AHLEI CHS cheat sheet

Span of control = number of direct reports per supervisor; wide spans require more employee autonomy and stronger standard operating procedures.

Delegation transfers authority for a task, not accountability; the supervisor remains answerable for the outcome.

Management cycle: plan, organize, direct, control - control closes the loop by comparing results to standards.

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound; unmeasured goals cannot be controlled.

Situational leadership matches style to follower readiness: directing for low readiness, coaching, supporting, then delegating for high readiness.

Escalation rule: issues affecting safety, legal compliance, or guest injury go to the manager immediately, not at shift end.

Maslow order: physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization; lower needs must be met before higher ones motivate.

Herzberg separates hygiene factors (pay, policy, working conditions) from motivators (recognition, achievement, growth); fixing hygiene only prevents dissatisfaction.

Service recovery sequence: acknowledge the problem, listen fully, apologize, resolve, follow up, and document the incident.

SERVQUAL gaps: knowledge, standards, delivery, communication, and the gap between expectation and perception drive service failure.

Mystery-shop scores measure delivery against standards; they do not measure guest expectations directly.

Complaint conversion: a guest whose complaint is resolved well can score higher loyalty than one who never complained (service recovery paradox).

Response-time standards are operational promises (for example, check-in under 3 minutes); they must be measurable and auditable.

Net Promoter Score = % promoters (9-10) minus % detractors (0-6); passives (7-8) are excluded from the calculation.

Quality control uses standards, measurement, comparison, and corrective action; without a written standard, deviation cannot be proven.

Empowerment limits define the dollar amount and scope a front-line employee may resolve without approval; state them in writing.

Training cycle: needs analysis, design, delivery, evaluation; evaluation level 1 is reaction, level 4 is results.

Turnover rate = separations in period ÷ average headcount in period × 100.

Progressive discipline order: verbal warning, written warning, suspension, termination; documentation at each step is required.

Behavioral interview questions ask for past examples (STAR: situation, task, action, result) rather than hypotheticals.

Job description lists duties and reporting line; job specification lists required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Orientation covers policy, safety, and culture; it is distinct from job-skills training, which teaches task performance.

FLSA exempt employees are salaried and excluded from overtime; nonexempt employees must be paid overtime beyond 40 hours per week.

Cross-training reduces single-point dependency and supports scheduling flexibility during absences and demand peaks.

Occupancy % = rooms sold ÷ rooms available × 100.

ADR = rooms revenue ÷ rooms sold; RevPAR = rooms revenue ÷ rooms available, which also equals ADR × occupancy %.

Housekeeping productivity is measured as rooms cleaned per labor hour; minutes per room = labor minutes ÷ rooms cleaned.

Cost of labor % = labor cost ÷ revenue; a rising ratio with flat revenue signals overstaffing or wage creep.

Cash-handling control: dual custody, sequential receipts, daily reconciliation, and surprise audits; one person should not both collect and reconcile.

Emergency plan elements: evacuation routes, assembly point, accounting for guests and staff, and designated incident commander.

Key control: log issuance and return of master keys, rekey on loss, and never leave a master key unattended.

Budget variance = actual − budget; favorable means revenue above or cost below budget, unfavorable means the reverse.

Segregation of duties separates authorization, custody, and recordkeeping so no single employee controls a full transaction cycle.

GOP (gross operating profit) = total revenue − departmental expenses − undistributed operating expenses; it excludes fixed charges like rent, taxes, and insurance.

Departmental profit = departmental revenue − departmental expenses (labor and other direct costs).

Flow-through = change in GOP ÷ change in revenue; measures how much incremental revenue reaches profit.

Flexible budget adjusts to actual volume; comparing actual costs to a static budget at a different occupancy misstates variance.

Inventory turnover = cost of goods sold ÷ average inventory value; low turnover indicates spoilage or over-purchasing risk.

Prime cost = food cost + beverage cost + labor cost; it is the primary controllable cost pool in food and beverage.

Break-even point in guests = fixed costs ÷ (average rate − variable cost per guest).

Payroll control compares scheduled hours to actual hours and to occupancy forecast; variance beyond tolerance triggers review.

Incident report contents: date, time, location, people involved, witnesses, description, and action taken; it is a factual record, not an opinion.

Premises liability requires reasonable care: inspect, correct, and document hazards; a hazard log proves the inspection occurred.

Bloodborne pathogen exposure control requires gloves, disinfection, and a written exposure control plan.

Fire safety: know the PASS method for extinguishers (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep) and never block egress paths.

Emergency evacuation assembly point must be far enough from the building and known to all staff for headcount.

Security key control and access logs limit liability; guest room entry by staff follows a knock-and-announce procedure.

Food safety temperature danger zone is 41°F to 135°F; time in the zone must be minimized and logged.

OSHA requires employers to record certain workplace injuries and to provide hazard communication training for chemicals.