Is this true? If it is true, what about those establishments where things run smoothly? Can it be that the way in which the workers are managed has something to do with the presence or absence of problems? You bet it does! And that is what this article is all about. In this article we explore the management aspect of the supervisor’s job. It will help you to:
- Describe the primary role of a supervisor in the hospitality industry.
- Explain the different levels of supervision, and identify first-line supervisors on an organizational
chart.
- Define the terms authority and responsibility.
- Explain the difference between exempt and nonexempt employees.
- Outline the supervisor’s obligations and responsibilities to owners, customers, and
employees.
- Describe briefly the important functions of management.
- Explain the challenge of applying common management theories in the hospitality
work environment.
- Compare and contrast the major theories of people management as they relate to
hospitality employees.
- List examples of technical, human, and conceptual skills used by hospitality
supervisors. In the hospitality industry almost everything depends on the physical labor of many
hourly (or nonmanagerial) workers: people who cook, serve tables, mix drinks, wash
dishes, check guests in and out, clean rooms, carry bags, mop floors. Few industries
are as dependent for success on the performance of hourly workers. These employees
make the products and they serve the customers—or drive them away.