Talent pool exclusion: the hotel employee perspective.

Abstract

Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of employees excluded from a talent pool and to identify what career development is provided for them. Design/methodology/approach- A qualitative approach was adopted, and narrative inquiry was selected as the optimum route to obtaining detailed and rich accounts of the experiences of employees excluded from a talent pool. 15 in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 employees and 7 managers in a small hotel chain in the south of England. Findings-The study shows that employees who are excluded from a talent pool feel frustration, mistrust in the organisation, have low expectations of career development and show an intention to leave the organisation. Research limitations/ implications-The study was conducted in a chain of hotels where TM strategies are one of the key priorities in the organisation. The results may be different in hotels where TM strategies are less formal and talent pool segmentation is not clearly identified. Practical implications- Hotel managers should consider employees who are excluded from a talent pool and build effective TM strategies and provide career development in order to minimise adverse reactions and improve commitment and motivation. Originality/value- This research contributes to understanding talent pool exclusion and its consequences for the hotel sector. Narrative interviewing is used in this context for the first time.