Perspectives on Line

Managers in HRM: Hilton

Internationals UK Hotels
Gill Maxwell
Glasgow Caledonian
University, UK
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Background: Research Issue

business partnership model of HRM: role
of line managers in HR
perceptual convergence on HR for line
manager and business performance
(Gilbert, 2000; Kearns, 2004)
but evidence of divergence (e.g. Harris,
2001; Phelps, 2002; McLean, 2004)
research gap in line managers and HR
specialists perceptions on line managers
in HR

Aim and Direction

Aim: to examine line manager (LM) and
HR manager (HR) perspectives on LMs
involvement in HRM
theoretical perspectives, then Hilton
primary work
conclusions for developing HR business
partnerships

Theoretical Perspectives
changing and fusing relationship between
HRM and HRD (Gibb, 2003; Ruona and
Gibson, 2004)
ambiguous and elusive relationship
between HRM and HRD (Mankin, 2003:2)
complex, ambiguous and dynamic
relationship between LMs and HR
specialists (Larsen and Brewster, 2003:
236)

LMs in HRM
early and sustained debate about
devolving HRM to LMs (Hall and
Torrington, 1998; Larsen and Brewster,
2003)
..to positively influence commitment,
quality, productivity and, ultimately,
business performance (Hutchinson and
Purcell, 2003).but challenges

LMs in HRD
partnership of LMs and HRs e.g. in
identification of training needs and
conducting training (Heraty and Morley,
1995)
difficulties in LM acceptance of HRD
responsibilities (Aston, 1994)
enablers and barriers

Primary Research Questions:

LMs and HRs Perceptions
Is there a shared understanding of LMs
HR roles and responsibilities?
What are the key supports to LMs in their
HR responsibilities?
What are the main barriers to LM
involvement in HR activities?
In there a link between LM and HR
perceptual divergence/ convergence and
hotel business performance?

Hilton Internationals UK Hotels

key strategic driver: UK launch of worldwide
service quality initiative (Equilibrium)
HR strategy/ policy and employment package
(Esprit): a promise on how our colleagues
are treated within the company (UK HR VP)
as part of service culture; concept of work
RESPECT, RECOGNITION & REWARD
LM responsibility for HR (HRM &
HRD) in hotel units, with HR support
HR business partnership model
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Research Design
semi-structured interviews within Hilton
LM questionnaire: consultation, piloting,
administration via hotel HR specialists
nominal, ordinal, ranking, Likert rating
scale and open questions; biographical
data
HR derivative questionnaire

Responses
population: 760 LMs and 76 HRs
10 questionnaires per unit for LMs; census of
HRs self-selection
response rate: 43% (328) LMs; 60% (46)
HRs
775 qualitative comments from LMs; 258
from HRs categorising by recurrent themes
SPSS data management; Mann-Witney &
one-way ANOVA significance tests
limitations

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Respondent Profiles
LMs
- all 76 hotels
represented
throughout UK
- 30% GMs and
deputy managers;
53% departmental
managers

HRs
-

same status and

title
even geographical
spread

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Ownership of Esprit HR Strategy

865 responses, 3 responses per respondent
69% of LMs and 59% of HRs: Hilton
ownership
30% of LMs and 61% HRs: departmental
level LMs
LM and HR significant perceptual
divergence; HR views closer to corporate
position
suggests a lack of shared understanding of
LMs in HR

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LMs in HR: understanding roles

and responsibilities
1.

2.

3.

All HRs opine LMs are involved in 4 HR

activities; no HR activities that LMs opine
they are involved in.
HRs perceptions of LM involvement in
every HR activity is greater than LM
perceptions of involvement.
Marked differences in LM and HR
perceptions of value of 4 HR activities.
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 Managers should have a role in all of the

above [HR activities] in reality however
many areas are not currently perceived
as their responsibility (HR).
misunderstanding on LMs in HR
perceptual dissonance based on business
and HR strategy
heightened importance of supports to LMs
in HR activities
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Supports of LMs in HR
Greatest support for LMs: working
relationship with HR in hotel, but HRs rate
this less.
Majority of LMs believe personal
development and provision of support
materials are most important supports.
HRs rate supports more highly.
Significant perceptual gaps in 4 areas.
LMs feel they need more HR and Esprit
training.

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Barriers to LMs in HR
LMs dominant views: heavy workloads
(86%) and short term job pressures (78%).
Highly significant/ significant differences
across LMs and HRs in all barriers except
short term job pressures.
Highly significant differences in
perceptions of LM competence in HR.

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Departmental managers do not in general

see HR related issues as being business
critical and cannot currently manage many
of the key HR related aspects that would
suggest improved operational performance
(HR specialist)
but high degree of affective commitment to HR
in LMs teams
some mixed opinions, influence of workloads
and job pressures, plus misunderstanding of
Esprit strategy
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Perceptions of LMs in HR and

Hotel Performance
collation of data yielded in 46 HR
respondents hotels on supports and
barriers
high collective agreement = 60%+ of same
LM responses; medium = about 50%
comparison with HR perceptions (across 14

questions)

five hotels with highest convergence are

among best performing units; hotels with
most divergence among poorest performers

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Conclusions
perceptual divergence between LMs and
HRs: understanding and ownership of
Hiltons service and HR strategy; LM
involvement in and ranking of HR activities;
HRs support of LMs in HR; barriers to LMs
in HR; competence of LMs in HR
evidence of LM and HR convergent views
in effectively performing hotels; conversely,
LM and HR divergent views in poorly
performing hotels

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Concluding Contention

Narrowing of perceptual gaps may improve

business performance, so business case for
improving LM involvement in HR business
partnerships.
LM buy-in to HR:
conceptual understanding of rationale;
(STRATEGY)
implementation through HR role clarity and
capability; (OPERATIONS)
affective commitment in believing in the value of
their involvement in HR (CULTURE).

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