HRM in Aviation: A Report on British Airways' Strategies and Practices

This report delves into the crucial role of Human Resource Management (HRM) within the service industry, specifically focusing on British Airways. It explores the importance of HRM in aviation, analyzing the impact of effective HR practices on customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. The report presents a detailed HR plan, outlining staff roles, responsibilities, and working hours, while also examining the significance of employee relations and the impact of employment laws. Furthermore, it includes job descriptions and person specifications for an operations manager, comparing selection processes, and evaluating the role of training and development within the organization. The analysis covers compliance with labor laws, recruitment and training strategies, payroll management, and the maintenance of employee relationships, highlighting the importance of these factors for organizational success in the competitive aviation market. The report also addresses the impact of employee strikes and the need for effective employee relationship management to maintain a positive brand image and customer base. Finally, it examines the influence of anti-discrimination laws, workplace safety regulations, and sexual harassment policies on the aviation functions of British Airways.

Human Resource Management
for Service Industries

Contents

INTRODUCTION
Human resource has very important crucial part in the executing activities within the
organization. The proper placing of HRM facilities and action plans to have a good and
significant growth in much effective way (Georgiadis and Pitelis, 2016). An effective placing of
human resource measures within a service sector is the very important as this sector directly
interacts with their customers and thus requires the proper and appropriate placing of the
business operations and meeting customers needs and demands in much effective manner. For
the present report, British Airways is been selected. It is a UK based aviation service provider.
The report will cover the importance of HRM in selected service sector. A HR plan is
been presented with the staff role and responsibilities with the details of their job roles and work
hours. Different employment laws and the current state of a customer relation in airline industry
is been evaluated. The job description and person specification of Operations manager is been
presented. And a comparison with effective placing of the selection process within the service
sector. Other than this, the share of development and training measure within an organization.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
1.1
The Human resource management department plays a very deep and significantly impact
on the overall operations that are been carried out within the overall activity of the business
operations and hence support the proper management of services and functions chosen by the
firm. In the Aviation industry, as customer's service and satisfaction is the most prior thing to be
taken in consideration. Hence, the proper management of the human resources and placing of
business operations is chosen by organization (Harvey and et.al., 2017). In an Airline services
provider firm like British Airways, proper placing of the staff is very important as it assists in
executing business operations and activities. The staff like Ground service, flight attendants,
Pilots and other support staff will look after the proper placing of the aviation related services
that will help the organization to enhance the overall operations. Some major roles and
responsibilities of human resource management in the Airline service sector like British Airways
are as follows:
Roles and responsibilities of HR department in British Airways:
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 Complying the labor law: The HRM department of British Airways will see through the
proper management of the employee rights and labor laws that will impact the significant
growth and development of the business operations (Shire, Holtgrewe and Kerst, 2017).
These labor laws will help the selected aviation company, British Airways. The Ground
Staff, Pilots and other supportive workers are required to be managed by the HR
department. The proper following of these laws improves the quality of business
operations and activities related to the aviation industry, assists the organization avoid
any sort of conflict.
 Recruiting and training the staff: The HR department of the organization will see
through the recruiting and training processes and activities that will support the proper
management of the business operations and action plans in much effective and significant
placing of skilled and qualified labor. This will help the British Airways to identify and
cater the needs and demands of their customers in much effective and significant manner.
Besides this, it will help in improving efficiency of the overall work force of the selected
business enterprise. Besides this, providing of training measures will help the firm to
have a skilled and efficient work force (Harvey and et.al., 2017).
 Maintaining Payrolls and other benefits: The HRM department of British Airways will
look after the proper management of the payroll system that will support execution of
business operations and activities. The effective management of the payroll system within
the British Airlines will support operations in much effective and proper gaining of their
trust towards the firm. Besides this, the HRM department of the selected Aviation firm
will see through the proper monitoring of the performance of the work force for the
effective promotions and appraisal factors.
 Maintaining the employee relationship: Maintenance of the Employee relationship is
very important for the organization and that will help the organization to enhance their
performance. Especially in Airlines firm like British Airways, the proper coordination is
must for carrying out their business activities. Thus, the firm will see through
management of action plan that will support the effective execution of Aviation
operations and activities.
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1.2 HR plan with the analysis of supply chain of the firm and giving proper justification of staff
roles and working hours
An effective HR plan is developed for the proper placing of business operations and
hence support effective placing of HRM policies in much suitable manner (Selden and Sowa,
2015). This will help the organization to effectively meet the supply chain in order to effectively
place the staff for meeting customers needs.
HR Plan for the British Airways to carryout the aviation operations in an effective way.
In Seasonality
4 turns of the flights every week from Madeira to Heathrow and back.
Time Duration: 4 Hours
Operations manager required:
Pilots: 2 Pilots with 2 Co Pilots in the Cabin
Flight Attendants: Flight attendants can be arranged in much suitable and effective way as per
the needs of the customers. Size of the carrier and services provided. In general, 15 members of
crew can be enough. For smaller flight, staff can be narrowed down.
Ground Staff: 3-4 persons available around the clock in case of requirements and emergency to
cater any need of customer or Operations manager.
Other supporting Staff: this can be termed as the line man or administrative crew which can be
allotted duties as per requirements.
Off season
3 flights of to Heathrow from Maderia and back.
Pilots: 2 Pilots with 2 Co Pilots
Flight Attendants: 4- 8, depending upon the size of carrier
Ground Staff: 2 persons for the task
Other supporting Staff: 2 persons for the task
Work hour: On an average 7 hours.
This measures assists in the proper handling of supply chain within firm which will
support a good quality services and management of HR.
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TASK 2
2.1
At present, as the globalization have improved to a greater extent, there have been many
firms and organization who is looking after the plan that supports effective placing of Aviation
operations (Aryee and et.al., 2016). As competition has increased relatively higher in recent year,
the relationship between the employees on the interpersonal as well as the organizational level is
very important in the firm. Employee relationship is a state that involves the proper placing of
the mutual communication and understanding that will help in the proper placing of the business
activities, meeting customers demands in much suitable and effective manner (Timming, 2015).
A good Employee’s relationship within the firm supports business enterprise to carry out
aviation and other operations related to the placing of the business operations within the
organization in much suitable manner. British Airways is one of the major market leader in the
aviation leader in Europe and thus, in order to maintain their brand image and customer base,
they are required to have effective placing of aviation operations and activities in much suitable
way. The recent strikes and employee's turnaround will impact the organization in much
suitable and significant manner. This has created a negative image of the organization in
the aviation market. This will make the other stake holders of the firm to be reluctant in
supporting or investing within the firm. The trade unions that are associated within British
Airways will support organization to look after these aviation functions.
The selected firm is required to have a good employee relationship management which
assist in improving quality of business operations and increase quality of products and services
within the Aviation industry. This is required to be maintained and thus assists meeting of their
customer requirements and have a good satisfaction level (Ramadevi and et.al., 2016). It assists
the fir to improve quality of business operations that will support effective handling of Aviation
operations. A good employee relationship will involve following benefits supporting aviation
operations:
 Increases transparency: A good employee relationship management helps the firm to
the improvement of the aviation operations. The clear communication and transferring of
information that assist organization to carry out improvement in product and service
quality.
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 Encourage group bonding and parallel working at Workplace: the proper
management of the employee relations is good for team building and thus is required to
be managed by the proper placing of the business operations and action plans that
supports the effective development of suitable skilled teams at the workplace. This
measure will help the firm to set the proper targets and work together in an organized
manner to meet the customers needs and demands (Meijerink, Bondarouk and Lepak,
2016).
It will support the effective handling of business activities and operational measures that
will help the British Airways to carry out the proper management of the customers needs and
demands in much effective way. It also supports organization in carrying out proper development
of the new goods as per the customer needs and demands in much effective and significant
manner (Kjeldsen and Hansen, 2018). Besides this, an effective employee relationship still
prevails an effective and suitable manner to comply and implement a proper employee law and
legislation. It will help the firm to develop a proper work policy that will support the effective
rise in placing of these polices for having a good customer satisfaction level.
2.2
The effective employment laws and other employee legal measures that are been looked
after which affects aviation function of organization in much effective way. The British Airways
will look after the proper management of the suitable placing of the labor and employment laws
that will support execution of the function in British Airways (Crowley and Bourke, 2017).
These improves the business quality and activities in much suitable and effective manner. The
various types of employee laws and HRM measures on the Human resource department of the
organization that improves business activities in effective way. The major impacts are as follows:
 Anti discrimination law: This is been followed within organization as it supports
suitable placing of the business operations and thus will help in placing of effective
measures which assist the proper placing of anti discriminatory measures which supports
the proper management of the business activities and lead to suitable management of
laws and legislation (Edvardsson and Teitsdóttir, 2015). Besides this, it will support the
proper management of the business activities and thus will support the effective placing
of the policies improving the HRM within the firm. At present, the firm is facing
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certain discriminatory measures and action plans that are required to look after by
organization for maintaining the anti discriminating measures of the firm.
 Safety at the Workplace Laws: This measure is been taken in the firm that will support
the effective enhancement of work conditions and thus provide a proper safety measures
at the organization, that will support a proper management of the effective measures
chosen by the firm. The HRM department of organization will look after the effective
handling of functions and activities which will support suitable management of the trade
activities in much suitable and effective manner (Ritz, Brewer and Neumann, 2016).
Developing a good work place safety measures will help the firm to enhance the
employee trust level towards the business operations and activities. According to the
case study, at present the employees within the organization are not properly safe.
Sometimes, they are required to work in the dangerous conditions. BA has to look
after the proper management of these safety measures in much effective way.
 Sexual Harassment Act: This will help the firm to meet the effective placing of the
effective management of the sexual harassment and threat issues that pertains at the
workplace. This will help the organization to monitor and keep a check on the predators
and avoid any sort of incidence related to the sexual or physical abuse. The HRM
department will to see through the suitable development of the anti harassment policies to
safeguard their staff. Currently the firm has no clear policy of maintaining sexual
harassment issues or cases, which the firm has to follow in much effective manner.
 Equality Act: this is the measure that is been taken in the consideration by HRM
department of British Airways to enhance their performance. It helps HRM department of
selected enterprise for developing suitable policies and action plans that will support the
effective avoiding of the discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color and
nationality in order to maintain equality at workplace (Nieves and Quintana, 2018). This
help in increasing the employee satisfaction level and loyalty towards the firm. This will
also set the quality standards at the work place which the employees are required to
maintain at the work place. At present, the equity policies and measures that are been
undertaken by the selected firm is required to be taken in consideration to avoid
any sort of inequality occurring at the work place.
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TASK 3
3.1 job description and personal specification for Operations manager of British Airways
The proper assessment of job description and person specification improves the quality of
services and thus will lead the HR department. It leads the organisation to improve the
effectiveness of business activities and guides them to place a job vacancy and meeting needs
and demands related to the job of operations manager at the terminal 5 of HAL, which improves
quality of services in order to have a good assessment of action plans and involves the evaluation
of different documents like CV, credentials or mark sheets, other identity proofs and certificates
of specialisation, if any. Effective following these operations leads BA to improve their quality
of services, meeting the job requirements and carrying out the assessment criteria for the job role
of Operations manager employee. The HR executives and official at British airways will look
after the proper assessment criteria which will improve the quality of job roles and
responsibilities that are taken within the firm.
Effective assessment of the job role related to Operations manager are been taken within
the firm that will help in the assessment of the business or job operations. It helps in proper
evaluation of their business operations and thus will lead the firm to plan their job description
and requirements accordingly. The HR depart will set criteria and the executive or interviewers
will look after the suitable candidate according to these criteria or person specification as per the
given job role.
All these measures will help the firm to improve the knowledge and skill set of the HR
manager to identify the appropriate candidate for a job role. As assessment of various
documentation like person specification, job description and the credentials provided by a
candidate will help in proper management and identification of the measures that will helps the
HR manager or executive within a firm to have a proper candidate for their job role and thus,
will improve their operations and hence, will support the management of airline firm to get the
best and most appropriate candidate for the post of Operations manager.
3.2
Comparison of selection process
Steps of selection British Airways Transport
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for London
Step 1 The selection and recruitment
process of British airways is based
on placing vacancies on web page of
company which will the company in
targeting potential applicants.
Transport for London advertise job
vacancy on its official website to
attract potential applicant but also
seeks assistance from recruitment
agency which act as job consultant
for the candidates. The agency
filters applicant on the basis of job
role and suggest to HR manager of
transport company.
Step 2 In second step of selection process
British airways provides online
question to applicant to analyses
individual efficiency and interest
with firm. The question are based on
complying with organizational
requirements, person qualification
with regard to job profile, physical
and safety needs as per uniform
standards, etc.
The advertisement on official
website applicant are encouraged
to created profile by creating on
login ID and password. This helps
the HR manager in determining
quest or interest of particular
person who visited website.
Step 3 After referring to all question of
step 2 the applicant will process to
share own details which will helps
the HR manager in determining
individual interest with firm. Like
Email, password, company
information to analyse one's
knowledge over business
After completion of heading 2
steps in this stage the applicant is
being selected for vacancy they
desired of. Therefore, after this
they were expected to complete an
online application form which
leads top the following stages of
selection process (Cui, Khan and
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operations. Tarba, 2018).
Step 4 At this stage there will be completion
of online application form filling
process. Applicant have provided all
the necessary information on such
form.
Here the candidate who have
completed the basic requirement
than they will be headed towards
online situational judgement test.
Step 5 After completion on online
application form and giving all the
basic information such as meeting the
requirements of log-in details.
Therefore, which have been required
in the series of online psychometric
tests which includes numeracy,
spatial reasoning, situational
judgment test and the verbal
reasoning. Therefore, theses tests had
been taken from the applications to
determine their intelligence quotient
and capabilities of making quick
decisions. The accuracy of their
answers and responses will be taken
into consideration as per having
proper information regarding the
facts.
After passing the online situational
judgement test the candidate will
be invited to attend and formal or
written assessment session.
Step 6 The candidates who have cleared
the online tests which are prior to
this stage, they have been invited to
an assessment day. Therefore, there
After completion and succeeding in
the previous steps the candidate
will be invited for a role play
exercise and interview program. It
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will be further test which have been
taken into consideration on which
candidate have been asked several
multiple-choice questions which
were relevant with the situations
(Mostafa, Gould‐Williams and
Bottomley, 2015). Along with this,
on this stage there are various other
activities were being facilitated by
the organisation such as group
exercise, role play and an interview
which will be in mass or
individually performed by the
organisation.
is usually interview panel by one of
two people.
Step 7 After completing all tests and
interviews that the individual has
been investigated on the basis of
analysing their background
information as well as past medical
details.
Completion of previous stages the
participants have been asked for
their background details and
questionnaire based on medical
history.
Step 8 Meeting all the requirements than
the candidate will be trained
according to the safety course
followed in the Operations manager
job roles. It will be performed
around 6 weeks of time.
After meeting all the formalities
and candidate given all the
information than they will be
appointed on the position for
Operations manager.
Step 9 If the candidate is better at training
and learning stage than they will be
NA
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