Managing People in British Airways: Challenges and HRM Strategies

This report focuses on the challenges faced by British Airways in managing people and the need for robust and progressive HRM policies. It discusses the background of British Airways, challenges in human resources, and the importance of HR planning, recruitment, and selection. Key recommendations are provided for improving staff retention and employee relations.

Managing people

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Background of the British airways..............................................................................................3
Challenges faced by the British airways in relation to human resources....................................4
Need for robust and progressive HRM policies..........................................................................5
HRM strategy in reference to HR Online
planning, recruitment, and selection............................................................................................6
Key recommendation...................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Managing people in the organization is considered to be important in the firm to have
understandability regarding the interplay among the respective management action, human
resource managements and employee relations in the appropriate business strategy. This aspect
clearly has the focus on the respective teaching and research as the major resources for the
competitive advantage (Analoui, 2017). British airways are the largest part of international
airlines group headquarter in London, United Kingdom. The firm is leading as the global
premium airlines. This report has clear focus on the challenges faced by firm along with it
contemporize need for robust and progressive HRM policies.
MAIN BODY
Background of the British airways.
British airways (BA) is the flag carrier airlines which headquarter is been located at the major
hub at London Heathrow Airport as based on the fleet size, international flights along
international destinations in UK. The firm has been formed in the year 1974 due to the level of
nationalization by the labour governments. As the firm has been created form the couple of
airlines that’s are such as BOAC and BEA, Cambrian Airways from Cardiff and Northeast
Airlines from Newcastle upon Tyne. BA have been privatized in there year 1987 as the part of
privatization plan by the Conformist Government. The airline has the quick expansions with the
acquisition of British Caledonian (BCAL) in 1987 and Gatwick-based carrier Dan-Air in 1992.
As per the merger plan of procurement made by libera have makes the two airline joining forces
for all stock transaction while making retention of separate brands which are similar to the to
KLM and Air France in their merger agreement (Eaton, 2017). This alliance has turned the firm
to be world’s third-largest airline as per the terms of annual revenues.
At the present rate the fir is operating at 600 aircraft by conveying up more than 70 million
passengers on the yearly basis serving more than 300 destination in 90 countries over the world.
The airline has the continuous level of expansion in the network through the level of
combination of the respective new routes, code sharing level of agreements along with franchise
partnership in order to have strengthening of relationship with both domestic and international
carriers.
On the other hand, the firm have created successive effort towards the environment for its
premium business travellers by investing in more costly products along with service
3

enhancements. In addition to that, due to the U.S. economic slowdown the airline faces level of
challenges to survives in both level of passenger and cargo market in order to maintain more
level of safety modification and comfort level of upgrades.
On the recent basis, the British airline have celebrated its 100 anniversary in the year 2019 as
the airline have the tracing of it origin back form the birth of civil aviation as the worlds first
flight have been schedules for the air service on August 25, 1919, air travel has changed beyond
all recognition. In the perspective of people, the firm have the collection of most level of
experienced crew in the air and ground service (Banfield, Kay. and Royles, 2018). At the current
basis there are approximately 45000 employee which have inclusion of 16500 cabin crew along
with 3900 pilots. On the other hand, these experience employee of the British airways have
minimum 15 years of knowledge. In addition to that’s airline have 4700 engineers who are
having 29 years of flying experiences.
Challenges faced by the British airways in relation to human resources.
British airways are the great level of employer and among one of the companies that’s virtually
everyone wants to work with. British airways group have the consisting of British Airways PLC
and number of subsidiaries. The airline has the continuous level of expansion in the network
through the level of combination of the respective new routes, code sharing level of agreements
along with franchise partnership in order to have strengthening of relationship with both
domestic and international carriers.
The firm is facing more level of challenges to make proper level of improvements in the human
capital managements along with product quality and reduction in cost (Al-Hawary and
Aldaihani, 2016).
Poor staff retention- Despite have the attractive level of human resources management policy to
have handle the stuff to great peril. British airways are facing the major level of challenges in
retaining best talent in company as employee are possessing high level of demand in job market
due to their professional and technical knowledge.
Lack of motivation
Ensuring better employee productivity to increase the level of profitability as ability and
motivation is lacking to perform in the organization culture. the firm is failing to improve the
hiring and replacement session with making proper and career development. Next to that’s there
managing the diverse level of workforces is getting more complex in present situation. Due to
4

the diverse level of workforce, the firm is facing major level of issues such as harassment or
discrimination. In addition to that HRM is making more level of efforts to maintain their social
responsibility in order to show favourable
Poor recruitment
In addition to that’s the challenges for the HRM have the detachment in order to maintain their
key level of potential employees in order to have the linkage with competitors for the higher
level of remuneration. There is resurrecting along with down ship by developing the sense of
insecurity regarding job have brain drain due to high level of remuneration. The individuals to
have the issues related to empowerment with their work in enthusiasm, commitment & learn new
skills.
Lack of effective training and development
In next to that’s their HR departments have the clear level of contributor in maintain for level of
profitability by making the policy which are such as the employee selection in order to which is
been suited to British airways culture and respective objectives (Harvey, G. and Turnbull, P.,
2016). On the other hand, the firm is facing the challenges in order to have appropriate hiring as
per the ability and strength which would have the matching the requirements and circumstance of
British airways.
Negative employee relation
The last the major challenges which is been faced by the HR department of firm is maintaining
various function as per the employee relation which are such as scheduling meetings, managing
holidays and outsourcing of talent with the comparative with globalization challenges.
Need for robust and progressive HRM policies.
Human resources management is considered to be complete solution for the effective recruitment
process which make truly reflection of the full British Airways service experience. The firm have
the need for the maintaining its leadership potential as the success key growth. There is the need
for the company to have the embraces diversity for recruiting the individual from all races with
the esteems to have respect to different cultural ideas. The commitment has endeavouring in
order to maintains to have direct link in respect in administration along with employees efficient
communication tool in order to get succeed.
In order to that, there is the need to have the change an improve the ways in company to
procures the set of human resources professionals with boosting more level of productivity in the
5

firm (Das and Kodwani, 2018). The firm have to make real level of focus on the overhauling the
HRM system for building the sustainable capacity along with productivity and service quality.
With the implementation of their human resources progressive policies will make proper level of
encouragement to boost human resource management practices at the company. The firm have
major need to develop there robust and progressive policy in order to show supportive a
favourable behaviour towards the society in order to build up the effective goodwill.
HRM strategy in reference to HR planning, recruitment, and selection
Human resource strategies are made by companies to retain talent and utilise their skills in
effective manner. BA aims to sustain in market for longer duration and want to gain competitive
advantage. Hence it realises that human resource planning is very important (Ganesh, 2018). For
workforce planning British Airways is using human resource management system in which
details of number of staff members are recorded alone with their skills and performance. This
computerised system helps BA in knowing future requirement of workforce so that demand can
be met. Enterprise develops talent strategies in which it gives training to staff so that they be
more productive. Human resource manager review performance of each member time to time.
That aids in enhancing workplace efficiency and accomplishing goal of business unit
successfully.
British Airways is facing issue of poor staff retention in business unit, in order to resolve
this issue there is need to have good recruitment . Entity needs to hire such candidates those who
like to serve in firm for longer duration. British Airways needs to hire through external sources.
Entity can advertise in news paper and can contact with recruitment agencies. These platforms
will help the BA in attracting more talent towards the organisation and evaluating their
capabilities. By this way firm can sign bond with them to retain in business for certain time
period. This will help in making people comfortable in business and offering them attractive
facilities so that person work here for longer duration. This HR strategy will help the business in
raising workplace productivity to great extent (What is people management, 2020).
British Airways is required to select the person after evaluating their condition propely. If
situation of person is not being evaluated effectively then it will hamper workplace efficiency to
great extent. Entity needs to use interview method to select particular candidate. When person is
recruited by the team then human resource manager have to conduct interview with them and
then their skills test must be done (Ganesh, 2018). If HR ask field related questions with them
6

and their experience then it would be helpful in knowing more about applicant. If in interview it
is found that person is not capable to perform job well then company can reject them and can
select deserving candidate those who can support business greatly. Apart from this, British
Airways can take support of skill test system in which before recruiting the person individual has
to go through from test. On the bases of score gained in this test company decisions whether the
person is suitable for vacant post or not.
Company needs to give training to workers to manage them well. This is essential HR
strategy, by given skills training to workers company can enhance their knowledge about job role
and can raise their performance in business to great extent.
Key recommendation
Poor staff retention is the major issue faced by British Airways. This is the most common
human resource challenge faced by aviation firms. Due to heavy workload people feels
overburden and they leave their job soon. In order to resolve that issue company should motivate
its workers. It should make effective HR policies related to salaries, incentives, bonuses and
other accommodation facilities. If person is working well and putting hard efforts then if BA
gives them attractive incentives that can meet their monetary needs. Then kit would be better for
business unit to gain trust of employees. In such condition people will like to work in the firma
and they will support management in critical situation as well. British Airways is working in the
aviation industry and in some season workload of this industry gets increased hence workers
have to work for longer duration. Hence there is need to give them motivation so that they feel
happy. Giving rewards and recognition to them will be beneficial for BA in retaining staff and
making them positive towards the brand (Ganesh, 2018).
Poor recruitment is the major issue faced by BA, it is unable to evaluate skills of person
properly due to which hired candidate fail to perform their job well in business unit. This is such
a critical issue that sometimes affect profitability of BA to great extent. If staff is unable to do
well then it will increase customer dissatisfaction and consumers will move to other airline
company. In order to resolve that issue BA should review its recruitment and selection policies.
First it has to review resume of person properly and have to conduct skill test. This would help in
knowing more about capabilities of individual. After evaluating their skill applicant must be
involved with interview process (Gill-McLure and Firth, 2016). That will be better in knowing
the person personally and knowing their intention to work in business. Once interview round is
7

cleared then BA must select the final candidate. This is the best process through which British
Airways can hire best candidate who can create value to business and can serve its consumers
well.
Poor employee relationship is the issue faced by BA. Employee relationship plays
significant role in the success of company. If workers have good bonding then it would be better
in generating positive results and minimising conflicts at workplace. In order to resolve that issue
there is need to improve relationship that is possible by conducting informal meetings with staff.
BA should involve its workforce in decision making process and have to discuss each small
subject with them (Perera And et.al., 2017). This will be better in knowing more about them and
making them understand about company’s goal. This will raise transparency and employees will
help each other. This will be better in developing healthy bonding with them and will create light
atmosphere at workplace. People will work together as a team hence employees and work will be
managed effectively.
Poor management of diverse workforce is another challenge for British Airways. This is
very important for human resource manager that to treat all its workers equally., They have to
take care of their culture. Many times culture difference creates trouble in business unit. In order
to manage diversity at workplace human resource manager of BA should hire different culture
people and have to develop bonding with them (Kumar and Aithal, 2019). It should give training
to all workers about use of signs if they are unable to understand language of cross culture
person. They have to develop bonding by conducting continuous meeting with them. This is
better in managing these people well and getting innovative ideas from them. This will boost
sales and BA will be able to manage its diverse workforce in effective manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that people management is essential part of
organisation. Companies needs to manage diverse workforce properly so that it can retain talent
and can generate profit. This is possible if company has great leadership and have great HR
strategies. Training, motivation, great recruitment are able to manage people in business well.
Poor motivation creates negative culture that many times enhances conflicts at workplace.
British airways needs to work to manage its workers well so that it can resolve the issue of poor
retention of staff and poor management of diverse workers. Employees are assets of company,
effective management of these assets aid in raising productivity of company and also aid in
8

sustaining in market for longer duration. But if there is issue in managing people well then
enterprise faces troubles that affects its market reputation as well.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Al-Hawary, S.I.S. and Aldaihani, F.M., 2016. Customer relationship management and innovation
capabilities of Kuwait Airways. International Journal of Academic Research in Economics
and Management Sciences, 5(4), pp.201-226.
Analoui, F., 2017. The changing patterns of human resource management. Routledge.
Banfield, P., Kay, R. and Royles, D., 2018. Introduction to human resource management. Oxford
University Press.
Das, R. and Kodwani, A.D., 2018. Strategic human resource management: a power based
critique. Benchmarking: An International Journal.
Eaton, J., 2017. Globalization and human resource management in the airline industry.
Routledge.
Ganesh, A., 2018. Competencies of HR Manager in Managing the Employee Welfare and
Development in Construction Chemical Industry. Training & Development Journal. 9(1).
pp.10-17.
Gill-McLure, W. and Firth, J., 2016. Managing people at work: the travel industry. Operations
Management in the Travel Industry. pp.103.
Harvey, G. and Turnbull, P., 2016. Human resource management and industrial relations. Air
Transport Management: An International Perspective, p.307.
Kumar, P.M. and Aithal, P.S., 2019, October. Importance of Time as Resource in Managing
Organizations. In Proceedings of National Conference on Recent Advances in
Technological Innovations in IT, Management, Education & Social Sciences ISBN (No.
978-81. pp. 941751-6).
Perera, B. And et.al., 2017. Managing challenging behavior in people with intellectual
disabilities in communities and reducing hospital stays: Current and future challenges from
an European perspective. European Psychiatry. 41. pp.S598-S599.
Online
9

What is people management. 2020. [Online]. Available through
https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/2235/what-is-people-management
10

11

12