Employers’ Feedback on Job Performance of Hotel and Restaurant Management Graduates

As the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) encourages all institutions to conduct a study determining the graduates job performance, this study determined the status of the Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM) graduates from Central Mindanao University. Through descriptive research design, employers’ feedback was gathered as baseline for assessing the program effectiveness and further improve curriculum offerings. The study used survey instrument to collect data from employers of the 62 of 70 Graduate School Alumni. Results of the investigation showed a significant relationship between the profile of the alumni and their employment data after earning the degree program at the University. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that each graduate student attained most of the skills gained throughout the program. Furthermore, employers rated the graduates excellent thereby reflecting an effective job performance based on collaboration, commitment, credibility, and competence. Based on the findings, the study recommends further identification and keeping track of the progress in the new curriculum for the formulation of student support.


Introduction
Organizations are affected by rapid change due to the fast-paced and highly competitive market. As such, employers face a dilemma in obtaining trained and knowledgeable personnel for a particular profession while preserving economic progress. The employer's input on the employee's execution of their tasks may be used to evaluate job performance in the workplace.
To succeed, an organization must have a workforce that is constantly learning and developing (Arroyo, 2016). Thus, the employer's feedback to the graduates they employ is a vital input to the institutions where they acquired their degree. It is an excellent indicator of the effectiveness and relevance of any program.
Employers are viewed as significant partners of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the development of graduate attributes as to knowledge, skills, and attitude. They employ individuals they think contributes to accomplishing the organization's central goal and vision.
While they can also hone the JUDGXDWHV ¶ capability to become productive member of the organization and the society, they can also give feedback on how the capacity of the graduates in satisfying their organizational requirements. Thus, their evaluation measures the match of capabilities and characteristics with the organizational needs which would highly reflect the level of academic culture and effectiveness of the curriculum in the HEI. Since graduates are considered products of any HEIs that reflect the graduate attributes, they play critical role in building the image and reputation of the college or University (Dotong et al., 2017).
The HEIs face several concerns on the quality of student preparation to the industry needs and trends. According to research on tourism and hospitality education, stakeholders criticize tourism and hospitality institutions for failing to prepare graduates for their careers. As employers in the tourism and hospitality industries expect graduates to possess transferable generic competencies, especially in the areas of leadership, communication, strategic thinking, and decision-making (Shariff et al., 2014), they still need to be trained again by stakeholders due to deficient competencies (Hussein et al., 2013). With counter-effect on the educational institutions, the employment performance of the graduates influences the success, marketability and quality of the program. Similarly, their performance provides key information on the learnings needed and responsive to the specific field of work. For instance, the Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management course offers flexible and several employment opportunities through its curriculum that target the demands of various hospitality industries. As this program encompasses food and beverages, travel and tourism, lodging, and recreation, it also contributes to the growth of excellent communication and interpersonal skills, which are crucial in developing positive customer relationships.
In line with this, it is necessary to keep track of the graduates and the evaluation of the employers as industry partners to evaluate the performance of the program. As the HEIs prepared the graduates for work, the graduate and their performance are the most reliable measures of relevant skills and knowledge. As such, the employers' assessment of the JUDGXDWHV ¶ performance serves as a feedback mechanism and inputs for the institution to develop new methodologies to improve graduate attributes.

Literature Review
In today's economy, HEIs must produce quality graduates in order to meet the needs of national development and companies. Government agencies, companies and graduates themselves are concerned on work-readiness. According to Bilsland et al. (2014), higher education administrators are under pressure to offer degree programs that are closely matched with a graduate employer and industry needs regarding employability skills. The working environment also establishes a solid learning climate by allowing students to gain hands-on preparation experience as well as more freedom to develop both delicate and complex skills. Cheng et al. (2021) present a realistic and straightforward approach to developing employability in higher education. Even though employability and employment are two distinct concepts, the graduate employment rate is frequently used to measure the quality of university provision. This model emphasizes on the understanding of graduate employability by interpreting its meaning and determining who is responsible for graduate employability from the perspectives of four major stakeholders: higher education institutions, students, government, and employers. Furthermore, the employability development model depicts the roles of graduates, higher education institutes, employers, and employment in generating employment, emphasizing that graduate employment should be viewed solely as an indicator of individual graduate employability. According to Wellman (2010), integrated competency model of employability explains how many elements interact to improve employability. This looks to be a revolutionary 132 | International Journal of Academe and Industry Research, Volume 3 Issue 4 approach to employability that combines technical and vocational knowledge with general support for micro-level competencies and macro-level attitude and behavior.

Employability and Performance
By providing a clear perspective on employability, the RAW employability framework addresses various concerns. According to Study and Kottke (n.d.), the RAW model of employability includes: R represents rewarding, A stands for ability, and W stands for willingness. The RAW framework contributed to the literature since it minimized previous employability research concepts while keeping the essential features that comprise employability (Study & Kottke, n.d.). It is advised that undergraduate courses be modified due to this identitybased approach to employability. According to Zeijen et al. (2018), skills and educational achievement are essential factors in determining employability. Students, particularly recent graduates, must be better prepared for employability and global citizenship.
In terms of work performance, Zeijen et al. (2018) assert that job engagement motivates employees to utilize self-management tools to create goals for themselves and monitor their emotions and behavior at work. Employees should develop relevant goals that correspond with organizational goals to improve job engagement and motivation in an organization. Employees should monitor their behavior to ensure performance improvement and positive job engagement.
Meanwhile, Breevaart et al. (2014) argue that employees do not require external control from managers to increase work engagement.
Employees are encouraged to define their own goals and objectives, as well as uncover their behavior and sentiments, as a result of which they seek challenges and resources, and therefore the conclusion of employee engagement (Zeijen et al., 2018). Assessment will assist in highlighting prospective skills and finding gaps, identifying areas where training and development are required, and providing them the opportunity to improve or improve on performance. Gathering this information will aid in proper follow-up, monitoring, and decisionmaking, providing a foundation for adjustment and measuring effectiveness and efficiency, assisting in career development, retention, and motivation and under the close supervision of their supervisors, providing a more congenial, supportive working environment aimed at increasing their capabilities and possibilities and maximizing their contribution to the organization. Employees who stay engaged have a high-quality influence on their agency's overall performance and desires (Singh, 2018). Agencies must create a high-quality work environment and provide assets so that personnel are extra engaged in their responsibilities (Gerards et al., 2018). Employees who exhibit these traits are much more likely to enhance organizational performance in phrases of productivity, quality, and delivery of excessive ranges of purchaser services, thereby enhancing economic effects (Manhotoma et al., 2014).

BSHRM Graduates
Many hotel guests rely on the hospitality staff for their travel needs. Administrative personnel's skills, competence, and motivation are essential to service excellence. In order to fulfill particular jobs, organizations prefer to recruit graduates with specific competencies.
According to Shariff et al. (2014), graduates must fulfill the industry's competencies to survive.
The industry perceives these competencies as essential competencies while the competencies industry expects from the graduates are significant for the graduates to have before entering the industry.
Hotel and restaurant management graduates face a more competitive and unstable employment market in the twenty-first century; hence, they must be equipped with skills that allow them to reach their full potential (Espellita & Maravilla Jr, 2019). Furthermore, hospitality firms, such as hotels, have long been focused on the result of customers' desires and service quality while paying less attention to employees' needs, failing to grasp that people are the key to service excellence. According to Tan et al. (2016), academicians and industry players must be critical in getting these potential hospitality graduates involved. Professionals should address the barriers that influence the students' commitment to work in the hospitality industry.

Importance of EmplR\HU ¶V )HHGEDFN
Feedback is a fundamental part of any company's administrative center approach.
Furthermore, comments are required because no one works in a vacuum and need to be knowledgeable of both his and her inadequacies and areas for development. Indeed, the feedback loop is so critical to a business enterprise's overall performance that many have specific rules on how personnel need to be given and acquire remarks on a regular foundation.

| International Journal of Academe and Industry Research, Volume 3 Issue 4
Employers are regarded as one of the maximum crucial stakeholders in better schooling establishments, as they give greater means and cost to graduates' knowledge, abilities, and attitudes. The employers' remarks on the graduates' overall performance in popular are considered a crucial entry into the instructional institutions. The remarks made by the business enterprise will mirror the performance of the worker and may be very important in determining the capability of the graduates in coming into the real world. Mehrotra and Elias (2017) assert that developing graduates' employability elements is a critical center in better studying for them to be gainfully hired inside the job market. This will significantly affect how employers check their personnel's activity and overall performance. Employer remarks on graduates' performance in the standard seemed to be a critical entry to instructional establishments. However, there will be lapses in which graduates may miss their expected overall performance. Skills that include critical talents, trouble-solving skills, and the capacity to apply area knowledge and ideas in the workplace are regarded as crucial regions that require interest (Dotong et al., 2017).

Research Design
This study used the descriptive research design, specifically a quantitative approach to WKH HPSOR\HUV ¶ IHHGEDFN RQ WKH Mob performance of the graduates in order to present study findings.

Research Locale
The study area covers Central Mindanao University, one of the top universities offering the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management course. Central Mindanao University, considered the academic paradise of the South, is a public research university located at the heart of Mindanao Island in the Philippines.

Participants of the Study
Participants in the study were the employers of BSHRM Les Toque 7, that graduated on  There were 54 companies surveyed. Most of the companies had one (1) respondent while there were four (4) companies with two (2) respondents. In terms of the demographics, most of the respondents were 24 years old (20 respondents) followed by 23 and 25 years old (10 respondents), 27 years old (6 respondents), and 29 years old (5 respondents), twenty-six years old (4 respondents), twenty-eight years old (3 respondents), thirty years old (2 respondents), and 38 and 42 years old (1 respondent). According to Reddy (2020), young employers are more excited about their professions, adhere to corporate laws, and are more truthful at work, which is why the company hires the most controllable employees. They are more eager to put in extra hours. They also propose the most initiatives to help the organization grow. They also try to improve established standards with their new expertise, which is a good sign for the firm. In terms of gender, there were 36 females and 26 males.

Sampling Procedure
The study used total enumeration sampling, a strategy of purposive sampling in which the researcher decides to examine the entire population with particular characteristics based on the study's purpose. Since this research established employers' feedback on the job performance, all the employers who hired the graduates were chosen.

Data Gathering Procedure
Given the pandemic in collecting information, specific protocols were observed. The researchers performed all actions online; there was no personal interaction. The researchers also prepared a letter asking permission from the respondents if they were willing to be part of the study, and requested assistance and support from the Department of Hospitality Management, the college registrar, and colleagues to find the respondents list. Personal data, namely graduates' complete names, were gathered. After the collection, the researchers assure that the gathered information of the respondents remain confidential. Afterwards, the researchers contacted the respondents through the given name or their social media account to send the letter, asking for authorization to be the study's respondents before sending the questionnaire for The information gathered from the respondents was treated with the utmost privacy and confidentiality. Before sending the questionnaires to the respondents, authorization was sent to inform them of the purpose of the study. Furthermore, the HEI concerned has consented to the study and data collection, disclosing its identity.

Research Instruments
This analysis used a survey questionnaire from Dotong et al. (2017) on tracer study. The researchers emailed the authors from Lyceum of the Philippines College of Engineering to ask permission to use their questionnaire and permitted the researchers to use it. The questionnaire consists of two sections. The first section consists of the demographic profile of the employers and the second section consists of the employers' feedback on the graduates' job performance in terms of competence, commitment, collaboration, and credibility that were clustered by sections.
The study used the five-point Likert Scale of American Social Scientist Rensis concerning the scoring procedure of employers' feedback on job performance regarding competence, commitment, collaboration, and credibility.

Statistical Technique
Descriptive statistics, specifically frequency and percentage, were used to analyze the demographic profile of the employers. Meanwhile, weighted mean was used to compute the weight of the employers' feedback and to find out the effectiveness of the graduates' job performance in the questionnaire assigned by the respondents during the actual gathering procedure. Table 1 shows the level of employers' feedback on the job performance of Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM graduates in terms of competence, commitment, collaboration, and credibility.

Findings and Discussion
In terms of competence, the graduates are considered very good at adapting quickly to new technology used in operation as indicated by a total weighted mean score of 4.56, exhibiting strong communication skills in dealing with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders, and demonstrating assertive communication skills in dealing with stakeholders as evidenced by a total weighted mean score of 4.68.   Good,Good,Fair,Poor, According to Laguador (2013), they can put what they have learned from theories into practice through internship and laboratory activities. Meanwhile, providing sound decisionmaking in responding to the needs of the customers and organization is considered reasonable by the employers, as indicated by the total weighted mean score of 4.48, followed by working professionally with the team and applying practical hospitality skills in applying specific tasks 4.47. However, applying appropriate hospitality skills in performing required duties or functions obtained the least total weighted mean score of 4.31. The total composite mean score of 4.468 implies that Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM graduates of Central Mindanao University are above average in terms of competence.
Based on the findings, the job performance of the graduate is rated as good by the employers due to their change in career or profession not inclined in the BSHRM curriculum.
Nonetheless, it is up to the graduates how they would apply and make use of the information and abilities acquired throughout their studies. According to Aquino et al. (2015), graduates have personal knowledge of the relevance and content of an institution's curriculum. They are publicly exposed to the ramifications of the quality standards they set, considering their legal and educational responsibilities.
In terms of commitment, the employers assessed the graduates as very good in demonstrating a passion for execution and sense of tasks (4.66), accepting willingly and performing leadership roles in various activities with a unique sense of duty and dependability (4.56), participating in making decisions and implementing the activities of the organization (4.56) and providing necessary support to the welfare of the organization and service-oriented to customers. However, when organizational issues must be addressed, transcending personal demands are required to attain has the lowest overall weighted mean score of 4.73. The computed composite mean score of 4.53 implies that Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM graduates are excellent in their job performance in terms of commitment. This indicates that the graduates dedicated themselves to the company's goals and objectives. The graduates intend to stay, remain a part of the company, and achieve their objectives. workplace by helping co-employees with difficulty in completing some tasks (4.55) and maintaining harmonious and friendly relations with superiors, peers, and subordinates through respecting their differences. However, the employers also considered the Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM graduates as good at promoting the department's positive image through serving customers effectively, with the least computed total weighted mean score of 3.40. The total composite mean score of 4.54 implies that the Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM graduates of Central Mindanao University are excellent in collaboration. According to Bay et al. (2014), the obligation to give better service to their clients and colleagues inside their circle is exhibited by participating in numerous activities that also assist them in molding their character to fit the culture and significant values of the workplace. The result is also explained by the findings of Dotong et al. (2016) that the character of the graduate is sharpened by utilizing accurate management in making decisions that follow ethical standards and processes on how to utilize workplace resources appropriately. The HPSOR\HUV ¶ overall rating on the job performance of the graduates is excellent in terms of credibility (4.76), collaboration (4.60), and commitment (4.53). However, the are hired with high expectations on the concern for the environment and the well-being of the clients as part of the entire organization's image-building process²the capacity to demonstrate genuine enthusiasm in any work.
The employers also assessed the graduates as excellent in commitment, with a total weighted mean score of 4.53. They may be able to provide relevant help in response to the organization's needs. As such, their commitment equates to giving excellent service by demonstrating their dedication to their profession and understanding their profession's obligations and responsibilities and the importance of the company's mission to perform specific tasks and achieve specified goals. These graduates are characterized with value going above and beyond to demonstrate their sincerity and commitment to their career and the organization to which they belong (De Castro et al., 2016).
The findings imply an influence on graduates' work performance since their overall rating on their job performance assessed by employers is extremely good in terms of dedication, collaboration, and credibility, making them exceptional in executing their job. However, in terms of competence, the graduates are rated as good which can be considered above average.
Each Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM graduate is hired and managed by 24-year-old employers, some of whom work for international companies. As a result, graduates are well-trained in their workplace, enabling them to perform their jobs effectively rather than just through the curriculum's training system. Some graduates were unable to apply what they have learned resulting to competence rated as good. This is also attributed to their change in a career not inclined in the BSHRM curriculum. As Aquino et al. (2015) explained that employers significantly impact on building a university's graduate attributes. Graduate attributes offer

Conclusion
This study was conducted to determine the employers' feedback on the job performance of Les Toque 7 and 8 BSHRM Graduates in Central Mindanao University through the quality of job performance in terms of competence, commitment, collaboration, and credibility. This study utilized quantitative descriptive research with 70 BSHRM Graduates from Central Mindanao University as participants. The adopted questionnaire used the five-point Likert Scale with results treated with descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency, and percentage distribution.
The results showed that graduates are considered outstanding in terms of credibility, collaboration, and dedication based on the efficacy of their work performance. Employers considered the graduates with excellent job performance in terms of credibility, commitment, and collaboration while rated as good in terms of competence. The assessment showed the characteristics of the graduates as very good in adapting to new technology, demonstrating a passion for work, showing significant interest and pride in completing their tasks, protect and preserving the company's properties, applying appropriate skills in performing duty, transcending personal needs when organizational concerns need to be attended to, promoting a positive image of the department, and practicing honesty, fairness, and transparency in all businesses obtained the lowest rate from the employers. Respondents rated the graduates as "excellent" in their job, which inclines the effectiveness of the job performance of each graduate with their collaboration, commitment, credibility, and competence.