Programme overview

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the webinar, learners will be able to:

• Understand the benefits of using “productivity” to manage labour as opposed to “labour cost as a percentage” which is a flawed metric.
• Identify the various data types and sources so they can create more accurate schedules.
• Calculate a forecast for their department based on volume: i.e. occupied rooms, covers, check-in’s etc…
• Establish a productivity baseline for their department and create schedules considering the volume forecast and their team’s availability and preferred work patterns.
• Analyse labour management performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Who is this course for?

Suitable for all Supervisors, Managers & HOD’s who are responsible for creating rotas, Finance Managers, HR Managers & General Managers.

Content Covered:

• Mangers will learn that labour forecasting is very different to revenue forecasting as it requires volume data (occupied rooms, covers, check-in’s etc…) as opposed to revenue to accurately schedule labour and create more efficient rotas.
• Learners will be introduced to the concept of managing payroll by using the productivity metric of “hours per unit”.
• Learn practical methods to create better rotas which are better aligned with the peaks and troughs of business levels using the 3 R’s: “Right staff in the Right place at the Right time” to service guest demand.
• Learn to use the “forecasting and scheduling cycle” which ensures that a robust methodical approach using data and not just intuition is applied when forecasting, scheduling, and monitoring labour utilisation.

Trainer Profile – Tom McDermott Agility Hospitality

In a career of over 30 years Tom noticed that routine tasks conducted daily in hospitality businesses can include 30% – 50% inefficiency!

Very few hospitality businesses use proven methodologies such as LEAN and Six Sigma to reduce waste and develop more consistent and efficient processes.

Tom created Agility Hospitality to provide continuous improvement training and bespoke LEAN transformation projects specifically tailored for the hospitality and tourism sector.

Before establishing Agility Hospitality, Tom worked internationally for Starwood, Cunard, Radisson and subsequently Hilton where he led their innovative “Operational Excellence” continuous improvement programme across Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Tom holds a LEAN Six Sigma Green Belt and recently completed a Certificate in Data Analytics for Business from DKIT and a Professional Diploma in Transversal skills at UCD and TU Dublin.

He is a passionate advocate of the “bottom up & leader led” approach to continuous improvement where leaders create an environment that nurtures trusting and respectful relationships that unleashes team member creativity. 

Simon Povall

I am an experienced professional with over 30 years’ experience in Ireland and the UK.

I worked in the hospitality sector for 28 years within the hotel, fine dining and contract catering arena, initially in an operational role but most recently as a business development director.  In this role I was instrumental in developing a strategic approach to bids management as well as being the lead presenter at sales presentations to prospective clients at C-suite level to blue chip, multi-national companies and the professional offices sector.  In recent years I have developed my training, coaching and mentoring skills as well as holding a professional diploma in Change Management.  I also have national management experience within the competitive recruitment sector.

My work has spanned across all business sectors in both the private and public sector and this experience has provided me with an extensive range of versatile skills from effective written and verbal communication, strategy development, effective leadership, tender management, operational expertise, recruitment management, innovation, customer excellence, project management, sales growth, cost control, concept development, business development and of course training, coaching and mentoring.