British Airways: HRM Practices, Employee Relations, and Legal Impact

This report provides a detailed analysis of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the service industry, focusing on British Airways as a case study. It explores the roles and purposes of HR, the impact of employee relations and employment law, and compares recruitment and selection processes with another company. The report also delves into job descriptions, personal specifications, and training and development initiatives within service industries, specifically highlighting how British Airways utilizes HRM to achieve its goals of providing exceptional customer experience and maintaining a competitive edge in the global airline market. The report further examines the importance of human resource planning, including identifying company goals, assessing existing manpower, predicting demand and supply, ascertaining personnel gaps, and implementing strategic action plans. It also discusses hard and soft HRM approaches and their relevance in the service industry.

Human Resource
Management for
Service Industry

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1...........................................................................................................................................3
1.2...........................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1. .........................................................................................................................................6
2.2. .........................................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1. .........................................................................................................................................8
3.2. .........................................................................................................................................9
TASK 4 .........................................................................................................................................11
4.1 ........................................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................13
REFERNCES ................................................................................................................................14
.......................................................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
It is one of the essential function of an organisation which enable personnel to bring
expeditiously and efficaciously towards overall accomplishment of company's goals and
objective. Along with this, it is planned formulation to negociate people and work culture in
order to acquire sustainable profitability within competitive industry. However, this business
function plays a vital role in service industry as it help them to provide high level of satisfaction
by identifying or analysing current and emerging trend of marketplace that add value to customer
as well as enhance firm brand image (Ballantyne and Povah, 2017). Along with this, it assist
them to determine each personnel skill or ability and provide them enough platforms which help
them to grow or enlarge their hidden talents for gaining the targeted goals and objectives of the
service industry. This report is based on British Airways, second largest airline in UK which is
begin in the year of 1974 and its parent company is International Airlines Group(IAG). This
report includes role and purpose of human resource in service industry, effect of employee
relation an law on service industries. Moreover, comparison of two company's recruitment and
selection process, development of job description and personal specification as well as training
and development in service industries.
TASK 1
1.1.
It is considered as those invaluable assets of a company which enable them to examine
various challenges or threat and encourage them to adapt novel ideas in order to survive in a
competitive globalised economy. In regard of service industry, customer satisfaction is the core
function with an optimum utilisation of available resources that lead them to attain increased
level of profitability and productivity ratio. However, British Airway a part of International
Airline Group, is one of the world's leading global premium airline and the largest multinational
carrier in UK. Along with this, its carrier offer 1,23,000 customers that fly with it everyday,
quality, choice and convenience and its flies to more than 200 destination in 75 countries across
the globe. However, it's overall goal is classified into three areas i.e. global, premium and airline
and centring on providing best experience to customer in order to become world's leading
international superior airline. The section of HR is also famed as administration which is
affiliated to employee activities as well as it contains unique set of roles and purpose which help

them to accomplish its business objective in an innovative and creative style. Hence, some of the
main role of British Airway's HR department are as follows:
Facilitator: It is concerning with determining personnel skill or potentiality in order to
provide them enormous opportunity which lead them to explore their hidden talents and abilities
in a better way (Bani-Ahmed and Al-Sharairi, 2014). In context of British Airway, its HR
function takes an initiative to examine manpower potentiality and provide them proper training
and guidance to develop their ability. By this, each employees feel motivated to put their full
effort towards an accomplishment of British Airway objective in a productive manner.
Consultant: Under this, it act as a bridge between management and workforce to
resolving business complex situation and generate a healthy working environment. Hence,
British Airway's human resource function identify exact issue or problem and provide the
freedom to grieved parties to share their views and based on that they make corrective course of
action without harming its manpower morale. With the help of this role, British Airway can
easily gain a competitive advantage and render high level of employee satisfaction that improve
it's brand image among competitors.
There are few purpose of British Airway's HR department are given below:
 One of the peak intent of human resource function is to identify individuals interest or
potentiality and based on that they delegate the work within employees which brings
positivity and motivation in manpower towards firm objective. Along with this, they put
their full contribution towards an accomplishment of British Airway vision which
improve an overall performance of company and can easily attain sustainable
proficiency.
 The another purpose of airline industry is to render maximise company's productivity by
make use of available resources which help them to build a better relationship with
employees as well as help them to attain high level of customer satisfaction. Along with
this, British Airway analyse the market trend and acquire advancement in technology
and provide them proper training in order to gain competitive advantage.
However, manpower management has a crucial role within the premises of airline sector
i.e. British Airway as it help them to develop both manpower and organisation potentiality in
acquiring increased level of sales growth and profit margin.
Hard and Soft HRM

Hard HRM signifies staff manpower governance system in which employees are seen as
a resource that needs to be possessed to accomplish highest profit and a competitive advantage.
Along with this, its main focus is on task that of necessity to be done, cost control and achieving
firm goal. ON the other hand, soft HRM is relates with people friendly management and it is
fully based on emotion which aid manager to make corrective course of action without harming
employees morale. In a service industry, these HRM approaches has an integral role as their key
centring is to provide high level of customer satisfaction for which hard and soft human resource
enable them to treat everyone equally in order to gain competitive edge and generate healthy
working culture within organisation (Eggert, Hogreve, Ulaga and Muenkhoff, 2014).
1.2.
The primary function of HR function is to carry off many needs of institution employees
for increasing the ratio of an administration. However, human resource planning is also termed
as manpower preparation as it is a process of evaluating as to how an arrangement should move
from circulating HR position to its desired orientation. Along with this, efficient management of
personnel becomes an important function in an industrialization world of today that lead them to
increase its productivity by placing right candidate in correct position. Besides ensuring proper
working condition for employees, human resource planning also estimate demand and supply of
manpower so that they can make best strategic decision and can easily strengthen the company's
productivity and profit margin ratio. Furthermore, the chief intention of such planning within
British Airway is to the right way recognise the need of human resource management on its
existing and forthcoming scenario. HRP is an affiliation which tends to bind management with
overall organisation. Being a human resource manager of British Airway , they follows certain
steps to enhance human resource planning that is described below:
 Identifying company goal: It is an initial stage where British Airway HR department
analyse an objective of company as it examine several fields of an organisation such
as production, marketing, finance, expansion and sales which give overview about
work that is to carry out to accomplish goal (Emir, 2014).
 Accessibility of existing manpower: Under this, HR officer of British Airway takes
an initiative to determine employees capacity and potentiality by conducting
internal and external source of recruitment. By this, they can hire suitable Canadian
to fill vacant job profile in a productive manner.

 Prediction of demand and supply: Once after assessing personnel from various
sources, British Airway HR Officer evaluate the requirements of workforce in order
to carry out their vision in a creative manner. However, the outcome which is
gained from identifying the necessity of employees, it came to know that it has in
need of 180 workforce and their working hours will be for 8 hours fro delivering
flight service to Madeira. Along with this, the main focus of this new service is to
expand its new flight service sales growth and also decrease manpower workload
so that can accomplish their task within prescribed time limit (Guest, 2017).
 Ascertaining personnel gap: Under this, British Airway compare manpower
demand and supply which help them, to determine surplus or deficit of human
resource. However, British Airway is regard as one of the busiest airport where
huge number of crowd arriving per day and it create a huge stress over existing
strength of company i.e. 45,000. Hence, based on insufficiency British Airway
takes a corrective course of action to maintain its sustainable profitability (4 Steps
to Strategic Human Resources Planning, 2017).
 Implement human resource action plan: At last, HR of British Airway develops a
strategic decision and according to that they can recruit required number of
workforce as well as provide them proper training in order to enhance the
performance of its new flight service to Madeira. Moreover, it helps them to render
increased level of customer satisfaction which add value to its brand image.
TASK 2
2.1.
Hospitality business is one of the most prospering industries, as it take front seats since
ages, due to its high demand in this sector of travel and tourism industry, the hospitality industry
is thriving a lot. Therefore, employment relation plays a critical role in human resource
management of British Airway as it indicate the relation between employer and employee who
come unitedly to fulfil organizational goal in an efficacious and prompt manner. In airline
industry of UK, the circulating state of employment relations is satisfactory as British Airways
maintain a healthy relations between management and manpower in respect of unionization like

personnel involvement, culture, structure, workforce participation and resolving conflict etc. is
essential. Thus, the current state of employment relation in airline industry are explained below:
 Collective bargaining: In airline sector, it is regarded as the procedure where trade
union being a representative of all age group of employees to deal as most of the time
bargaining held between workers and management team. However, trade union has
integral role in which manager symbolize themselves in front of an organisation and
represent the issues of employee and put their request respect of wages, working hours
and other resentment. Along with this, airline industry's trade union negotiate with their
manager on behalf of manpower to improve their morale and render them high level of
satisfaction. Along with this, company apply suitable strategic decision for introducing
trade union agreement which ensure them a great employment relation (Hillman,
2016).
 Personnel participation: This factor is none of the essential tool as it modify the
establishment to inspire employees to contribute their best endeavour toward the
acquirement of increased level of sales growth and profit margin. In airline industry,
it's core function is to provide better working condition within business premises that
help them to retain manpower for longer period of time that help them to add value
for airline sector brand image. Thus, employee participation is an constituent element
in airline industry which is aid them to cut down ambivalency or dispute and enable
them to control over labour turnover rate (Turker and Altuntas, 2014). Therefore, HR
officer of airline company facilitate proper training and development programmes,
render fair incentives, promotion and job satisfaction in order to gain the more
participation of personnel for acquiring its high level of productivity and profitability
ratio.
2.2.
It is the collection of laws and rules that regulate relationship between employer and
employees. However, employment law refer as an employer hire personnel and delegate them
their suitable roles and responsibilities which motivate them to put their full contribution for an
achievement of British Airway objective and vision. Moreover, these legislation enable British
Airway to govern or supervise their entire operation and function as well as allow them to
implement a best decisions in order to explore airline industry productivity and profit margin.

Hence, there are few laws and regulation which British Airway applies into their inter
department function are as follows:
Employment Relation Act, 1999: In this, it enable company to maintain a better or healthy
relationship with its employees as they monitor or supervise each and every function of firm for
developing a best employment relation. Apart from this, it encourage trade union to provide best
solution to grieved parties for strengthening or boosting workforce morale that help British
Airway to improve their overall performance in a better manner.
Equal Opportunities Act, 2010: This legislation help British Airway to reduce or get rid
of discrimination or inequality among manpower so that they can feel positive towards
company's goals or aim. Along with this, it inspire them to provide equal platforms for every
manpower which help British Airway employees to put their best performance for an attainment
of increased level of proficiency and productivity rate (Inkinen, 2016).
TASK 3
3.1.
For accomplishing increased level of proficiency, every organisation require a high
skilled and talented personnel who can put their best performance towards an attainment of profit
maximisation in an impressive and productive style. However, firm takes an initiative to provide
relevant and appropriate information to large number of audience so that they can attract
enormous manpower towards their business operation and function. Moreover, Job description is
referred as employment reasoning which concisely describe as aggregation of several activity
that helps in determination of all act related to job as well as an attributes which are requisite by
manpower in order to execute their task efficaciously and expeditiously. Whereas, person
specification signifies the individual attitudes, behaviour and reaction towards firm vision and
mission. Therefore, British Airway examine its recruitment and selection process to make sure
that whether applicants are meeting legal requirements and industry standard are described
below:
Salary, bonus and benefit: British Airway require those manpower who are highly
dedicated and committed for an achievement of company's objective or vision in an innovative
and creative manner. However, British Airway accomplished their requirement as its existing
workforce are made their mindset to stay away from their location and each of them realised the

current situation of British Airway. Due to this, firm are enable to accomplish their task in an
appropriate way which help them to improve their overall performance in an impressive and
productive manner.
Application of Criminal Record Check (CRC): It is a procedure of verifying criminal
record about employees from court in order to reduce an intervention of government within their
business operation and function. Along with this, it involves criminal conviction, court orders,
charges, warrants etc. that assist British Airway to build a impressive working culture which add
value to company's brand image. However, every personnel of British Airway are aware about
the procedures and policies of company which encouraged them to complete their CRC
verification and they cleared all the judicial matters that help them to gain competitive advantage
(Irfan and et.al., 2018).
Safety and security of customers: In this measures, each and every workforce ensures to
provide best and safe travelling to customer that helps them to generate positive attitude among
people as well as expand its volume of sales and profit margin. However, as the individual
knows that in British Airway safety is their basic precedence and for that they are highly devoted
in order to render them unafraid and pleasant travelling. Therefore, maintaining safety and
security of customers and people help them to gain increased level of satisfaction level as well
as they can strengthen the whole execution of establishment in an efficacious and prompt mode.
3.2.
It is a process which is relate with picking accurate candidate with responsibility
qualification and capacity to fill jobs in an organisation. Although, this procedure is quite lengthy
and complex yet is plays as a crucial role within company which help them to improve its overall
productivity and proficiency rate. However, selection procedure vary from industry to company
and even from department to department where firm designs its assortment process, keeping in
mind the urgency of hiring people for filling job position. Comparison of selection process of
British Airway and Transport London are as follows:
Particulars British Airway
(Function : Cabin Crew)
Transport of London
(Role : Customer Service)

Application Form In British Airway, individual
submit their application form
along with their Curriculum
Vitiate on firm's official
website i.e. British Airway
careers (Kim and et.al., ,
2015).
In this, Candidate are require
to propose their application
form and their resume and
upload it on organization
official website or through
with recruitment agency.
Assessment Test Once after presenting the
resume and application form,
job seeker has to undergoes
with the psychological test
that is totally in questionnaire
format.
In Transport of London, they
demeanour situational
judgement test which examine
individual ability and
potentiality in managing
business difficult situation.
Assessment Day In British Airway, this day is
regarded as an essential event
because recruitment division
screen wide range of audience
at once and they conduct
physical test in which they
evaluate manpower physical
capability along with safety
tools (helmet, uniform etc.)
Based on their performance
company shortlist them for
final round of interview
(Kornelakis, Veliziotis and
Voskeritsian, 2017).
In Transport of London, on
assessment day they carry out
several activities to test
personnel potentiality. Some of
its actions are group exercise,
written test, presentation to
evaluate their capability in
dealing with customer. Thus,
on the basis of candidate show
company's recruitment
division shortlist them for next
level of interview.
Interview It is the final stage of British
Airway selection process.
Under this, shortlisted
In Transport of London, HR
officer takes interview through
several mode of technologies

applicants have to attempt
face to face interview in
which they face competence
and behavioural based
questions. As per the
performance, company select
best and skilled workforce for
their firm in order to attain
higher level of profitability in
an innovative way (Shahriar,
Banik and Habib, 2014).
i.e. video, telephonic or face to
face interview. During this
procedure, HR manger mainly
centre over competency based
questioning that assist
interviewer to examine
accurate potentiality of
specific job seeker to
accomplish organisational goal
in a productive way within
prescribed time limit.
TASK 4
4.1
Service industry are the one that provides intangible product and services to the
customers. They normally include services like transportation, food services and banking etc.
The main purpose of service industry is to provide services for the betterment of the society. This
report studies about the British airways which provide flight services to their clients.
Various types of Training
There are basically two type of training provided by the employers to the employees on
the job namely On the job training and off the job training. However, employees are provided
training at the workplace itself and is considered as flexible and cost effective approach is
referred as on the job training. Where as other hand, in off the job training, employees are trained
for the job roles away from the actual floor (Martinsuo and Killen, 2014). They are provided
with the help of lectures,case study etc. Such type of training are used when the expensive
machinery included in a project by the company.
Difference between training and development
Training and development is a necessary part of human resource management. Both
components are essential in order to increase the productivity and profitability of an organisation.
Training is a process used by an organisation in order to increase the skills and knowledge of the

employees. Mostly training are provided to the new employees so as to make them familiar with
the work of the organisation. Development is the process used by an organisation for steadying
the growth of the employee. It results in overall growth of the employees. Here they develop the
skill of understanding the operations of the company. The aim of providing the development is
that it develops the employees for facing the future challenges in an organisation which results in
achieving the individual goal and also for the overall organisation (Rubery and Hebson, 2018).
British airways was constituted in the year 1974 by British government. It is the second
largest airline in the United Kingdom. They are serving large number of client throughout the
world. The company is operative their business activities both in national as well as international
context. The British airways has faced competition with easy jet as they are able to carry large
number of employees as compared to British Airways. That's why it become very important for
the company to provide training and development programmes to their employees. British
Airways faced a decline in their share as they are not able to satisfy the needs and requirement of
the customers (Paillé, Chen, Boiral and Jin, 2014). By proper training and development
programmes British Airways are able to satisfy the needs of their customers which results in
increasing share price of the company. The British airways is a service provider and for this
training and development is very necessary as with the good support of employees only company
is able to achieve success.
Benefits and Effectiveness of training
Training plays a important role in an organisation and is useful to both employers as well
as employees. There are so many benefits of providing training to the employees and some of
them are discussed below:
 Providing training to the employees increases the job satisfaction and also increase the
morale among the employees.
 By efficient training programmes employees receives proper knowledge about the
working culture which led to reduce the supervision of the employers.
 By training in British Airways, employees are able to handle the customer needs and
requirement easily which results in enhancing the image of the company.
Need of training
British Airways employ large number of people throughout the world. Individual joins
the company at core level without having much knowledge about how to perform. In that case

training helps a lot to make the employees clear about their job responsibilities. In British
Airways many costly machines are used so the employers provide off the job training to their
employees so that they able to know about how to handle the machinery as well as customers.
Moreover with proper training programmes employees are able to strengthen the skills and
contributes to the success of an organisation (Roblek, Meško and Krapež, 2016).
Summary of firm working culture and career of British Airway's manpower
Culture of an organisation
An organisation is consist of diverse culture which make more impressive and productive
to expand their business function globally. In regard of British Airway, it contain unique set of
working culture as it mainly focus over providing better working condition as well as provide the
equal opportunities. With the help of this, employees feel motivated to put their full contribution
for an achievement of organisational goal or objective within prescribed time limit. Along with
this, British Airway spend its huge amount over training and development program to retain
existing manpower and attract wide range of personnel towards firm. By this, British Airway can
enhance its sales growth and profitability in an impressive and productive manner.
CONCLUSION
It has been ended from the above stated report that human resource management has
crucial role in an organisation as it concerned with managing manpower in such a way that
optimal or rather maximum utilisation of profit. Along with this, they have their own roles and
responsibilities which help them to hire suitable candidates fro their business and provide them
proper training in order to gain competitive advantage. Moreover, employment legislation and
relation enable enterprise to build a better relationship with personnel and encouraging them to
participate in firm activities which assist firm to obtain high level of satisfaction and motivation.

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