AHLEI CHS flashcards

36 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Span of control

The number of employees directly supervised by one manager. Wider spans require stronger standard procedures and more employee autonomy; narrow spans allow closer coaching and quality checks.

Delegation vs. accountability

Delegation transfers task authority to an employee, but the supervisor remains accountable to upper management for the result. Authority moves downward; responsibility for outcomes does not.

SMART goals

Goals stated as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Without a measurable target and deadline, performance cannot be objectively evaluated or controlled.

Situational leadership

A model matching leader style to follower readiness: directing for low readiness, coaching and supporting as readiness grows, and delegating when the employee is capable and willing.

Herzberg two-factor theory

Hygiene factors such as pay and working conditions prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate. Motivators such as recognition, achievement, and growth create genuine job satisfaction and engagement.

Management control cycle

Plan, organize, direct, and control. Control compares actual results against established standards and triggers corrective action when performance deviates beyond tolerance.

Escalation rule

A written decision rule stating which issues must be reported immediately to a manager, typically safety, legal, security, or guest injury matters, rather than at shift end.

Service recovery sequence

Acknowledge the problem, listen without interruption, apologize, resolve within authority limits, follow up with the guest, and document the incident for trend analysis.

Service recovery paradox

A guest whose complaint is resolved quickly and fairly may report higher satisfaction than a guest who experienced no problem at all. Effective recovery builds loyalty.

Net Promoter Score

Calculated as the percentage of promoters (scores 9-10) minus the percentage of detractors (scores 0-6). Passives scoring 7-8 are excluded from the calculation.

SERVQUAL gaps

Five gaps between guest expectation and perception: knowledge, standards, delivery, communication, and the gap between what management assumes and what guests expect.

Empowerment limit

A written dollar amount and scope within which a front-line employee may resolve a guest issue without supervisory approval, such as comping a meal or adjusting a bill.

Mystery shop score

A measurement of employee performance against written service standards, conducted by an incognito evaluator. It measures delivery, not guest expectations.

Response-time standard

A measurable operational promise such as check-in under three minutes or call answered within three rings. It must be observable and auditable to be enforceable.

Turnover rate formula

Separations during the period divided by average headcount for the period, multiplied by 100. It is expressed as a percentage and compared against industry benchmarks.

Progressive discipline

A documented sequence of consequences: verbal warning, written warning, suspension, then termination. Each step requires a record, and serious misconduct may justify skipping steps.

STAR interview method

Behavioral interviewing that asks candidates for a Situation, Task, Action, and Result from past experience. Past behavior predicts future performance better than hypothetical answers.

Job description vs. specification

The job description lists duties, reporting relationships, and working conditions. The job specification lists the knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required to perform the job.

Training evaluation levels

Four levels: reaction (how trainees felt), learning (knowledge gained), behavior (on-the-job application), and results (business impact such as scores or turnover).

FLSA exempt vs. nonexempt

Exempt employees are salaried and excluded from overtime pay. Nonexempt employees must receive overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate beyond 40 hours per workweek.

Cross-training benefit

Training employees in multiple roles reduces single-point dependency, enables coverage during absences, and gives schedulers flexibility to match staffing to demand peaks.

Occupancy percentage

Rooms sold divided by rooms available, multiplied by 100. It measures demand capture and is used with ADR to compute RevPAR and to forecast staffing needs.

ADR and RevPAR

ADR equals rooms revenue divided by rooms sold. RevPAR equals rooms revenue divided by rooms available, which is also ADR multiplied by occupancy percentage.

Rooms per labor hour

Rooms cleaned divided by total housekeeping labor hours. Minutes per room is the inverse measure: labor minutes divided by rooms cleaned. Both track productivity.

Segregation of duties

Separating authorization, custody of assets, and recordkeeping so no single employee controls a full transaction cycle. It reduces fraud and undetected error risk.

Master key control

A log records issuance and return of master keys, keys are rekeyed when lost, and no master key is left unattended. This limits security liability and unauthorized room access.

Budget variance

Actual amount minus budgeted amount. Favorable variance means revenue above or cost below budget; unfavorable means the reverse. Variances beyond tolerance require explanation.

Gross operating profit

Total revenue minus departmental expenses and undistributed operating expenses. GOP excludes fixed charges such as rent, property taxes, insurance, and income tax.

Flow-through

The change in gross operating profit divided by the change in revenue. It shows what share of incremental revenue converts into profit rather than added cost.

Flexible budget

A budget that adjusts cost allowances to actual volume. Comparing actual costs to a static budget built for a different occupancy level misstates the true variance.

Prime cost

Food cost plus beverage cost plus labor cost. It is the largest controllable cost pool in food and beverage and is monitored as a percentage of revenue.

Break-even guests

Fixed costs divided by the difference between average rate and variable cost per guest. It is the guest count at which total revenue equals total cost.

Incident report

A factual record of an event including date, time, location, persons involved, witnesses, description, and action taken. It records facts, not opinions or blame.

Premises liability

The duty to exercise reasonable care over the property: inspect for hazards, correct them, and document the inspection. A hazard log evidences that the duty was met.

Temperature danger zone

The range from 41°F to 135°F in which bacteria multiply rapidly. Time in this zone must be minimized and monitored with logs for food safety compliance.

PASS extinguisher method

Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side. Staff must also know evacuation routes and never block egress paths.