Exclusive Interview | Sanjay Kaloniya | Vice President - Human Resource, Morpho Hotels Gurugram
/“Human Resource is more than a department. It is dealing with Human and their emotions. You need to be compassionate towards the employees. They expect you to listen to them and their problems and provide the best solution.”
Editor: Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
I started my career in Finance domain but soon realized that I can contribute better in people management, hence took the decision to move to Human Resources.
I have worked with various industries like Hospitality, Manufacturing and other progressive International Corporates including Cargill India Pvt. Ltd, Canon India Pvt. Ltd., ITC, Carlson, Wyndham, Pride Group of Hotels, Sudhir Power Limited and now associated with Morpho Hotels and Resorts India Pvt. Ltd.
I believe in consistent effort & nurturing a stable career path. I have been able to grow & climb the ladder of success with the help and guidance of my mentors in the industry.
Editor: What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
Human Resource is more than a department.
It is dealing with Human and their emotions. You need to be compassionate towards the employees. They expect you to listen to them and their problems and provide the best solution.
On the same hand, you need to balance the role between Employer and employee so as to cater to the needs of both which in turn help an organization to grow. Secondly, a good knowledge of basic employment law is critical to success. We generally have to take decisions that have legal consequences.
Editor: What are the attributes you look for while selecting or hiring? If someone wants to work with you, what should they do?
One thing that is important in the hospitality industry is employees having the ability to effectively communicate with guest, vendors and team members. Communicating with everyone in a polite manner is of utmost importance. I would definitely look for a positive attitude towards people and their work. Great hospitality professional should have enthusiasm towards their work and should always strive to do the best and be innovative. Stability is something that cannot be compromised or ignored. This shows loyalty toward work and the organization.
We are in times, where adaptability is very critical to employees. The body language of a candidate tells lots about whether he/she would be ready to adapt to the changes and situations.
Editor: What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?
Trainees play a vital role & are an asset of any industry. During the training period, they should focus on learning and exploring new things so that they understand better the culture of the industry and the expectations of Guests. By doing so they also get clarity on their selection of the right career option. They should take active participation in trainings & initiate fresh ideas which helps them to gain more confidence and accomplish much more.
There are lots of vacancies in the market seeking for suitable candidates and they should use training period as a tool to develop their skills and knowledge and make them suitable.
Editor: What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
Artificial Intelligence: In this 21st-century digital technology is important for constant revenue and growth. Artificial intelligence like (Voice-activated services, Digital Assistance, Robots etc) is revamping the way services are delivered. The majority of guests today are millennial, they are techno-savvy and need quick service. They all are active on social media. So a happy millennial can quickly promote your business.
Health and Wellness: People today are more inclined towards their wellbeing. Because of the current situation, all guests would rather prefer touchless service and a healthy environment where they all feel safe and secure. Hotels are ensuring that all touchpoints are 100 per cent safe and clean.
Real-time service recovery: Because of the intensive use of social media, a dissatisfied guest can spread the feedback in minutes through a social media channel. Hotels should quickly respond and engage with their guests so as to resolve or offer service recovery. This way they can combat the situation and can maintain perfect guest relation too.
USP: Every brand should have something special to talk about themselves which make them different from others.
We at Morpho Hotels are always keen to adopt new technologies to remain relevant as well as innovative in our approach.
Editor: Two things you would like to change in the industry.
Though the hotel industry is evolving every now and then, still in my opinion, below two points will make a huge difference.
I would like to see that employees are having a work-life balance which in turn helps them in giving more productivity.
Employees should have multitasking skills so that their services can be utilized as and where required.
Editor: What can we expect in the coming year?
Coming years would definitely bring in new opportunities with new talents. Hotels particularly would evolve with new ideas like touchless service, more clean and hygienic environment.
The new era would incline towards becoming more environments friendly like using solar power, energy conservation, improving air circulation, No Plastic use etc.
Making strategies of revenue generation from different avenues like Food deliveries at Home, housekeeping services at home, laundry services etc.
