Human Resources in the Aviation Industry

Human Resources in the Aviation Industry Submitted to: Mrs. Jasmina Popov-Locke Submitted by: Maha A. Jammoul CONTENTS Introduction……………………………………………………3 Recruitment and Selection Process……………………. 4-12 Effect of recruitment, selection, and interviewing processes on Southwest Airlines……………………… 13-17 Conclusion…………………………………………………… 18 Bibliography…………………………………………………. 19 INTRODUCTION Human resources is a very important and essential element of any business. In the aviation industry, it plays a vital role due the contribution it makes to the over-all employee-firm relationship.
Human resources concern the human side of managing enterprises and employees’ relations with their firms. It makes sure that the employees of the company are being used in such a manner that the employer obtains greatest possible benefit from the employees’ abilities and the employees, on the other hand, obtain optimum material and psychological rewards from their respective work. This assignment will be covering each stage of the recruitment and selection processes in general terms with applicable examples given from the aviation industry to support its description.
An explanation of how the recruitment, selection, and interviewing processes can affect the operation of an organization within the aviation industry will be provided as well. P2 – Describe the recruitment and selection process followed by aviation organizations in order to meet obligations. HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING Human Resource Planning includes forecasting the number and kinds of employees that will be required in the future and to what extent the given demand is likely to be met. Basically, it wraps around the idea of number of workers, type of workers, skills needed, and cost-factor included in such process.

The Human Resource Planning helps in the following areas when it comes to decision-making: 1. Recruitment 2. Avoidance of redundancies 3. Training – numbers and categories 4. Management development 5. Estimates of labour costs 6. Productivity bargaining 7. Accommodation requirements Few important points : ? Human Resource Planning needs continuous readjustments due to instability of an organization goal and uncertainty of the environment of the business. ? HRP is complex because of many independent variables involved in it such as invention, population changes, consumer demand, etc. A feedback must be included in case the objectives are to be modified due to the plan’s inability to be fulfilled. RECRUITMENT Recruitment is basically the first part in the process of filling a vacancy. It includes examining the vacancy, considering sources of suitable candidates, and contacting candidates and attracting applications from them. ? If the vacancy is additional to the present workforce: 1. A new employee is needed 2. A compiled job specification is needed SOURCES: ? Headhunting This process is also known as “executive search” where it is believed that he best candidates are those who are successful in their current jobs and are not thinking of moving elsewhere instead of those who are replying to advertisements and are looking for jobs in any other ways. ? Advertising It is the most popular method o recruitment wherein the vacancy is advertised and candidates are invited to apply to the company. Few pointers on Advertising: ? The advertisement should have a job specification and a personnel specification contained in it. ? The advertisement must appear in the appropriate publication. Experiments regarding response to different sizes, headings, wording, page position, etc should be done. ? Careful records about the advertisement should be kept. ? The response should be analyzed. ? Courteous letter must be sent to rejected candidates. Processes involved in Recruitment: ? Application: Candidates fill up application forms or submit their curriculum vitae. ? Initial Screening: Screening out totally irrelevant applicant is done during the recruitment process especially when the organization has high number of applicants to be assessed in the selection process. SELECTION
In the process of selection, the candidates for the specific job will be assessed and filtered out based on their level of compatibility with the organization or firm as a whole. Common Steps taken by Manager in the Selection Process: 1. Comparing of application forms and looking for candidates exhibiting suitability for the job. 2. Making a list of candidates to be interviewed and a list of rejected applicants (Short-listing). 3. Deciding what type of interview should be given and what test should be used. 4. Taking down notes on the applicants’ performance in the interview and tests. ? Interview Method
This is the most common method used. The interview is conducted by the recruiter and types of interview vary from one organization to another e. g. individual, successive, panel. In this method, the applicant will be answering questions given by the interviewer wherein his/her communication skills and job knowledge will be put to test. ? Psychometric Testing Method In this method, applicants will be assessed based on their personalities and their ability to fit in the organization. ? Aptitude Testing Method Skills of the applicants are being assessed in this given method. ? In-tray Exercise Method
Exercise or activities will be given to the candidates which will show their performance level on the job they will be handling. ? Presentation Method Skills and ideas of candidates will be evident in this type of selection method. Organizations using this type of method are more after a person’s creative ideas than his/her academic proficiency. ? Medical Tests Process Medical tests are done for the employer to ensure that the applicant is free from any contagious disease that may harm other people in the organization. This test is also done for jobs that have some medical standard that the applicants must meet such as pilots and the like. Background Checks Process Background and security checks are being performed to assess an applicant’s “sterility” and to avoid any kind of threat to an organization. It is a very crucial part of selection when it comes to certain types of industry such as the aviation industry where it is prone to threats and attacks. ? Written Examination Process Psychometric and aptitude testing methods fall under this process. This examination process helps in assessing the over-all job knowledge of the candidate and based on this, the organization will be able to determine is/her compatibility and qualification. HIRING When the suitable candidate emerges from the selection process, a job offer must be received by him/her. The job offer might be: 1. Oral 2. Written The initial job offer must include : 1. The wage or salary offered 2. Name of the job and any special conditions 3. Condition of the employment, hours, holidays, bonuses, and fringe benefits 4. Provisos must be stated 5. Date and time to get in touch again in case the applicant asks time for consideration of the job offer.
If the applicant accepts the initial offer, the conditions and everything that is stated in the letter will be made official and its accuracy is very important for it will be regarded as a permanent record. ? Induction This is the process of receiving the employees when they begin work. They’ll be introduced to the company and colleagues and informed of the activities, customs, and traditions of the company. ? Follow- up In this process, the employee will be asked about how he/she feels about the job and his/her progress to the present time.
Reviews and comments on the employees will be asked for from the immediate superiors. A proper and adequate training will be provided for some employees by the organization if needed and sometimes, switching of jobs or stations takes place depending on where the employer sees the employee performs and excels the most. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING: ? Southwest Airlines go after the creative kind of people and those who have an attitude. ? The company culture plays an integral part in the business and that’s why flexible and unconventional ideas are welcomed by the rganization. ? This airline gives importance to its “fun-LUVing” culture. RECRUITMENT: ? Online resumes are being accepted by Southwest Airlines which includes uploading your resume, cutting and pasting, or using their Resume Wizard. ? Advertisements on jobs available can be seen on their website ? All job specifications, requirements, and benefits are found on their website ? Interested applicants can choose a specific job, register, and make an account as a job seeker on their website. Submission of resume online is followed if the applicant is really interested. SELECTION: A screening-meeting is held for all those who wish to join the Southwest Airlines group wherein requirement information and conditions on how to get the job will be received during this process. ? A background check and drug test will be undergone during the interview process which is one-on-one. Failure to pass the tests will automatically remove the applicant from consideration. ? A class or training depending on the selected job should be attended and passed during the last process of selection in the Southwest Airlines. ? Unconventional and creative applicants are a major consideration to the airlines. Applicants who don’t have sense of humour and a care-free attitude are not being selected by the organization for those type of applicants contradict with the culture of the organization. HIRING: ? Job offer letters are being given to the suitable and accepted applicants which includes all the necessary information needed about the job and the terms and conditions. ? An induction takes place for newly hired applicants in the Southwest Airlines. ? People-skills courses at the University for People, Southwest’s training center in Dallas, are being gone through by employees once they are hired.
M1 – Explain how recruitment and selection and interviewing processes can affect the operation of a specified aviation organization. Southwest Airlines Operations is all about the over-all performance and effectiveness of the employees comprising the organization. How activities and “things” work out in Southwest Airlines is mainly based on its workforce since first of all, it’s in an intangible type of industry, the aviation industry. Operations basically refer to activities wherein the services and products being provided by the airlines.
It mainly deals with the manner or how the services and products are being offered or provided. EFFECT OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES’ RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS ON ITS OPERATIONS STEP BY STEP PROCESS: PLANNING: ? Right type of candidates are being targeted to attract for recruitment ? Expenses are being minimized due to the initial planning and knowing what type of applicants to go after RECRUITMENT: ? Correct and right kind of advertisements are being distributed as a result of the effective planning done in the first place ? Right brand or organization image is being projected through the advertisements ?
Right type of applicants are being attracted SELECTION: ? Methods used directly filter out irrelevant candidates and leave the most suitable ones behind ? Having the most suitable applicants are being based on the effective selection method used by Southwest Airlines depending on the standards and culture requirements being tackled in the first process which is planning. HIRING: ? Right hiring process brings about employee satisfaction ? Employee satisfaction results in effective employee performance ? Effective employee performance results in good business
EFFECT ON THE OVER-ALL OPERATIONS AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES 1. High rank in customer service ? Southwest Airline’s principle of putting the employees first which is a part of their recruitment and selection process brings about the concept of them having high ranks when it comes to customer service. Since they take good care of their employees, they assume that this care will be passed on as well to the customers by the employees. The employees in this organization take a good care of their customers because the employer is taking care of them in the first place. . Ranked Number One in America’s Happiest Airlines for Holiday Travel by Forbes for the third consecutive year ? The recruitment, selection, and interview process at Southwest Airlines is a very evident cause of this ranking. This is an effect of having their unique recruitment standard which is to go after people who don’t take themselves too seriously and have the care-free spirit. The people that they have recruited carry on with them a sense of humour which makes the travel experience for their customers more fun and happy. During interview, the candidates are being asked about how they’ve used their sense of humour during difficult situations. On the other hand, those who walk in over-dressed are asked to change to Bermuda shorts wherein candidates who refuse to do so are automatically disqualified. In here we can see how evident happiness and fun is being observed throughout their recruitment, selection, and interview process. ?Hence, the success in their recruitment, selection and interview process brought about this effect through having the right and most suitable applicants joining their operations 3.
Profitable business for 42 years now ?The success of their business is a by-product of the HR department’s works. The whole process starting from planning up to hiring which is held responsible by the “People Department” is what made the company successful and profitable for a long period of time. They had the specific workforce they needed which was brought about through the recruitment and selection process. They obtained maximum benefit from their workforce’s skills and abilities and because of this, they are having a fruitful business. 4. Friendly employee-customer interaction The Southwest Airlines employees are being trained on their social skills and abilities. They are actually hired based on their inter-personal skills and friendly attitude. With that being said, they are able to maintain a healthy and friendly relationship with their customers. Being equipped with the social skills needed, they find it easy to be friendly and “real” when dealing with passengers. 5. Satisfied employees ? The CEO of Southwest Airlines, Gary Kelly, visits his employees randomly and from time to time to check on them and their performance.
He asks them on how they are doing and feeling. Having that kind of communication which is face-to-face between the employer and his employees is what drives the employees to be more satisfied and motivated. What Gary Kelly is doing is a part of the employer care in the follow-up which falls under the last part of the recruitment and selection process better known as hiring. The wages, incentives, bonuses, pensions, “Southwest Citizenship”, career developments and all other offers is what is behind the satisfied employees of Southwest Airlines.
Again, we can see what the effect of the whole recruitment and selection process was. It resulted in highly satisfied employees. 6. Good employee performance ?The performance of the employees in their respective jobs is the “core operation” in the airlines. Southwest Airlines is very fortunate to have a good or, in my opinion, a great workforce performance. Why is this so? We fall back to the same redundant reason—recruitment, selection, and interview process held by the HR department. Going back to the previous point, employees are satisfied and motivated.
Obviously, contented employees end up performing well for their jobs. They do whatever is assigned and expected from them in an effective manner. For Southwest, it works well for them since their workforce is equipped with the talent, attitude, and creativity that meet their business needs. As a proof for this, a flight attendant onboard Southwest Airlines rapped the safety instructions to be followed by the passengers. This is a job well-done for the airlines because the employee made use of his creativity to please and satisfy the passengers. 7.
Right and accurate brand image is being projected to the public ? Through the employees and the advertisements being send out, the culture of the company is being reflected to the public. The idea of what the company is all about and what is its “tradition” is being conveyed to the mass and this brings about a positive brand image and a positive word of mouth. Not only that, the operations in Southwest Airlines have everything to do with their culture that is being initially set during the planning stage of the recruitment and selection process and is being observed until its last part.
So, the friendly and happy interaction between Southwest Airlines employees and passengers plants the positive, fun-loving, creative culture of the airlines in the passengers’ minds. 8. The accurate culture of Southwest Airlines which is fun-LUVing is being continually set ? While the recruitment, selection, and interview process of the Southwest airlines continues on observing its optimum vessel which is their culture, “their type of people” are being continuously drawn to them. Through this, the type of workforce present enables the company to have its culture set straight-out.
As far as Southwest airline is concerned, until now, they are still successful in setting their culture and making the mass get their idea behind it. They can’t be successful with doing so without their employees complying and demonstrating that kind of culture which all turns back to the HR as their responsibility to recruit and hire those people who are capable of adapting to their fun-LUVing culture. CONCLUSION The Human Resource Department is responsible for the Recruitment and Selection Process of an organization.
They make sure that the appropriate applicants are being drawn to them through their advertisements and culture set which is all done during the workforce planning process. The recruitment and selection process varies from one company to another but usually it involves four immediate steps – workforce planning, recruitment, selection, and hiring. During this process, the main goal of the firm is to get the best candidate possible for a designated job. Getting the “best” applicant depends on the standards and culture of an organization.
In the aviation industry, it is very important for the human resource department of any organization to be able to get the workforce that meets their business needs since they offer an intangible service and experience. This service is what puts them either ahead or behind the competition in the industry. The recruitment, selection, and interview at any given organization and in any type of industry will shape how the operations in that certain company take place and how activities and jobs run – smoothly or roughly. BIBLIOGRAPHY Human Resources Management (Graham ; Bennett, 1998)
Mrs. Jasmina Popov-Locke’s PowerPoint Presentation (Outcome 1) http://swamedia. com/channels/Corporate-Fact-Sheet/pages/corporate-fact-sheet#distinctions http://www. arichall. com/academic/papers/om5210-hrm. pdf http://www. wikihow. com/Become-a-Southwest-Airlines-Flight-Attendant http://www. indeed. com/forum/cmp/Southwest-Airlines/southwest-airline-hiring-process/t255708/p9 http://www. newteacher. com/obooks/Chapter_5/iaculture. html http://www. news. com. au/breaking-news/bored-flight-attendant-raps-safety-briefing/story-e6frfkp9-1111119158261 www. southwest. com