Hotel staff turnover: listening answers and explanations
A trainer talks to hotel managers about why staff leave so often, what high turnover costs a business, and what to do about it. She then describes how six hotels she has worked with have kept their staff.
Questions 11-14 follow the talk in order: why staff leave, the effect on managers, a basic mistake, the Dunwich Hotel. 'I'll do this by giving some examples of hotels' starts 15-20, and the hotels come in the printed order.
Answer key and self-check
Type what you wrote and hit mark. Hide the key first if you haven't done the part yet. Every question number jumps to its explanation.
How to attack this block: In each question all three options are said, and the speaker tells you which one is the real point. Watch contrast words ('but what they don't realise', 'not only ... but also') and keep the exact question in mind: unaware, impact on managers, unexpected.
Question 11
Answer: AEnd of the opening paragraph
What reason for staff leaving do many managers not realise?
A lot of managers think it's this and the long hours that are the main causes of high staff turnover - but what they don't realise is that it's the lack of training
Question says → You hear
managers are unawarewhat they don't realise is
Why: 'What they don't realise' matches 'unaware', and what follows is the lack of training: A.
The trap: Low pay and long hours are both said, but they're what managers already think. The question asks what they don't know.
Question 12
Answer: AWhen she asks 'what kind of problems does a high turnover of staff cause?'
How does high staff turnover affect managers?
having to recruit new staff all the time can be very time-consuming, and managers may have to cover some duties while waiting for new staff to arrive
Question says → You hear
an increased workloadvery time-consuming … managers may have to cover some duties
Why: Recruiting takes up time and managers have to cover duties themselves, so they have more work: A.
The trap: B (low morale) comes next, but it's about the remaining staff, who may start thinking of leaving. Service improvement is something managers have no time for, not a target they miss.
Question 13
Answer: AWhen she says managers should stop making basic errors
Which mistake should managers never make?
When organising shifts, for example, make sure you never give certain staff preferential treatment.
Question says → You hear
failing to treat staff equallynever give certain staff preferential treatment
Why: Giving some staff preferential treatment means not treating everyone equally, and she says 'never': A. 'If you treat staff fairly' confirms it.
The trap: Shifts come up (B), but the problem isn't changing them without warning. Extra staff (C) is a benefit of fairness, not the mistake.
Question 14
Answer: CWhen she says 'Take the Dunwich Hotel as an example'
What surprising benefit did the Dunwich Hotel see?
Not only did the level of complaints fall, but they also noticed a significant increase in the amount each customer spent during their stay.
Question says → You hear
spending per customera significant increase in the amount each customer spent
Why: 'Not only ... but also' adds an extra result on top of the one they aimed for: customers spent more. That's the unexpected benefit: C.
The trap: A was the goal: the hotel acted to deal with complaints, so their fall wasn't unexpected. The loyalty scheme (B) is new and going well, but nothing is said about membership rising.
Matching (A-C)
Questions 15-20
How to attack this block: Only three strategies for six hotels, so each letter is used twice. Decide on the purpose of each scheme: is it about people working together (A), money and rewards (B), or moving up in a career (C)? Training can belong to more than one, so listen for what it leads to.
Question 15
Answer: AThe first example hotel
How did The Sun Club reduce staff turnover?
They weren't made to feel they were partners … Junior staff at all levels are regularly invited to meetings where their ideas are welcomed.
Question says → You hear
relationships and teamworkpartners who were contributing to the success … their ideas are welcomed
Why: Staff now go to meetings and feel like partners whose ideas count. That's improving relationships and teamwork: A.
The trap: 'Junior staff' might suggest career moves (C), but nothing about promotion is said. The change is about being listened to.
Question 16
Answer: CWhen she says 'A year ago, The Portland recognised the need'
How did The Portland reduce staff turnover?
The hope is that organising training for individuals with management potential will encourage them to stay with the business.
Question says → You hear
career opportunitiestraining for individuals with management potential
Why: Training people with management potential gives them a path up the company: C.
The trap: 'Recognising talent' sounds like a reward or incentive (B), but no money or prize is mentioned.
Question 17
Answer: BWhen she says managers chose 50 high achievers
How did Bluewater Hotels reduce staff turnover?
As a reward, they're sent on an all-expenses-paid trip abroad every year.
Question says → You hear
a rewardAs a reward, they're sent on an all-expenses-paid trip
Why: A free trip abroad as a reward for high achievers is an incentive with a financial benefit: B.
The trap: They learn something useful at a brewery, which may suggest C, but it's a small part of a fun reward trip, not career development.
Question 18
Answer: CWhen she says retaining junior reception staff was an issue
How did Pentlow Hotels reduce staff turnover?
with good prospects, they introduced a management programme. These staff were given additional responsibilities and the chance to work in various roles
Question says → You hear
career opportunitiesgood prospects … a management programme
Why: Good prospects, a management programme and different roles are all career opportunities: C.
The trap: 'Rewarding' sounds like B, but here it means satisfying, not paid. No money is offered.
Question 19
Answer: BWhen she says Green Planet wanted to be seen as a caring employer
How did Green Planet reduce staff turnover?
the hotel began issuing vouchers to help cover the cost of childcare
Question says → You hear
financial benefitsvouchers to help cover the cost of childcare
Why: Childcare vouchers help with a cost, so they're a financial benefit: B.
The trap: 'Caring employer' sounds like relationships (A), but what they actually do is give money towards childcare.
Question 20
Answer: AThe last hotel, when she names Louise Marsh
How did The Amesbury reduce staff turnover?
she has made a huge effort to achieve this by creating a co-operative and supportive environment
Question says → You hear
relationships and teamworka co-operative and supportive environment
Why: A co-operative, supportive place where staff are like a family is about relationships and teamwork: A.
The trap: 'Best staff retention rates in the business' tells you it works, but not how. The how comes after 'by creating'.
Complaints fell, and that's the first result you hear. But the question asks for the unexpected benefit, and 'not only ... but also' points to the rise in spending per customer.
Bluewater's trip includes learning something useful, which sounds like career opportunities. It's a reward for high achievers, all expenses paid: an incentive.
The Portland is about 'recognising talent', which sounds like a reward. But the scheme is training for people with management potential, so it's a career opportunity.
Words from this recording worth keeping
staff turnover(Introduction)
the rate at which workers leave and are replaced
low-skilled(Why staff leave)
needing little training or special ability
time-consuming(Problems caused)
taking a lot of time
resentful(Basic errors)
feeling angry because of unfair treatment
preferential treatment(Basic errors)
treating some people better than others
tangible(Dunwich Hotel)
real and measurable
retention(Hotel examples)
keeping staff so they don't leave
prospects(Pentlow Hotels)
chances of success or promotion in the future
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The full Cambridge 17 Test 4 listening paper with the real audio: all four parts, played once, marked the moment you finish. Already done it? Take it again and listen for the traps this page showed you.
Cambridge IELTS 17, Test 4, Listening Part 2. The recording, transcript and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. We quote short extracts of the transcript only as evidence for our own commentary, and the answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full material, or sit the test on Langujet.
