Human Resource Management in British Airways: A Case Study

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report analyzes HRM in British Airways and Transport for London.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT FOR SERVICE
INDUSTRIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................2
1.1Analyses the role and purpose of human resource management in British Airways.............2
1.2 Justify a human resources plan based on an analysis of supply and demand for service
industry........................................................................................................................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Assess the current state of employment relations for the Airline industry............................7
2.2 Discuss how employment law affects the management of human resources within British
airways.........................................................................................................................................9
LO3................................................................................................................................................11
3.1Discuss a job description and person specification for a selected service industry job........11
3.2 Compare the selection process of different service industries businesses...........................13
LO4................................................................................................................................................15
4.1 Assess the contribution of training and development activities to the effective operation of
Transport for London.................................................................................................................15
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................18

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Functions of HRM............................................................................................................3

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Job description.................................................................................................................11
Table 2: Person specification.........................................................................................................12

Introduction
Human resource management is the essential aspect in the service industry for ensuring effective
customer service and growth of the business. HRM department is responsible for performing
different functions for fulfilling human resources requirements of the service industry and
effective management of the employees and their issues. The current report will discuss about
the importance of HRM in the British Airways that is a largest airline industry in the United
Kingdom. British Airways has recently been successful in gaining agreement for flights to
Madeira from Heathrow so HRM needs to analyze the demand and supply of human resources to
meet HR needs of the organization. Report will highlight the impact of employment legislations
on the HRM and will compare the selection process that different service industries can use to
hire skilled employees. Report will also discuss the role and importance of training and
development for enhancing efficiency and performance of employees.
1

LO1
1.1Analyses the role and purpose of human resource management in British Airways
Role of HRM in British Airways
Human resource management in the British Airways performs different roles and responsibilities
for ensuring smooth functioning and operation of various aviation activities. aviation industry
can enhance customer services and business growth by effectively managing various aspects and
issues related to the human resources. Following are given below some roles and responsibilities
of the HRM in the British:
Identify and fulfil manpower requirements: HRM department in the British airways is
responsible for identifying and fulfil human resource requirement for performing various
activities in the airline. British Airways has recently been successful in gaining agreement for
flights to Madeira from Heathrow so it will require more skilled people to work in the
organization (Storey, 2014). Here is the duty of HRM department to supply skilled manpower to
meet organization needs.
Promote team work: It is the role HRM to promote and coordinate team work for providing fast
and efficient services to passengers in the flights. HRM department needs to guide employees to
perform work in group by coordinating with each other so that passenger’s needs could be
fulfilled on time.
Handle various issues: HRM is responsible for resolving various aspects and issues related to
the employees such as salary, training, promotion and others issues related to the work. In the
flights, employees might face various issues related to their work and health problems (Eaton,
2017). Therefore, it is the responsibility of HRM to resolve work related issues and health
problems by providing necessary training, safety and security and medical treatment facility.
Purpose and functions of HRM
2

Figure 1: Functions of HRM
(Source: http://ifeel.edu.in, 2019)
Prepare HR strategies: HRM department in the British Airways prepares various strategies to
enhance efficiency and performance level of employees so that they could provide best services
to customers or passengers. HRM department will need to prepare strategies for training, rewards
and promotion of employees for ensuring their professional growth and development (Briscoe
et.al, 2012).
Recruitment and selection: British Airways has recently been successful in gaining agreement
for flights to Madeira from Heathrow so HRM needs to recruit skilled manpower to meet the
organization needs. HRM department needs to conduct recruitment and selection activities for
providing skilled employees to the organization on-time.
Training and development: After recruiting skilled people, HRM department needs to provide
necessary skill and work-based training to employees so that they will perform well and provide
fast and efficient services to customers in the flights (Bratton and Gold, 2017).
Performance management: HRM team also needs to manage and control performance of
employees for identifying any deficiency in their performance. If any gap found in the
3

performance of employees then HRM department needs to eliminate the gap by providing
training and motivation to employees.
Rewarding: Employees efficiency and performance level could be enhanced by providing them
rewards on delivering best customer services to passengers and accomplishing assigned work
within given time. HRM department can offers rewards to employees in monetary as well as
non-monetary form that will enhance their efficiency and performance (Buller and McEvoy,
2012).
4

1.2 Justify a human resources plan based on an analysis of supply and demand for service
industry
Human resource planning: British Airways has recently gained agreement for flights to
Madeira from Heathrow so HRM needs to make effective HR plan for supplying required
employees to serve passengers in the flights. Work to employees needs to be effectively
distributed as per their skills and abilities so that they will perform well and hence will enhance
customer service (Baron, 2016). Optimum utilization of human resources will be very helpful for
the organization to ensure sustainable growth of the business.
Analysis of demand and supply: HRM department needs to identify human resource requirement
to perform various activities and serve passengers in the flights from Heathrow to Madeira.
HRM department needs to effectively analyze demand of human resources and then needs to
supply skilled employees to meet needs and perform various activities in the airline.
Analysis of operational efficiency: operational efficiency can be analyzed by identifying
capabilities of employees to deliver quality services to passengers in efficient and effective
manners. HRM needs to enhance operational efficiency of employees by providing them
necessary training and motivation.
Evaluation of work environment: Effective strategic plan needs to be preparing by the HRM for
creating healthy work environment at the workplace. In the current scenario of the British
airways, the flight duration is four hours and there will be six flights from Heathrow and six
returning from Madeira per week (Baum, 2016). HRM needs to analyze that how employees will
work effectively in the work environment in the given working hours that will enhance their
satisfaction and efficiency.
Retention policy: It is essential for the HRM to make effective retention policy and strategy so
that employees will be retained in the organization for long duration. Effective retention policy
will ensure that all the procedures and benefits related to the policy are carried out in transparent
fair and equitable manners that will attract and retain employees in the organization for long
duration.
5

Strategic plan to control labour turnover: HRM in the British Airways needs to make effective
strategic HR plan for controlling and reducing the labour turnover. British Airways is starting
flights from Heathrow to Madeira so its HRM needs to plan effective strategy to control
employee turnover by providing necessary training and motivation to employees (Purce, 2014).
Forecasting demand and supply: HRM needs to forecast numbers of employees are required to
provide effective flight services in the Madeira. Effective planning will help in analyzing
demand of human resources that are require for meeting demand and then needs to supply
sufficient numbers of employees from the existing employees in the organization or hiring new
employees.
Resourcing: HRM needs to make planning for hiring skilled candidates for fulfilling needs and
providing effective flight services in the Madeira. HRM in British airways needs to invite skilled
candidates for different posts in the organization and then needs to select eligible candidates by
conducting interviews and tests (Analoui, 2017).
6

LO2
2.1 Assess the current state of employment relations for the Airline industry
Employment relations can be defined as the interrelationships between the employers and
employees and trade unions. Employees are valuable asset for the airline industry as they
contribute their efforts and time for providing fast and efficient services to passengers in the
flights. Employment relationships can be improved by creating healthy work environment at the
workplace and providing various benefits to employees that will build their strong trust and faith
towards the organization (Bamber et.al, 2013). Employee relationship management can be
ensured by making employment contract, designing rules and routine work and avoiding
employee discrimination at the workplace.
Roles and responsibilities among employees can be distributed as per employment contract made
between the employer and employees. HRM in the British airways needs to make effective
strategies for providing attractive salary, training, rewards, professional growth and other
benefits that will make employees happy and hence will enhance customer service and
productivity of the business. HRM needs to create healthy work environment in the organization
by providing equality to employees on the basis of gender, race, salary, training, growth
opportunities and other benefits. HRM needs to encourage employee participation in the
decision-making for providing their valuable suggestions to enhance customer service (Harvey
et.al, 2013). Maximum employee participation will allow them to express their views, opinions
and other problems related to the work and working environment in the organization.
HRM is responsible for making an employment contract and involve terms and conditions in
efficient manners that are accepted by employees and hence satisfy their expectations. HRM
needs to provide equal opportunities to employees to participate in the training sessions and
receive equal growth opportunities. Also effective communication between employees, their
supervisor and employer will build strong relationship between them and hence will enhance
productivity and growth of the airline industry (Eaton, 2017).
There are various laws and employment legislation to protect interest and rights of employees at
the workplace in the airline industry. Employment legislation includes:
7

 Equality Act 2010
 Sex Discrimination Act 1975
 Race Relations Act, 1976
 Data Protection Act
 Employment Rights Act 1996
 Employment Act 2002
 The Flexible Working Regulations 2014
 Trade Union and Labour Relations Act, 1992
Therefore, all these legislation and laws help employees to protect their rights and interest and to
get security to job, personal data and health. These laws enable employees to do work in flexible
hours and enjoy equality benefits on the basis of gender, remuneration, training and growth
opportunities and others benefits.
8