Assignment Code: MTTM 3/MTM 3/TMA/2022

Course Code: MTTM 3/MTM-3

Assignment Name: Managing Personnel in Tourism

Year: 2022

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

1. Discuss the components of salary administration and pay structures. How is DA fixed for an employee? 20

Ans) The setting of salary levels serves as the foundation for salary administration. Job appraisal is the procedure that determines pay scales.

Components of Salary Administration

1. Job evaluation (or rating) plan and compensation plan must be separate, distinct, and so understood by all. Both the job evaluation and compensation plans should be sufficiently flexible. Job evaluation (or rating) must be scientifically sound and easily comprehensible. Job rating and compensation plans should be understood by and acceptable to the employees, in order that they may appreciate the objectivity and impartiality of the procedure.

2. Wage administration plan should also cater to the interests and satisfaction of the employer.

3. The plan must at all times be consistent with management policies or programmes.

4. There should be employee representation in the administration of the plan, in conduct of locality wage surveys and in the original rating of new positions.

5. The plan itself must be acceptable to and in the interest of the public, which is affected, directly or indirectly, by the enterprise.

6. The plan must be flexible and responsive to changing circumstances growing out of locality conditions.

7. The plan must be consistent with nature and objectives of the organisation.

8. The plan must simplify and expedite, rather than impede the other administrative processes.

9. The wage administrator must occupy a responsible niche in the organisation and his/her responsibility must be to coordinate with all other divisions of organisation.

Components of Pay Structures

Basic Salary: Basic salary is the base income of an employee, comprising of 35-50 % of the total salary. It is a fixed amount that is paid prior to any reductions or increases due to bonus, overtime or allowances. Basic salary is determined based on the designation of the employee and the industry in which he or she works in. Most of the other components, like allowances, are based on the basic salary. This amount is fully taxable.

Allowances: Allowance is an amount payable to employees during the course of their regular job duty. It can be partially or fully taxable, depending on what type it is. Allowances provided and the limits on it will differ from company to company, according to their policies.

Gratuity: Gratuity is a lump sum benefit paid by employers to those employees who are retiring from the organization. This is only payable to those who have completed 5 or more years with the company. The gratuity amount is paid in gratitude for the services rendered by the individual during the period of employment. According to the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, gratuity is calculated as 4.81% of the basic pay. Most firms with a workforce of 10 or more employees come under the Act.

Employee Provident Fund: Employee Provident Fund is an employee benefit scheme where investments are made by both the employer and the employee each month. It is a savings platform that aids employees to save a portion of their salary each month, from which withdrawals can be made following a month from the date of cessation of service or upon retirement. At least 12% of an employee’s basic salary is automatically deducted and goes to the Employee Provident Fund every month. The contributions are maintained by the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).

Professional Tax: Professional tax is a tax levied on the income earned by salaried employees and professionals, including chartered accountants, doctors and lawyers, etc. by to the state government. Different states have varying methods of calculating professional tax. The maximum amount that is payable in a year is Rs. 2,500. Employers deduct profession tax at prescribed rates, from the salary paid to employees, and pay it on their behalf to the State Government. The revenue collected is used towards the Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Employment Guarantee Fund.

Perquisites: Perquisites, also referred to as fringe benefits, are the benefits that some employees enjoy as a result of their official position. These are generally non-cash benefits given in addition to the cash salary. Some examples of perquisites include provision of car for personal use, rent-free accommodation, payment of premium on personal accident policy, etc. The monetary value of perquisites gets added to the salary and tax is paid on them by the employee.

DA fixed for an Employee

The system of dearness allowance (DA) was instituted to  protect the wage earners' real income by neutralising the increased cost of living. The  DA, therefore, was to give relief to the worker in inflationary conditions, by trying to  offset the cost of living with an additional allowance.

In general, there are two systems of DA payment: one is a flat rate system of  neutralisation, and the other linking the payment of DA to the consumer price index. The flat rate system provides a lump-sum payment to the employees over a period of  time to adjust for the growth in inflation. The system is simple and easy to  administer.

The consumer price-linked system on the other hand, attempts to neutralise the actual  increase in the cost of living. This method, as you can see, is more realistic because  it regulates the payment of allowance on the basis of actual price movement in a  given region. There are two variations of DA tied to the consumer price index. First,  a specified rate of DA is fixed for every point rise in the price index, regardless of the  income groups. In this system all employees receive the same amount of allowance,  but the lower paid would then get a higher proportion of their basic as DA.

The second form is based on income groups and cost of living brackets or “Slabs.” In  this method the absolute amount of allowance increases with each higher income  group related to changes in the brackets of price index as opposed to each point; at  the same time, the magnitude of relief as a proportion of basic pay is steadily reduced  with each higher income group, The advantage of the DA-income slabs is that it  introduces an element of stability, because the allowance does not change with every  point in the cost of living index.

2. What do you understand by grievances? Elaborate the important steps of grievance handling. 20

Ans) A grievance is often thought of as any unhappiness or displeasure an employee may have with any component of the company. It can be expressed verbally or in writing, and it can be true or false, reasonable or absurd. However, it has to find a way to manifest itself.

An issue or complaint is not simply being unhappy or dissatisfied. In the beginning, they take the shape of a complaint. When a complaint goes unresolved and the affected employee perceives a lack of fairness and justice, their displeasure escalates and becomes a grievance. Grievances frequently centre on issues with interpretation or the perception that one's expectations of the organisation weren't met. Unvoiced or expressed grievance may be expressed verbally or in writing. The most common grievances fall into one of three categories:

Legitimate Grievance: When there is reason to think that the original contract has been broken, this is a legitimate grievance. The terms of a contract, however, have been found to signify different things to different people.

Imagined Grievance: As the name implies, the employee feels that a provision has been broken or that management has not correctly applied the clauses. The actual source of the complaint can be something minor, but the employee may attach huge importance to it. Most often, these complaints are the result of misunderstandings.

Political Grievances: Solving these complaints is really challenging. These complaints mostly relate to unions. In order to maintain a positive relationship with its members, the Union occasionally may keep harping on a grievance that has no basis. As both parties attempt to advance their points of view, this interferes with the organization's ability to operate effectively.

Steps in Grievance Handling

The issue must be handled by certain management personnel at every stage of the grievance process. The management is primarily in charge of grievance redress. Additionally, as was already said, complaints should be immediately resolved at the initial stage. The following procedures will offer some direction to the manager handling complaints:

Acknowledge Dissatisfaction: The way a manager or supervisor handles complaints is crucial. Instead of avoiding complaints, they should concentrate on them. Ignorance is not joy in this situation; on the contrary, it is the root of all organisational strife. The issue would get worse if managers and supervisors had a condescending attitude.

Define the Problem: The issue should be clearly specified rather than attempting to address an ambiguous sense of unhappiness. Occasionally, the improper complaint is made. One can ensure that a genuine complaint is made by practising excellent listening.

Get the Facts: Fiction and facts should be kept separate. Even though complaints can cause wounded sentiments, an effort should be made to uncover the truth. Each complaint needs to be properly documented.

Analyse and Decide: The decisions made regarding each complaint will set a precedent. While dealing with them shouldn't take too much time, that doesn't give you the right to do so carelessly. Settlements of grievances give management the chance to make amends and so improve their relationship with the workforce. Horse-trading in the resolution of grievances as a result of union pressures may momentarily reproached the union leadership and management, but it will undoubtedly alienate the workforce from the management.

Follow up: The implementation of decisions must be taken seriously. They should be swiftly relayed to the affected employee. If a decision is in the employee's favour, the immediate superior should be given the right to inform them of it.

3. What factors lead to indiscipline in an organization? What are the various methods of implementing discipline in an organization? 20

Ans) Employee discipline is the cornerstone of any successful business. Actually, management's major objective is to keep a company profitable, effective, and efficient.

Factors Leading to Indiscipline

Many socioeconomic and cultural factors contribute to indiscipline in an organisation. Do you realise that poor management on the part of the manager frequently leads to indiscipline? Strong inducers of indiscipline among subordinates are managerial callousness and insensitivity. Poor communication from superiors and ineffective leadership lacking a tactful human relations approach might contribute to subordinates' lack of discipline.

Subordinates may act irrationally as a result of unfair practises, such as pay discrepancies, arbitrary declarations of bonus payment or non-payment, wrong work assignments, poor grievance management, etc. The payment of low salaries may also be a role in indiscipline. When a person is paid poorly and given increasingly more work to do, they become dissatisfied, dishonest, and insubordinate.

Employees that receive low compensation are also less motivated. Every person, after all, needs to be heard, to feel secure, to be acknowledged, and to have new experiences. In exchange for a reasonable income, security, and other forms of assistance, employers expect employees to give a certain amount of time and dedication. The employee will progressively begin to express their annoyance and grievance by skipping work, arriving late, performing poorly, and acting insubordinately if results are not what was expected.

Unsatisfactory communication between the manager/supervisor and the subordinate can also lead to conflicts of many kinds. It's common for subordinates to be unable to express their opinions. Absent a sympathetic and forgiving response, there is a higher chance that the subordinate may use indiscipline.

Disciplinary Action

For any wrongdoing or acts of indiscipline, management must take disciplinary action against the offending employee. However, there is no one right technique to handle indiscipline. The constructive method of discipline requires self-discipline. To apply this type of constructive discipline among the subordinates, the management must see to it that:

1. Rules and regulations are valid, clear, and rational.

2. Subordinates are involved in the creation of norms and regulations to ensure that they freely accept them.

3. When rules are broken, the repercussions are made clear in advance.

4. Consistent and uniform punishment is administered.

5. Respect for human personalities exists.

6. He or she should set high standards as a manager.

Preventive discipline refers to the institution of self-discipline since the procedures are implemented before any employee disobedience (s). As a preventative measure against indiscipline, it also begins to practise self-discipline. Additional illustrations of disciplinary actions include the following:

Corrective Discipline: The employee in this circumstance is issued a pass with some sort of corrective disciplinary action as a result of some indiscipline. A warning or suspension are two examples of the action. Although the immediate supervisor usually takes charge, the higher level management frequently grants the authority.

The Hot Stove Rule: It is extending the corrective action. This suggests that the punishment requires a reaction akin to what one may feel when touching a hot stove. The disciplinary action should be taken immediately, firmly, consistently, and in a very impersonal manner.

Progressive Discipline: In this context, "progressive discipline" refers to the idea that repeated offences would result in harsher/stronger penalties. This is intended to encourage the staff to make amends on their own in order to avoid further discipline. This process gives the business a chance to deal with the employee problem.

4. What is personnel management? Discuss the personnel manager’s role in an organization. 20

Ans) There are several names for personnel management. These include human resources management, labour relations, employee relations, industrial relations, and manpower planning, among others. These roles exist in every company, regardless of its size, and tourism businesses are no different. Similarly, the manager in charge of this function is referred to by a variety of names, including personnel manager, employee relations manager, industrial relations manager, labour relations manager, labour officer, labour welfare officer, personnel officer, employee relations officer, and industrial relations officer. The following list includes personnel management's goals:

To successfully utilise human resources in order to achieve organisational goals.

By dividing organisational tasks into functions, positions, and jobs, and by defining the responsibility, accountability, and authority for each job as well as its relationship to other jobs and personnel in the organisation, it is possible to establish and maintain an adequate organisational structure as well as a desirable working relationship among all of its members.

Ensuring the fusion of individuals and groups with the organisation by balancing personal and group objectives with organisational goals in a way that fosters employee engagement, loyalty, and dedication. Inconsistencies, interpersonal rivalries, prejudice, workplace conflicts, cliques, factions, and favouritism and nepotism will develop in the absence of this integration. These will lead to inefficiency and the organization's downfall.

To promote the greatest amount of individual and group development possible inside an organisation by giving workers the chance to advance through training and on-the-job education, by offering transfers, or by providing retraining facilities.

Recognize and meet the needs of each individual while also achieving the objectives of the group. To do this, suitable and equitable compensation, financial benefits, social security, and insurance against life's risks like disease, old age, disability, death, unemployment, etc. are provided. Employee cooperation and willingness to work hard are increased when there is appropriate pay and security.

To uphold and improve the environment within a company in order to encourage employees to stay on the job for a longer amount of time while also maintaining high morale and improved interpersonal relationships.

Personnel Manager’s Role

A personnel manager fills a range of duties depending on the demands of the circumstance.

Here are some of them:

1. The Conscience Role : The personnel manager's responsibility in this function is to remind management of their moral and ethical duties to employees.

2. The Counsellor Role: In this capacity, he or she encourages the staff to consult with him or her frequently to talk about their personal, professional, and occasionally even family issues.

3. The Mediator Role: In this position, one attempts to resolve conflicts between an individual and a group as well as those between labour and management. In this situation, one acts as a mediator as well as a communication and liaison connection.

4. The Spokesperson Role: In this capacity, he or she serves as the organization's spokesperson or representative. This is possible because one has a better overall understanding of their company's operations and has direct experience with numerous important organisational tasks and functions.

5. The Problem Solver’s Role: When it comes to problems with human resource management and comprehensive long-term organisational planning, he or she is a problem solver.

6. The Change-agent Role: When it comes to the introduction and execution of significant institutional reforms, he or she acts as a change-agent.

   
   

5. Write a detailed note on position of women in tourism? 20

Ans) Women are employed at a fairly high rate in the tourism business, both in the organised and unorganised sectors. Both in management and in operations, women are doing a variety of jobs. The other positions performed, aside from management ones, include those of receptionists, housekeepers, ticket counter managers, guides, escorts, air hostesses, sales girls, etc. Due to the growing number of working women in this field, there are also issues with safety, security, and creating a welcoming workplace free of sexual harassment.

Every management and worker in the organisation has a duty to make sure that such issues don't emerge, yet nobody approaches their work with that mentality. As a result, it is essential that gender sensitivity concerns are addressed through various training programmes inside the organisation as part of raising awareness. In addition to having a code of conduct for the workplace on women's issues, you should educate your managers and staff about other crucial topics like child labour, human rights, and consumer protection.

Below are some of the gender-based difficulties in tourism:

1. Low pay, protracted hours, seasonal job, etc.

2. Using explicit images of women in marketing or promotion of destinations.

3. The promotion of female service imagery as a driving force for travel.

4. An organised industry is sex tourism.

In this approach, Vivan Kinnaird, Uma Kothari, and Derek Hall have emphasised three factors:

The methods and actions that go into developing a tourism industry are based on gendered society. As a result, the host and guest societies' expression of male and feminine identities plays a crucial role in the various forms of tourism that take place as well as the upkeep of the economic and political agenda of the global tourism sector.

All societies' unique social customs have a bearing on gender relations, and vice versa. Therefore, the gendered nature of these cultures and the way gender relations are established and revised over time connect with the economic, social, cultural, political, and environmental dimensions of tourism.

Power and control are significant themes in discussions of gender and gender relations. Political relationships exist between genders at the family, neighbourhood, and societal levels. A significant expansion to the politics of gender relations results from the recognition of tourism as an industry based on the economic, political, or social power connections between nations or groups of people. The core of tourism is social contact and the social expression of gendered motivations, aspirations, traditions, and perspectives.