workloads. It is
important to familiarize oneself with the processes of allocating work. What
seems like a small task to management might take an individual a day to do.
Managers who talk to their teams regularly will know who is busy and stressed,
and who has capacity. Some staff can be asked regularly to indicate to managers
whether they are overworked, just right, or have spare capacity.
5. Lead by example
● Ensure that managers and the senior leadership team enjoy a healthy work-life
balance too. Make sure they’re leaving the office on time, taking breaks and not
emailing workers out of office hours or expecting them to deliver work in
unworkable time scales when it isn’t urgent.
6. Give employees time to volunteer
● Research shows millennials are more motivated by social action rather than
simply just getting paid when looking for employment. Having the opportunity to
do good is not just confined to millennials, though. And if workers are allowed the
freedom to give back while working, they will generally feel good about
themselves and their workplace.
7. Reconsider time off
● Could you afford to give your staff more time off? Equally, another way to prevent
burnout is to force workers to take their time off within the holiday year by not
allowing them to carry over holidays or capping how many days they can carry
over. Most team members would rather book the time off than risk losing them.
8. Increase support for parents
● Often companies lose great talent, especially mums, because they can’t cater to
their childcare needs. The problem isn’t restricted to mums alone, with many men
saying they want to spend more time with their children, too. Ensure that mums
and dads in any organization are getting a better work-life balance, in order not to
lose precious expertise. Not all companies can provide company crèches.
However, they can consider ways to help with childcare costs. Also, providing
better and equal benefits for maternity, paternity or shared parental leave will
encourage all parents to balance their working life and parenthood regardless of
their gender.
10. Perks or no perks?
● Some research revealed that while 40% of business owners believe office games
and similar benefits are important to employees, just 5% of workers agree.
● So, as future company owners if you want to consider perks in the office such as
ping-pong tables, think again. There may be additional services that can save
employees time and money and lessen stress.
These may include:
- Subsidized gym membership or free fitness classes
- A discount at the dry cleaners
- Massages in the office
- Company cars or support including petrol allowance
- Repairs and maintenance
- Helping staff with their tax returns or tax support if they have any questions.
● Think about what’s right for your people and your company, and design
experiences personalized to your workforce and your people.
11. Ask your employees for views
● Want to create a better work-life balance for your employees? Try asking them.
12. Acknowledge every employee is different
● Many employees may be desperate to achieve a better work-life balance.
However, others may feel satisfied with the time they spend working. Some may
want to start work later but be happy to finish later too. Others may not mind
working extended hours if it means they can switch off when they get home.
 Some may be eager to work part-time, but just don’t know how to approach the
matter with their manager.
● Companies that attract – and keep – the best people know that every employee is
different, and they design experiences at work that can be personalized for
everyone. If your company is serious about creating a better work-life balance for
your employees, there won’t be a one-size-fits-all that works. You’ll need to tailor
your approach to each employee.

CHAPTER 6: GENDER ROLES AND WORK LIFE FLEXIBILITY

Women in the Hospitality Industry

➔ It is unlikely that gender inequality will ever come to an end in the workplace.
Regardless of culture, historical context, or social circumstance, men and women
view the world - and often each other - through gender-specific lenses (Tannen,
1990). Women are always criticized for their work despite them being perfect or
neat. Trends keep on changing and to increase female employees in the hospitality
industry somehow is trending. Because even the human resource management
has noticed that guests do get attracted by beauty.
➔ Men can be handsome and charming but women throw a completely different
atmosphere when around. The service sector is completely in a dilemma
regarding women-service-oriented discussions. In addition, there is little question
that hospitality organizations are among the most difficult environments for
women seeking career advancement and personal satisfaction (Martin, 2000).
➔ Women are considered as delicate darlings when it comes to heavy work or more
working hours. But still, women work accordingly more than the standard
working pattern or hours in the actual workplace. Many hospitality organizations
put their concern on women's career development but still fail to show concern
for their female employees. Topics such as working and balancing family, gender
stereotyping, mentoring, etc. are some with which women in the hospitality
industry are still dealing.
➔ The environment that the hospitality industry gives is itself a strong force in which
men and women interact. To describe the hospitality workplace the term
‘sexualized’ is used frequently. The shifts and working hours are irregular and
long, men and women work closely during evening and night hours. Restaurants
and cuisines are a prime example of a male-dominated hospitality culture. The
former director of the French Culinary Institute once stated you are going to ruin
the spirit of his kitchen if you send women because other workers would lose
 their focus on work and would concentrate on chasing her. Bringing women and
men from different cultures tends to adjust to the different gender-related
experiences, and expectations and assumptions often make situations awkward
for the female managers and employees.
➔ In 2004, the United States hired nearly 12 million employees in the hospitality
industry which comprises 57% of women and minorities. The biggest food service
chains have nearly 44% of the higher-level positions which only have 4% of women
at top level executive posts. Women have to decide their career and families in a
profound way so that they don’t get the stereotypes in the gender. Whether people
are aware of it or not, women in managerial positions are not allowed to
participate in the communicational discussions, recruiting processes, etc. in hotel
and restaurant chains. Senior leaders fail to recognize the need for development
for junior colleagues and they neglect the mentoring and especially in their female
staff.
➔ In addition to stereotypes women also have to balance their work and family in an
appropriate manner. Women also have the responsibility of their family and the
passion of their work which also includes managing young children and aged
parents. Many female managers mention that they have to juggle a lot between
their work and families and have a tradeoff instead of balance. Many men think
that women have to sacrifice if they want to survive in this profession. To find
alternatives women have to find help at home and also have to manage a lot of
taunts and different sayings. In some cases, women temporarily or presently leave
their careers to manage their family evenly and with all that heavy loaded
responsibilities they completely forget about their passion id careers.
➔ As men do women also need motivation and mentoring but the senior leaders
neglect the need of mentoring in their female employees. As a result women fail to
find the best of their skills and abilities. women general managers who faced
many difficulties in achieving the top most of their careers put mentoring as the
most important factor in learning and developing.

TYPES OF FLEXIBILITY
- In fact, the discussion in the previous section understates the degree of
employment flexibility in the economy. In this section, we distinguish between the
following aspects of flexible work arrangements, the first of which has been
discussed in the preceding section. These are:

● Temporary Work, which may be either seasonal or casual work, or work done under
contract or for a fixed period of time.
● Place-of-work flexibility, which distinguishes between those working at home, those
who work driving and traveling, and those working in more than one place (for a single
job)
● Working times, which separately identifies those who work mornings only, those who
work either afternoons, or evenings, or nights, or both lunch and evening those who have
varying patterns and those who is working in rotating shifts
● Number of hours worked, we distinguish between those who work 1 to 15 hours per
week (mini-jobs) , those who work between 16 and 29 hours per week and those who
work more than 48 hours per week.