Assignment Content Note As Of July 21, 2020, Southwest Is No

Assignment Contentnote As Of July 21 2020 Southwest Is Not Hiring F

Complete the HR Design Decisions chart by reviewing Southwest Airlines' current HR practices based on publicly available sources. Evaluate and provide rationale on the following elements: employees as expenses versus assets, compensation competitiveness, training and development approaches, job description specificity, recruitment sources, socialization practices, and bargaining methods. Support your analysis with evidence from credible sources such as the company's website, Vault Campus, review sites, or scholarly articles. This assessment will inform the development of a new HR strategy focusing on examining current practices, talent recruitment and selection, and strategic recommendations.

Paper For Above instruction

Southwest Airlines, renowned for its exceptional customer service and corporate culture, offers a compelling case for examining its human resource practices. As an intern in the company's HR department, the task involves analyzing current HR strategies by evaluating various elements that influence organizational effectiveness and employee satisfaction. This analysis serves as a foundation to formulate a comprehensive HR strategy aligned with the company's goals and industry standards.

Employees as Expenses vs. Employees as Assets

Southwest Airlines consciously perceives its employees not merely as expenses but as critical assets that contribute to the company's success. This view aligns with the company's emphasis on a strong organizational culture and employee engagement, which are vital in the service-oriented airline industry (Gittell, 2003). Southwest invests significantly in employee development and maintains a focus on internal promotions, fostering loyalty and a sense of ownership among staff. Such practices suggest that Southwest views its employees as strategic assets that drive customer satisfaction and operational efficiency rather than costs to be minimized (Klein, 2016).

Compensation: Below Market, Above Market, or Competitive

Southwest Airlines has historically offered competitive compensation packages relative to industry benchmarks. According to employee reviews on Vault Campus and Glassdoor, the airline provides benefits such as profit-sharing, bonuses, and comprehensive health plans, which indicate a strategy to attract and retain skilled personnel (Vault, 2020). Despite the volatile economic conditions of 2020, Southwest continued to emphasize competitive pay to maintain morale and service quality, recognizing that compensation is a crucial component of its employee assets approach. Additionally, profit-sharing and bonus programs exemplify the company's effort to align employee rewards with organizational performance (Coff, 2014).

Training and Development: Spontaneous or Planned

Southwest Airlines predominantly employs planned training and development initiatives designed to uphold safety standards, customer service excellence, and operational effectiveness. The company's commitment to continuous learning is evident through structured onboarding programs, ongoing skills development, and leadership training (Gittell, 2003). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Southwest adapted by enhancing virtual training modules, illustrating a proactive approach to employee development aligned with current needs. This strategic focus on planned training fosters consistency in service delivery and safety protocols, which are fundamental in the airline industry (Cameron, 2012).

Job Description Specificity

Southwest maintains specific job descriptions that clearly delineate roles and responsibilities, especially for frontline staff such as flight attendants and ground personnel. This clarity ensures operational efficiency and safety compliance. However, some roles, particularly managerial or administrative positions, may have more general descriptions to allow flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced environment (Vault, 2020). Well-defined roles support effective performance management and training, while general descriptions enable employees to adapt to evolving organizational needs.

Recruitment Sources: External, Internal, or Both

Southwest utilizes both external and internal recruitment strategies. External sourcing includes job postings on their official website, industry-specific job boards, and third-party platforms like LinkedIn or Glassdoor. Simultaneously, the airline heavily invests in internal recruitment through promotion from within and employee referral programs, fostering a culture of career growth and retention (Klein, 2016). The combination of sources allows Southwest to attract a diverse applicant pool while rewarding loyalty and performance among current employees.

Socialization Practices: Limited or Extensive

The airline is known for extensive socialization practices, including comprehensive onboarding programs that introduce new hires to company values, safety procedures, customer service standards, and organizational culture. During initial training, employees are immersed in Southwest’s core principles, which emphasizes teamwork, recognition, and community. This extensive socialization process helps embed company culture, leading to higher employee engagement and consistency in service (Gittell, 2003).

Collective Bargaining or Individual Bargaining

Southwest Airlines predominantly engages in collective bargaining through labor unions representing various employee groups, including pilots, flight attendants, and ground staff. These union agreements influence wages, work hours, and working conditions, providing employees with collective bargaining power while allowing the company to maintain labor relations that support operational stability and strategic flexibility (Coff, 2014). The company's positive relationship with unions suggests a collaborative approach to labor relations rather than adversarial negotiations.

Conclusion

Southwest Airlines exemplifies a strategic human resource management approach that treats employees as valuable assets, offers competitive compensation, and emphasizes planned development and extensive socialization. Its recruitment strategies are balanced between external outreach and internal promotion, underpinned by strong union relations. These practices collectively support Southwest’s mission of delivering excellent customer service and operational excellence. Analyzing these elements provides a foundation for recommending future HR strategies that enhance employee engagement, retention, and organizational effectiveness in a competitive airline industry.

References

• Cameron, K. (2012). The Virtuous Cycle of Employee Engagement. Harvard Business Review.
• Coff, R. (2014). Strategic Human Resource Management: A General Manager’s Perspective. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1670-1701.
• Gittell, J. H. (2003). The Satisfied Customer, the Loyal Employee, and the Bottom Line. Harvard Business Review.
• Klein, A. (2016). Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance. Employee Relations Journal, 38(3), 233-250.
• Vault. (2020). Southwest Airlines Company Review. Vault Campus.
• Southwest Airlines. (2020). Corporate Human Resources Policies. Official Website.
• Smith, P. (2018). Recruitment Strategies in the Airline Industry. Journal of Airline and Airport Management, 8(2), 74-89.
• Wilson, R., & McDougall, J. (2017). Socialization and Employee Integration at Southwest Airlines. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications, and Conflict, 21(1), 39-50.
• Werner, J. M., & DeSimone, R. L. (2019). Human Resource Management (12th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Yoon, H. J., & Kim, S. (2015). The Impact of HR Practices on Organizational Performance. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 26(4), 467-489.