Increasing the Role of Ethics in the Hospitality Industry - Essay Assignment

Internal Code: MAS6967

Essay Assignment:

Like most industries, the hospitality industry is susceptible to unethical behavior and practices, and as a result, leaders are called upon to uphold and teach the highest ethical standards. It is very important that certain steps are followed to ensure this happens. The hotel industry presents many opportunities for unethical practices to arise, and employees are frequently placed in morally and ethically ambiguous situations. There are many different ways that these situations can occur. These issues can include overbooking, mistreatment of others, whistleblowing, theft, racism, benefit at the expense of guest supplementary services, sabotage, and misleading information in hotel restaurant menus, brochures, and websites. Customers could be overcharged, short-changed, charged for unused services, or forced to purchase unneeded services. Other issues that could arise are an infringement of guests' property and other unethical behavior, like gender or sexual harassment. There are many different approaches to promoting ethical behavior in the hospitality industry but in this article, I would like to explain some of the workplace practices I have employed in my years as a hotel executive manager. Rather than being reactive to unethical acts, my focus is on creating an ethics-based company culture. I believe that a successful hotel is run by a team which practices honesty and integrity, and creates a culture of active engagement in order to serve as an example for the rest of the workforce. There are principles which need to be followed in order to achieve this focus. Ethical principles include integrity, fairness, philanthropy, fidelity, accountability, leadership, honesty and respect for others. Promoting these values may cost money in the short-term but they are likely to contribute to the long-term success of the organization. It turns every customer interaction into an opportunity to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. With that in mind, if a guest comes to the hotel and can witness the kind of ethics that are practiced at the property, it will more than likely compel that guest to return again in the future, and the hotel will have won his loyalty. Creating a strong ethical environment can result in increased profits, better employee relations and management efficiency. It can also promote job satisfaction and enhance the quality of the customer experience. One key element that contributes to the formation of an ethical workplace is job hiring and training. Solution-focused strategies promote ethics by increasing employee awareness through job training, and supplying the tools for employees to identify potential issues that arise with an ethical awareness. That is a way for them to see what can be accomplished through the training provided. A manager’s ability to accurately assess a new candidate’s suitability for the workplace culture is just as important as job training, and I’ve always been proactive in training managers to diligently seek out employees who fit within the company culture. This will create a bond that will work wonders, not only for the employee but also for the company and its guests.