Source and use information

on the hospitality industry

SITHIND002
 Introduction to hospitality
Working in hospitality you will need:

•Enthusiasm.
•A high standard of grooming and personal presentation.
•The ability to stay calm and work in an organised manner.
•Technical skills, such as: cooking or customer service.
•Good product knowledge – food and wine.
•The ability to work as part of a team.
•A service mentality.
•An ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
•Ability to seek information.

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 Hospitality
There is a large range of employment opportunities available in a large range of venues:

•Restaurants.
•Cafés.
•Pubs.
•Hotels of various standards from five star to a small bed and breakfast venues.
•Casinos.
•Catering businesses.
•Nightclubs / clubs.
•Bars.
•Fast food outlets.
•Reception venues.
•Conference venues.
•Coffee shops.
•Cruise liners.

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 Tourism
These include areas such as:

•Conferences.
•Natural features such as: beaches, mountains, forests, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru,
etc.
•Complementary industries, such as the wine industry.
•Tours and sightseeing.
•Attractions, such as: theme parks, museums and theatre shows.
•Sports and special events.
•Tour managers accompany tourists on extended touring programs.

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 Add on tourism services
•Hire cars
•Tours
•Air services
•Islands
•Currency exchange
•Tour guides
•Travel insurance
•Visa services
•Duty free stores

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 Hospitality sector career paths
The range of career opportunities in hospitality is vast and hospitality offers a well
established career path for hospitality workers to progress through as they gain
further skills and experience.
 
•Kitchen
•Food and Beverage
•Housekeeping
•Front Office
•Gaming

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 Main hospitality products
•Main hospitality products
•Accommodation
•Food and Liquor Service
•Entertainment
•Recreation
•Relaxation
•Functions and Banquets
•Security
•Gaming

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 Activity 1
Think about a five star hotel in a major city.

Write down all the tourism and hospitality services you can think of that they may
provide.
 
Tourism Services

Hospitality Services

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 Roles and functions
Front Office: Provide administration for the venue.
Housekeeping: To clean and provide guests with room amenities.
Food and Beverage: To provide food and beverage throughout the venue.
Sales and Marketing: To promote, sell and market the venue.
Accounts and Finance: To financially administer the business.
Human Resources: To manage staff recruitment training and working conditions.
Gaming: To run gaming services.
Leisure: To host or refer clients to leisure activities
Entertainment: To entertain guests.
Maintenance: To repair and maintain the venue.
Security: To provide a safe and secure venue for customers and staff.

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 Activity 2
Briefly describe your current work role in hospitality or the role you would like to
have once you start work in hospitality.

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 Hospitality laws and legislation
In Australia there are three levels of government, which administer government laws
and legislation.
 
Commonwealth – This is the whole of Australia headed by a Prime Minister.
State – Such as Victoria or New South Wales headed by a Premier.
Local government– This is a couple of suburbs or areas together.
 
Each level has its own responsibilities.

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 Some of the other laws which cover the hospitality sector are:
 
•Anti-discrimination
•Building regulations
•Casinos
•Consumer protection
•Equal employment opportunity
•Environmental laws
•Food hygiene laws
•Gaming
•Health and hygiene
•Liquor licensing
•Trade practices
•Workers compensation
•Workplace health and safety/duty of care
•Workplace relations
•Taxation
•Industrial relations (working conditions)

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 Liquor Legislation
States alcohol laws:

State Alcohol laws

Victoria Liquor Control Reform Act 1998

NSW Liquor Act 2007

WA Liquor Control Act 1988

SA Liquor Licensing Act 1997

TAS Liquor Licensing Act 1990

QLD Liquor Act 1992

NT Liquor Licensing Act 1988

ACT Liquor Act 2010

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 Activity 3
 
Go online to the internet and download a copy of the legislation in your state.

All state and territory governments have a website where the legislation is available
free of charge.

Most sites allow you to download as a word document or a pdf document.

For example, in Victoria the website is:

 
www.legislation.vic.gov.au

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 Food Health Legislation
In most cases you will need to register the business and kitchen with the local or
state food authorities and gain a ‘Food Premises Licence’.
 
In some states you may also need to submit a HACCP Food safety program and be
required to register one person as the ‘Food Safety Supervisor’.
 
Lots of information about food safety can be obtained from your state food
authority.

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 Equal employment opportunity (EEO)
It is illegal to discriminate against customers or staff due to:

•Family responsibilities.
•Sexuality, gender identity.
•Sex.
•Relationship or parental status.
•Race.
•Age.
•Impairment.
•Religious belief or activity, political belief or activity.
•Trade union activity.
•Lawful sexual activity.
•Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
•Association with or relation to someone who has any of these listed attributes or
personal characteristics.

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 Employment Acts and legislation
•Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009
•Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Commonwealth)
•Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Commonwealth)
•Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Commonwealth)
•Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Commonwealth)
•Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Commonwealth)
•The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Commonwealth)

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 Sources of hospitality information
Options for obtaining information:
 
•Internet websites.
•Trade magazines.
•Trade shows.
•Friends and colleagues.
•Training courses.
•Visiting hospitality venues.
•TV travel and cooking shows.
•Newspapers.

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 The Star rating system of accommodation
The Australian STAR Rating Scheme is managed by AAA Tourism on behalf of
Australia’s Auto Clubs and assesses six accommodation categories, including
hotels and motels, serviced apartments and self-catering properties, hosted
accommodation (B&Bs) and caravan/holiday parks.

The STARS help travellers to evaluate and select the right accommodation for
their next trip.

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 Activity 4
Name a three star hotel and a five star hotel in your state or area.

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 Industrial relations and Trades Unions
A Trades Union is a collective organisation like a Club; it represents its members
in negotiations and discussions with management. The common discussions
include wages, working conditions, Work Health and Safety, job security and
bullying and harassment issues.

Employers also have union type associations, such as the Australian Hotels
Association (AHA) or VECCI – Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and
Industry.

If you are unsure of your rights or correct working conditions, you may seek
advice from a union. In addition, most State Governments have a free help line to
help make sure people get a fair deal.

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 Modern Awards
The minimum wages and conditions an employee is entitled to are set out in
Awards, which are also known as Modern Awards. Awards may not apply to a
business or venue that has an Enterprise Agreement or other Registered
Agreement that covers employees at the business or venue.
 
Modern awards:
 
•Restaurant Industry Award 2010
•Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010

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 National Employment Standards (NES)
All employers and employees in the national workplace system are covered by the
National Employment Standards (NES).
Under the NES, employees have certain minimum conditions. Together with pay
rates in modern awards and minimum wage orders, the NES makes up the safety
net that cannot be altered to the disadvantage of the employee.

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 Employer groups
 
Employers also have union type associations known as employer groups.
 
The same way United Voice represents the employees the employer group
represents the employer members. Members can contact the employer group if
they need legal advice or representation.
 
Common employer groups include:
 
Australian Hotels Association : www.aha.org.au
 
Restaurant & Catering Association : www.restaurantcater.asn.au
 
VECCI : www.vecci.org.au

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 Human rights
 
Australian Human Rights Commission: www.hreoc.gov.au

Most states have Anti Discrimination Commissions with websites and

information.

 
Code of practice – Sexual harassment
 
‘Effectively preventing and responding to sexual harassment: A Code of Practice
for Employers’ - 2008 edition.

Available from: www.hreoc.gov.au

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 WorkCover
 
The WorkCover, SafeWork or WorkSafe authority in your state will have lots of
guidelines on workplace bullying and harassment issues.

Victoria Queensland
www.worksafe.vic.gov.au www.whs.qld.gov.au
   
New South Wales Australian Capital Territory
www.safework.nsw.gov.au www.workcover.act.gov.au
   
South Australia Western Australia
www.workcover.com www.worksafe.wa.gov.au
   
Tasmania Northern Territory
www.workcover.tas.gov.au www.worksafe.nt.gov.au

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 Sources of Industrial relations information
 
•Your employer.
•Your State or Federal Government Department of Industrial Relations
•Industry associations, such as Chamber of Commerce and Industry or the Australian
Hotels Association.
•Unions.
•Government or union websites.
•Government help telephone lines.
•Solicitors.
•Legal aid services.
•Other friends working in the same industry.

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 Training qualifications
 
Australia has an education system with a number of different tiers and institutions
catering to the different needs of different occupations and the community. These
include:
 
•Primary school.
•Secondary school.
•TAFE colleges.
•Private ‘Registered Training Organisations’ (RTO).
•Universities.
•Non-registered training organisations.

www.training.gov.au

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 Gaming codes of conduct
 
As gambling is a heavily regulated industry there are various codes of conduct and
codes of practices that venues and employees need to abide by to meet the
expectations of society and the laws of their state.
 
Some of these codes are voluntary in that they have been implemented as best
practices by companies or associations but have no legal grounds of enforcement.

Other codes are set by the government and may be referred to in the Act and therefore
legally enforceable.

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 Ethics
Confidentiality: Guests have a right and an expectation that any personal
information, anything they say or anything they do in the privacy of their hotel room
will remain confidential.

Honesty: It goes without saying that to take anything at all from a client is theft and
you may be charged by the police or at the very least lose your job.

Helpful: Hospitality is a customer service business and hospitality staff are there to
serve clients in a professional manner.
 
Licences: Hospitality staff should not operate in areas that they are not licensed to do
so.

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 Business networking
Traditional networking opportunities:
 
•Attending training courses.
•Attending conferences.
•Attending trade shows.
•Attend meetings.
•Social events such as a golf day, a corporate box at the football or a marquee at the
horse races.
•Attending industry groups or networks.

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 New social media networking opportunities

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is primarily a business networking site

where you ‘connect’ with other people in your industry and
field. There are also discussion groups that you can join in
any area of interest of business.

Facebook: Facebook is primarily thought of as a personal

site rather than a business site, but many businesses maintain
a Facebook page that you can ‘like’ and receive updates and
information from.

Twitter: By ‘following’ people in your industry or that are

relevant to your work, you can closely monitor what is
happening and what the topic of conversation is.

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 Update your knowledge
•Hospitality magazine.
•Food Service magazine.
•Bar magazine.
•Social media websites.
•Most newspapers have food sections and reviews of local restaurants
and food trends.
•Gourmet Traveller or Vouge Entertaining magazine.
•Union or Government websites.
•Read the newspapers.
•Go out to dinner or use the services of other hospitality establishments.
•WorkSafe websites.

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 Trade shows
 
The hospitality industry has regular trade shows where industry suppliers show their
wares and latest products.

A visit to one of these trade shows provides a valuable learning opportunity to update
your knowledge of current industry trends, equipment and products
 
These include:
 
•Food and beverage products.
•Accommodation products.
•Equipment.
•Training organisations.
•Overseas products.
•New technologies.

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 Current hospitality issues
•Working conditions
•Penalty rates
•Molecular gastronomy
•MasterChef
•Economy
•Skill shortage
•Special diets
•Responsible service of alcohol
•HACCP
•Asian food

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 Activity 5
Briefly describe a current hospitality issue that concerns you.

Briefly describe the methods you use to update your hospitality knowledge.

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 Environmental considerations
Recycling

Businesses produce large quantities of litter and there are usually good opportunities
for recycling.

Community

Be aware as you may be near a residential area of which the noise pollution may
disturb the neighbours.

Resources

Global Warming and CO2 emissions are large global issues that require everybody to
play their part and if possible use fewer resources such as water and electricity.

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 Technology
New technologies in hospitality:
 
•Programmable computerised ovens/steamers.
•Wireless technology.
•Websites.
•Social media.
•iPads.
•New cooking equipment.
•Molecular gastronomy.
•Onsite bookings.
•POS.
•Wireless internet.
•Marketing.

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 Use technology to manage workplace
priorities
•Smartphones
•Online diary
•Cloud storage
•Tablets devices
•Skype and video conferencing
•Project management software
•POS systems

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 Work schedules
 
A work schedule is like a job checklist but with timing and importance to help plan
your day. A work schedule will stipulate what tasks are to be done first, second, third
…. last it may also give times when each task is to be done and how long each task
will take.

Jobs checklists and work schedules are often printed on A4 pages and laminated then
placed in the work area; that way staff have access to the document without having to
go looking for it.

These documents may form part of an operational program, HACCP program or a

quality control program if one of these programs are used by the venue.

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 Activity 6
Briefly describe how you plan your work day (you may need to simulate this is you
are currently not working).

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 Communication Skills
•Listen – Pay attention to what people are saying.
•Let the other person talk without interruptions.
•Look the other person in the eyes and have clear eye contact.
•Give all the information not just bits and pieces.
•Ask questions and clarify the information.
•Keep a respectful distance of one metre when speaking to people.
•For written communication have clear writing that can be understood.
•Speak clearly, precisely and objectively.
•Be polite.
•Take notes to avoid forgetting information.

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 Getting feedback – Asking Questions
There are two types of questions we may use:
These are open questions and closed questions.
 
Open Questions
 
Open questions are questions that require a person to give a detailed answer, they use
words such as: How, Why, When, Where, Who, and What
 
Closed Questions
 
Closed questions are questions that require a person to give a yes or no answer.

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 Active Listening
•Hearing the speaker.
•Facing the person and looking at them in the eyes.
•Pay attention.
•Give feedback.
•Ask questions to clarify understanding.
•Take notes if appropriate.
•Show interest.
•Use their name when talking to them.
•Smile if appropriate or at least do not look angry.

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 Sharing information with colleagues
Social media – By contributing to discussions on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
you share your knowledge and benefit the industry.
Staff meetings – By contributing comments to staff meetings.
Casual conversations – In casual conversations with colleagues you can share your
knowledge
Implementation – If you are in a management position you may be able to
implement changes at your venue to use this up to date information or technologies
Newsletter – You may contribute to the staff newsletter

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 These PowerPoints are designed to match
Version 1.1 of the student resource.

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