Hotel Management — March 2012
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Legally Speaking
Much is gained when employees are properly trained
Wouldn’t it be lovely if workers came pre-trained? Orienting newbies on the rules and culture of an organization costs valuable time. Likewise, retraining current employees diverts them from the important business of satisfying guests’ needs and desires. Painful as training can be, it is not the place to cut corners. Rather, training should be a critical component of your risk-reduction strategy. It takes only one mess-up, one serious injury, one lawsuit, to set back your career and the welfare of your organization. Ensuring that employees are knowledgeable about the responsibilities assigned to them and the importance of their role in reducing dangers can go a long way toward preventing mishaps.
The Holiday Inn Baton Rouge South was reminded of this the hard way.1 The hotel was the host facility for a conference. During sessions, attendees sat on chairs placed on a platform set up especially for the event. Unfortunately, the platform collapsed while people were on it, causing injury to several. The post-accident investigation revealed that the platform had been erected improperly. The error consisted of overlooking the simple task of locking the legs into place. Further inquiry disclosed that the employees who installed the platform had not been trained how to do it. Oops. Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.
Plaintiffs sued for injuries to their shoulders, arms, wrists and backs. The hotel did not even dispute liability. The manager alone suffered the headache.
A lawsuit is an eye-opener and should subsequently ensure that the facility will cross every “t” to prevent a repeat of the accident. Retraining will no doubt be included in this period of heightened attention to prevention. For this reason, now should be a very safe time to take a cruise. In the wake of the Costa Concordia’s capsizing, every ship company has undoubtedly reinforced with its captains all the training previously administered.
But as time passes, and the ongoing demands of a hospitality facility continue to beckon, it is easy to become lax about training. As Professor Henry Higgins of “My Fair Lady” fame might say—To train, it’s plain, is never done in vain.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if workers came pre-trained? Orienting newbies on the rules and culture of an organization costs valuable time. Likewise, retraining current employees diverts them from the important business of satisfying guests’ needs and desires. Painful as training can be, it is not the place to cut corners. Rather, training should be a critical component of your risk-reduction strategy. It takes only one mess-up, one serious injury, one lawsuit, to set back your career and the welfare of your organization. Ensuring that employees are knowledgeable about the responsibilities assigned to them and the importance of their role in reducing dangers can go a long way toward preventing mishaps.
The Holiday Inn Baton Rouge South was reminded of this the hard way.1 The hotel was the host facility for a conference. During sessions, attendees sat on chairs placed on a platform set up especially for the event. Unfortunately, the platform collapsed while people were on it, causing injury to several. The post-accident investigation revealed that the platform had been erected improperly. The error consisted of overlooking the simple task of locking the legs into place. Further inquiry disclosed that the employees who installed the platform had not been trained how to do it. Oops. Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.
Plaintiffs sued for injuries to their shoulders, arms, wrists and backs. The hotel did not even dispute liability. The manager alone suffered the headache.
A lawsuit is an eye-opener and should subsequently ensure that the facility will cross every “t” to prevent a repeat of the accident. Retraining will no doubt be included in this period of heightened attention to prevention. For this reason, now should be a very safe time to take a cruise. In the wake of the Costa Concordia’s capsizing, every ship company has undoubtedly reinforced with its captains all the training previously administered.
But as time passes, and the ongoing demands of a hospitality facility continue to beckon, it is easy to become lax about training. As Professor Henry Higgins of “My Fair Lady” fame might say—To train, it’s plain, is never done in vain.
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