Human Resource Management Report: Virgin Atlantic Case Study Analysis

This report analyzes a human resource management case study involving Virgin Atlantic Airways. The report examines the airline's response to staff criticism regarding flight safety and inappropriate social media behavior, resulting in employee dismissals. It explores the importance of employment law, grievance procedures, and disciplinary actions in addressing workplace disputes and protecting both the company and its employees. The report also details different types of employment contracts within the aviation industry, including full-time, fixed-term, and part-time contracts. Finally, the report discusses the significance of exit interviews in gathering feedback from departing employees to identify areas for improvement and enhance employee retention. The case study highlights key HRM principles and practices within the context of the aviation industry.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
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Week 9:
The report of 1st November 2008 shows that Virgin Atlantic Airways has taken a step against the
staffs as they have criticised their airline’s flight safety standards. Such behaviour of the staff
members had insulted the company due to which Sir Richard Branson had sacked 13 flight
attendants. As it was reported that, the flight attendants described its passengers as “chavs ”
publicly on social media. The behaviour of the staffs was totally inappropriate which had
brought the company into disrepute, as said by Sir Richard Branson. Such inappropriate
behaviour made Virgin Atlantic take a step of confirming 13 members of its cabin crew who will
be leaving the company as they broke staff policies (Conway, 2017).
After the investigation took place, a statement against the company was also found on social
media site, Facebook where the staffs claimed that in one year the airline’s jet engines were
replaced four times. Besides, the planes of Virgin Atlantic were full of cockroaches. This
statement publically had diminished organisation reputation and goodwill in market place. It was
a grievance procedure that was undertaken by the staffs itself (Conway, 2017).
Hence, it is required to set procedures by employment law to overview practical issues like
employment status, contractual and implied terms, data protection, dismissals, discrimination and
many more. Employment law gives statements for grievance and disciplinary action. The
employees are protected with the help of this law against any wrongful and unfair dismissal.
Therefore, a fair and reasonable process will be stated on the circumstances by making fair
assessment and using of fair and objective method will be used. If it is a grievance complaint the
employer need to put in writing where the employee will find company handbook, employment
contract, HR intranet site and personnel manual. Moreover, in case of disciplinary contract the
employer should put in writing stating disciplinary procedure rules, performance and behaviour
type leading to disciplinary action and action taken by employer (Gov.uk. 2017).
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Reference List:
Conway, L. (2017). Virgin Atlantic sacks 13 staff for calling its flyers 'chavs'. [online] The
Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/virgin-atlantic-
sacks-13-staff-for-calling-its-flyers-chavs-982192.html [Accessed 30 Nov. 2017].
Gov.uk. (2017). Solve a workplace dispute: Formal procedures - GOV.UK. [online] Available
at: https://www.gov.uk/solve-workplace-dispute/formal-procedures [Accessed 30 Nov. 2017].
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Week 10:
The need for different employment contract within UK employment in aviation industries are
stated below:
Full-time contract: This contract offers permanent position to the staffs working in aviation
industry. The salaries of staffs are set on hourly wages. They get full time contract like pension
benefits, holiday entitlements, and details on statutory sick pay and parental leave allowances.
The employees associated with the industry recognise full-time work as more than 35 hours per
week (Becker-Ritterspach et al. 2017).
Fixed-Term Contract: In case of both regular direct employment and self-employment for an
airline industry, must be in limited duration. The fixed term employment is stated as a person
who is having an employment contract or within a relationship which is directly between
employer and worker which is determined by objective conditions. The objective contract can be
such where the employee needs to complete specific task on specific date.
Part-time Contracts: They generally work for few contracted hours than the employee who work
for full time. The contract can be made to work on weekly basis, less than normal hours or for an
average period of employment such one year or less than that. For example, in contractual
arrangement aviation industry where the cabin crew staffs works for 20 hours in a week. Hence,
they opposed to work for 40 hours per seven days. This states full time employment as per
national legislation of Member State (Eurocockpit.be. 2017).
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Reference List:
Becker-Ritterspach, F., Saka-Helmhout, A., Lange, K. and Geppert, M., 2017. Exploring the
interaction of firm-level change and national institutional environments in shaping employment
and union relations: a comparative case study of four European airlines. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, pp.1-30.
Eurocockpit.be. (2017). Atypical Employment in Aviation [online] Available at:
https://www.eurocockpit.be/sites/default/files/report_atypical_employment_in_aviation_15_021
2_f.pdf [Accessed 30 Nov. 2017].
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Week 12:
As per the terms of human resource management, an exit interview is a survey which is carried
out with an employee who has left the company. The interview is conducted to gather
information from the ex-employees regarding their employment and the loopholes within the
company which need to be improved (Johns and Gorrick, 2016). Hence, the information is used
to give provide feedback. Therefore, the reasons for carrying exit interview are stated below:
 The feedback that will be gathered from ex-employee is more forthcoming than those
who are present
 It improves prospect in management enhancement and the detection of succession
planning will be possible
 With the help of exit interview, the employees are able to provide feedback and leave the
company on positive note
 It also gives opportunity for asking the employees about the open issues which the
company should be aware of. This supports in minimising risk and identify the areas of
risk which need to be assessed.
 Similarly, opportunities can be received regarding the areas of enhancing employee
retention (Mandina and Karisambudzi, 2016).
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Reference List
Johns, R. and Gorrick, J., 2016. Exploring the behavioural options of exit and voice in the exit
interview process. International Journal of Employment Studies, 24(1), pp.25-42.
Mandina, S.P. and Karisambudzi, J., 2016. Customer retention strategies: A panacea to reducing
attrition in the Zimbabwean airline industry. Journal of Marketing Development and
Competitiveness, 10(2), p.91.
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