Week 7 EOC: How to Evaluate Employee Performance in 15 Easy Steps

What did you learn? I learned that Chad is actually a very good student and truly cares about his time here at The Art Institute. He wants to make sure he is getting the best education for his money. He feels that by being the best student he can be, he receives the best education the school can provide. I also learned that giving evaluations to someone you don’t know can be challenging because you have no way to tell if they are being honest in their responses. However, I am confident that Chad was honest in his answers because we have sat next to each other all quarter and there is no reason for him to lie.

What caught you by surprise? Nothing really caught me by surprise about the situation because I have been through many employee evaluations before. I have actually helped evaluate some employee’s when I was a supervisor at Starbuck’s.

How prepared were you? In this instance I wasn’t that prepared because I didn’t know anything about Chad going into it other than he is a culinary major and is generally very pleasant to work next to in class. I didn’t really feel the need to be more prepared when giving answers though because I have nothing to hide and am actually quite proud of my own achievements in school.

Evaluate the individual members of your group. Chad is very laid back and doesn’t have any issues with dealing with stressful situations. He’s serious about his education and strives to improve his performance as he progresses through his time at the Art Institute. Rebecca is getting ready to graduate and only has 2 weeks of school left. She is excited to be done with her education and can’t wait to see what life has intended for her after school. She is focused on her portfolio and getting good grades in her last quarter.

By name, how did they participate? Rebecca was very forthcoming with information about herself and Chad was very direct and to the point with his answers. She could not contain her excitement to be done with school and it was very evident that she is a little stressed about the whole situation. I think the experience helped her to relax a little in a very stressful time.

Do you think they (by name) could be viable candidates for a real job? Explain. Rebecca is going to do great in whatever career she decides to pursue. She is driven and hard working. She is professional and she’s very knowledgeable in her field of study. She will be reliable and go beyond the expectations of her employer. Chad is someone I would definitely hire as well. He is dependable, excited about his future, and willing to work. He is doing well in his classes and is passionate about what he is studying. He will make a great professional in his field when he graduates.

Would you want them to represent your school in a job interview situation as a graduate of The Art Institute? Rebecca is so personable and articulate that I know she would be a great person to interview as a graduate of the school. She is also very honest so she would tell the truth about the school, the good and the bad.

How could this experience be improved for you? For the class? This experience was great as it was but maybe only could have been improved if I knew more about Chad going into it.

Week 6 EOC: Steps in Job Instruction Training

“On-the-job training can be a very effective method of learning; unfortunately, it is often conducted incorrectly.” (Managing Hospitality Human Resources, p. 202) In the movie 9 to 5, Judy, the new hire, has one of these bad on-the-job training experiences. She wasn’t instructed on how to actually do her job, but more or less the gossip of the office and who to watch out for. This doesn’t help her to be successful or put her at ease. It also could make her take even less interest in her training than if she were actually learning what she needed in order to complete her tasks. When she is finally put to work at her own desk, she appears confused and doesn’t know how anything works. Step 2 of the Job Instruction Training is completely skipped. “Typically, one employee is simply asked to teach another some desired skill. In far too many cases, trainers are assigned not because they can teach, but because they can perform tasks or behaviors well.” (Managing Hospitality Human Resources, p. 202) A combination of on-the-job training and job instruction training is probably the best way to insure that an employee understands his or her duties and how to complete them successfully. Another problem with Judy’s training is that she was not observed when she was put on the job alone. With no one there to watch her, she couldn’t be told what her mistakes were in operating the new equipment or corrected in these mistakes. “One of the most important steps in training is program evaluation. Unfortunately, this is the step that receives the least attention and, all too often, is ignored altogether.”(Managing Hospitality Human Resources, p. 203) The only follow up done for her training happened when her boss walked in on her as a copy machine was malfunctioning. He didn’t try to find out why the problem was happening or instruct her how to work the machine properly. He only yelled at her, making her feel even more uncomfortable with her new job.

Week 6 BOC: Stollen Valor Lawsuit

The company should have double-checked the information that each candidate put on their applications in order to insure that they were hiring the right person. The company messed up also by telling the guy they didn’t hire why they were hiring the other guy. A lawsuit could have been avoided had they just said to him, “we’ve decided to go in another direction at this time but we will keep your application on file and should another position become available that we feel you would be suited to, we will call you.” This statement would have alleviated any liability the company accrued by giving out too much information.

Week 5 EOC: Stolen Valor

The Stolen Valor Act, passed by Congress in 2006, makes it a crime to falsely claim to have won a military medal. The crime is punishable by up to one year in prison, reports the Associated Press. The aim of the law is to protect those who rightfully have won medals of honor in combat from having their accomplishments lessened by those who would lie about it. However, two federal courts have already said the law violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. (http://blogs.findlaw.com/law_and_life/2010/10/stolen-valor-act-under-consideration-by-courts.html) In a position of an employer, if I found out that one of my employee's had lied about being a veteran, I would first confront the person. Maybe they were really in the military but they didn't win any medals of honor. If that is the case, then it would be excusable. However, if the person had said they were in the military and they weren't at all, I would have a problem with that due to the fact that many people today have gone to war for our country and deserve to be recognized and respected for that. If someone is lying about this very important matter, they deserve to be let go on grounds that they simply cannot be trusted. If they lie about this, what else have they lied about? I would not want to employ liars and dismissing them for that instead of not being a veteran should hold up in the court system. Also, Nevada is a right to work state and I don't have to give a reason for letting someone go.

Week 4 BOC: Job Analysis

What is the job title? Does the title explain what the job is? The job was cocktail waitress at a casino. The title completely fits the job because that’s what was expected of the person who filled the position; that they serve drinks to customers within the casino.

How does the job fit in with the rest of the company? What jobs are comparable? Is the wage/salary comparable to other jobs within the company? Within the industry? Use reference materials (library, Internet) to justify your answer. A casino needs cocktail waitresses to bring drinks to their customers as they are playing or drinking in different areas of the casino. They don’t just serve in the gaming areas but also in the lounges, bars, and nightclubs that exist within the establishment. The salary is pretty much the same across the board for all kinds of servers. It generally is understood that a server of any kind makes minimum wage plus tips. According to a listing on the Palm’s Hotel and Casino career website, a server working there makes $8.05 to $11.00 per hour. When I did the job I made exactly minimum wage at every establishment I worked.

What is the chain of command? To whom does the person with this job report? Is this person responsible for monitoring the work of others? Describe the internal and external contacts of the person holding this position. In any casino environment, there is a beverage manager, a beverage assistant manager, and beverage shift managers. A cocktail server can go to any of these managers with any problems or concerns. At the casino I worked at talking to the assistant beverage manager generally got the best results. He was in charge of scheduling the bartenders and the cocktail servers and relaying information from the casino heads to us. He also was the one who handled guest concerns when it came to the beverage department. If the assistant beverage manager was gone, we talked to the shift managers but they always said they had to check with the assistant manager anyway before they could handle all situations.

What duties and tasks does the person holding this job perform? What are the physical requirements of the job? According to the job description on the MGM career website, the job duties include: Greet guests in a positive, friendly manner and making them feel welcome. Guide guests through all phases of their experience in the Hotel/Casino/Lounges. Exhibit proper knowledge, selling techniques and service delivery of both non and alcoholic beverages. Consistently follow sequence of service utilizing all proper procedures standardized by the cocktail service management. Maintain station cleanliness utilizing a silent service approach. Itemize bills correctly and efficiently securing payment, when required. Bid farewell to guests, using guest’s name when known, and inviting them to return. Clean menu covers, replace inserts and maintain a professional appearance of the area. Answer telephones in service areas in a professional manner and directing calls where necessary. Maintain cleanliness and stock of their assigned areas, side stations and tables. Maintain a level of professionalism that will make guests want to return to the Monte Carlo. Anticipate the guests’ needs and respond appropriately with a sense of urgency. Working as a team, assisting all guests’ and employees’ needs and inquiries. Effectively communicate with management, guests and co-workers in order to fulfill and address any issues or needs requested by guests and or other employees. Also, a beverage server must be able to stand for long periods of time and walk for at least 8 hours a day carrying large trays full of drinks.

What tools and equipment are required for this job? Include any computer equipment. They have to have all of their safety cards up to date in order to get the job and they have to pass a drug test. They need a tray, pens, and good walking shoes. They also have to understand how to use a point of sale system or a Micros operating system, whichever computer system the casino has in place.

Describe the baseline knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this job. They have to know about wine, beer, and cocktails in order to ask for the right ones and properly garnish them. There is also a commonly accepted glass call order that is helpful to understand prior to starting the job, but it will usually be given as part of the training process. They have to know how to speak and effectively communicate in English to the guests and to the bartenders. Typing is also useful and customer service is necessary in order to get good tips.