Running head: COMMUNICATION PLAN
Benchmark- Strategic Planning: Communication Plan
Wilburn Smith
Grand Canyon University
February 21, 2018
Benchmark - Strategic Planning: Communication Plan
Smith 1
BENCHMARK- COMMUNICATION PLAN
Smith 2
Human resource management department at the southwest airlines requires that the
functional level strategies are addressed to ensure efficiency. Due to the sensitivity of the human
resource department, there is need to come up with strategies that can better enhance
collaboration and productivity at work. To implement the strategic plan, stakeholders will be
delegated various roles which have to be met.
Vision
The southwest airlines aim at ensuring that employees are up to speed with the target of the
company and that sustainable productivity is maintained.
Communication objectives
To spell out various roles, responsibilities and job descriptions of different job positions.
In this case, the southwest airlines seek to ensure that the corporate structure is set up in a
way that is efficient to be able to analyze and design jobs. Moreover, the strategies to be used
involve selecting and hiring employees who have skills and expertise of work. This ensures that
the right people are brought into work and thereby ensuring productivity is sustained.
To set up foundations for employee training and talent management
This objective aims at setting a corporate environment that promotes maximum
productivity of all workers. Moreover, the southwest airlines plan on providing the right work
environment through remuneration and other benefits to improve employee trust and work
returns. The human resource manager is required to convince the management of the need for
training. Through this, the department can be able to improve worker’s skills through impending
efficient and rewarding systems that bring workers together. The turnover will also be reduced.
BENCHMARK- COMMUNICATION PLAN
Smith 3
To ensure that employees share in the beliefs goals and visions of the company
The idea behind this is to foster stronger employee management with the aim of
strengthening their capabilities within the company. Southwest airlines consider itself sensitive,
and therefore with the help of the employees, it will be easier to handle the complex
responsibilities like security and ground transport.
Stakeholders
These are the people and groups who will ensure the success of the strategic plan by providing
necessary assistance
1.
The human resource manager
2.
The procurement/ finance department
3.
Employees
4.
Management
Channel for disseminating information
To deliver this message emails will be sent to the various stakeholders so that they can be
able to identify their roles in the implementation of the strategic plan for the human resource
manager will have to communicate the vitality of training the employees for a reduced turnover.
This method of disseminating information is chosen in line with the technological advancement
of the present age. Additionally, emails provide a higher chance of reaching the stakeholders
because finding them at once may be difficult.
BENCHMARK- COMMUNICATION PLAN
Smith 4
Afterwards, a joint meeting will be held with all the stakeholders to pass the information
officially. This strategy confirms the seriousness of the strategic plan and invites the input of the
stakeholders towards the implementation of the plan. It is necessary that every member is present
at this meeting to understand their roles.
Timetable of activities
Priority
1
Activity
The human resource management to
have a meeting with the management
and in this forum, the importance of
improved training of the employees
will be communicated.
The human resource manager will also
request for the budget allocation
towards training
2
The human resource department to
have a meeting where the outcomes of
priority 1 will be discussed including
the objectives of the department
towards improving productivity.
3
The management to allocate funds for
the necessary employee training and
talent management.
Time allocation for the training
sessions by the HR department
4
Training to be held
BENCHMARK- COMMUNICATION PLAN
Smith 5
Evaluation
This will involve a follow up of the training activities to confirm whether or not the
objectives of enhancing productivity are met. The human resource manager will be required to
clearly and succinctly explain the feasibility of the goals and other possible ways to achieve
them. Auditing can also be carried out to assess the manner in which the allocated funds have
been used. The evaluation will require progress reports to see whether the company is making
progress regarding employee productivity.
Running head: FUNCTIONAL LEVEL STRATEGY
Benchmark - Strategic Planning: Action Plan
Wilburn Smith
Grand Canyon University
February 14, 2018
Smith 1
FUNCTIONAL LEVEL STRATEGY
Smith 2
The paper will address functional level strategies for the human resource department at
Southwest Airlines. The policy will make use of the completed SWOT analysis to enhance the
capacity of the Airline to achieve the set targets for the human resource department. Labour is an
integral element in the productivity of the airline. The human resource department is sensitive as
involves management of people which includes the activities held in the transaction theory. Also,
the unit serves the role of recruitment and hiring of employees and links them to the company
management. The set target is to have a workforce with the capacity to drive the Airlines to meet
the overall corporate objective of inventing the next industrial era (Brewster, & Hegewisch,
2017). Therefore, the company should have a scheme of ensuring the employees are up to speed
with the company targets.
The initial step has a corporate structure that spells out the various roles and job descriptions for
the different job positions after a thorough job analysis and design. The strategy will involve the
selection and hiring of employees who have exhibited expertise useful to the business to fill up
the job positions. After the hiring process, the scheme will lay the foundations for employee
training, talent management, and compensation to return the favor for the services offered. The
scheme aims at setting a corporate environment that supports the maximum productivity of the
workers. Southwest Airlines will provide the employees good remuneration, benefits and a
suitable working environment (Cascio, 2018). On the other hand, the employees will be required
to share in the beliefs of the company and make a contribution to the achievement of the
company vision and goals. Employee engagement will be fostered by motivating the employees
to boost job satisfaction. Talent management and development will be enhanced by having an
environment that supports the capability of the workers to use their skills and develop talents.
Hence, Easyjet is vulnerable to the risk of labor unrest. Southwest Airlines not only relies on its
FUNCTIONAL LEVEL STRATEGY
Smith 3
workforce but also other vital suppliers based at the airports, for example, ground-handling,
ATC, security, and transport on the ground. The business model is growing complex; this might
be a threat to the management is not able to handle the firm.
The decision-making process is key to strategy formulation and implementation process. The
company activities are carried out as per the choices made by the stakeholders in the department.
Therefore, the form of leadership available will determine the capacity of the work personnel to
make a choice prudent for the company (Purce, 2014). Consistent evaluation of the
implementation process will help keep the strategy as the guiding force in the company
management.
The action plan will have an impact on the organization as a whole as the human resource
department comprises of all employees. Management of people in the organization is the initial
step in implementing the Southwest Airlines aggregate company plans for profitability and
excellence. Implementation of the strategy is likely to be faced with the threat of resistance from
the employees. Change management schemes, for instance, communicating the approach to the
employees in due time, and offering training to bring the workers up to speed will help.
Additionally, developing a corporate culture characterized by dedication, accountability, and
sharing in the company’s vision will ensure the employees are conversant with the company
policy. Therefore, the shareholders, top management, and the workforce at large will play a role
in the formulation and implementation of the scheme. The ultimate means of managing crossfunctionality will be by having all the stakeholders share in the idea behind the strategy.
Leadership skills to be included in the implementation process will center on the rallying the
entire corporate society to share in the idea of using the strategy for the good of the company.
Therefore, being charismatic, open-minded, friendly and mentoring the employees will attract
FUNCTIONAL LEVEL STRATEGY
Smith 4
them to support the implementation of the scheme. Furthermore, adopting transformational and
eco-leadership traits will come in handy. Teamwork and collaboration can be fostered by having
an effective means of communication across the organization (Armstrong, & Taylor, 2014).
Additionally, conducting team building activities for the stakeholders will enhance socialization
and interaction between them to promote working together. The company management ought to
treat the employees as equals rather than juniors. The teamwork enhancement schemes will be
successful as they attempt to create an environment that allows employee interaction at a social
level.
In conclusion, it is vital for the human resource department to be effectively managed through
the enactment of an excellent scheme. The plan to hire and retain a skilled workforce will be of
benefit to achieving corporate targets.
References:
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
FUNCTIONAL LEVEL STRATEGY
Smith 5
Brewster, C., & Hegewisch, A. (Eds.). (2017). Policy and practice in European human resource
management: The Price Waterhouse Cranfield survey. Taylor & Francis.
Cascio, W. (2018). Managing human resources. McGraw-Hill Education.
Purce, J. (2014). The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management. New
Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals), 67.
Sparrow, P., Brewster, C., & Chung, C. (2016). Globalizing human resource management.
Routledge.
Southwest
Airlines
Strategy Map
Wilburn Smith
LDR 620 O501
February 7, 2018
Brief Overview
– A strategy map is a crucial step for the South West Airlines company because of
the benefits of having a strategy map and also conducting a stakeholder
analysis.
– A few of the benefits of strategy mapping include;
It will help South West Airlines to communicate and capture their strategies.
It will also help South West Airlines manage performance better
It helps in systematically designing measures and aligning investments
-This presentation will include the strategy map and also include the stakeholder
analysis.
Stakeholder Analysis
– Stakeholder analysis is an important aspect of strategy mapping since its
differentiates the key stakeholders and how the company is affiliated with each.
– There are several steps that are useful in conducting a stakeholder analysis and
they include:
– 1. Identification of stakeholders
– 2. Prioritizing stakeholders
– 3. Assess Key Stakeholders
– 4. Execute
– 5. Reassess and re-planning
Stakeholder
– Stakeholder Analysis is the first step in Stakeholder Management , an important
process that South West Airlines can use to win support from others. Managing
stakeholders helps them to ensure that their projects succeed where others
might fail.
– South West Airlines can use the opinions of the most powerful stakeholders to
help define their projects at an early stage. These stakeholders will then more
likely support the activities taken, and their input can also improve the quality of
the primary projects.
1. Analysis
– 1. Identification of stakeholders
– For South West Airlines, some of the identified stakeholders include senior
executives, shareholders, customers, prospective customers, the community,
the public and lenders. Each of these stakeholders has a role to play in
actualizing the company’s strategies.
– 2. Prioritizing stakeholders
– From the list of identified stakeholders the company has to set aside their
priority stakeholders. The influential stakeholders and the ones that are
responsible for making decisions should be highly regarded since they impact
the strategy greatly.
2. Prioritizing Stakeholders
– 3. Assess Key Stakeholders
– Assessment of the key stakeholders is meant to illustrate the influential figures that
weigh in on the company’s mission statement and vision and the activities
surrounding the strategies.
– 4. Execute
– Execution involves including the key stakeholders in the decision making process as
well as the planning process such that they do not hinder the actualization of the
strategy map.
– 5. Reassess and re-planning
– After the stakeholders have been engaged, the
Conclusion
– Identifying key players is crucial to South West Airlines project is to succeed.
They have a high political interest and are powerful enough to either stop work
completely or to move mountains to make your project a success.
– Once the company has mapped the stakeholders then they can focus the efforts
on the highest priority groups while providing sufficient information to keep the
less powerful groups happy
References:
– Lueg, R. (2015). Strategy maps: the essential link between the balanced
scorecard and action. Journal Of Business Strategy, 36(2), 34-40.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jbs-10-2013-0101
– Scholey, C. (2005). Strategy maps: a step‐by‐step guide to measuring, managing
and communicating the plan. Journal Of Business Strategy, 26(3), 12-19.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02756660510597065
Wilburn Smith
Grand Canyon University
January 24, 2018
An
American multinational conglomerate founded
in the state of New York
Headquarters in located in Boston, Massachusetts,
USA
Offer products in the energy sector
Operates through various segments such as:
aviation, energy connections, healthcare, renewable
energy, transportation, and much more.
Fortune 500 company
Being
the world’s premier digital industry company
To transform the industry with machines and
predictive, responsive and connected solutions
Critical outcome execution to the customers
Inventing
the next industrial era
Building, powering, moving and curing the world
forward
It keeps evolving to create new and better products
in the market and world
Offer
global green brands
It’s the world most ethical company
GE dominates in the alternative energy industry
Offers resources to solve problems such as clean
water and access to resources
Various educational programs/opportunities
Struggle
to meet rapid innovation
Strive to meet customers’ intensity
Build strong leadership team
Re-invent the flagship products
Inspire and connect the next generation of
leadership
GE
is one of the most ethical companies globally
GE focus to achieve highest honest and trustworthy
in the organization
Create most safe working environment
Avoid organization and personal interest conflict
Employees
adhere to the GE mission and
vision and work towards the company’s goals.
They use diversification to incorporate all
aspects of life.
Ensure Product & Market development
GE
aims to achieve global recognition
Invent future products
Focus on alternative and green product
Build a strong leadership team
Ensure competitive advantage
Demmerling,
T. (2014). Corporate social
responsibility overload? intention, abuse. Place of
publication not identified: Anchor Academic
Publishin.
Lapierre, L., & Carsten, M. K. (2014).
Followership: What is it and why do people
follow?.
SWOT analysis for the HR department
Wilburn Smith
Grand Canyon University
January 31, 2018
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
A SWOT analysis of a company’s department is very crucial to the success of the strategic
performance of the organization. In this SWOT analysis discussion, the study examines a SWOT
analysis of South West Airlines Human Resource Department. The aim is to see how through the
SWOT analysis, the department can achieve its set goals. As mentioned, the identified area within
the organization is the Human Resource Department. The human resource department is a very
sensitive department in an organization as it is concerned with managing people within the
organization. Furthermore, it is this department that is concerned with recruiting workers and
welfare of workers within an organization. It also acts as the link between the workers and the
company management.
Strengths
The HR department at South West Airlines (S.W. Airlines) has the following as the
strengths that enable it to perform. Firstly, the company upholds the policy of “train for skills.’
(Weber, 2015) In this procedure the company has made, it a requirement that there are enough
supervisors. In fact, the supervisors are in the ration of one supervisor for every ten frontline
personnel. Hence as long as the staff is working alongside the supervisors, they have a very high
degree of credibility and influence. This is strength because the company has workers that perform
to their best and perform their tasks flawlessly.
The second strength is the method of recruitment. The company does not just recruit
employees than give them jobs permanently. Instead, the company employs, then takes the
employee as a trial employee during a period when they are undergoing training to understand
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
their responsibilities correctly. This is a strength because the company can put only skilled and
well-trained employees to do the work (Cascion & Boudreau, 2012). In fact, such employees’
performances are excellent and competent because they are very well aware of what is expected
of them at the capacity that they have been employed in. Other strengths that competitors have
identified and that are applied by S.W. Airlines include overall work process that involves regular
exchanges this ensure that workers are aware of what the other companies do, they use internal
promotions to fill management positions which motivate employees hence reduced turnover
(Weber, 2015). Finally, the HR uses efficient conflict resolution processes to that ensure that all
the workers are working efficiently. Thus as mentioned, this department is very sensitive since it
is the backbone of the productivity of the company. It deals with the welfare of workers and as
such motivating them to work efficiently.
Weaknesses
The HR department at S.W. Airways is having a handful of weaknesses. The first is the
internal weaknesses where the HR department still needs to keep upgrading their technology to
manage the workers effectively (Cascion & Boudreau, 2012). For instance, having programs that
monitor performance in order to ensure proper awarding system. Currently, the company is using
a manual rewarding system which might cause some workers to complain of bias. The second
weakness is the lack of knowledge of remuneration and allowance legislation, and this is because
the HR department has not worked effectively to encourage the workers to know their
remuneration laws. Finally, the HR is lacking training programs apart from those that are
implemented for the initial stages where the personnel is newly employed.
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
When compared to other competitor companies such as Delta Airlines, as mentioned, the
S.W. airlines should increase the number of training programs for their working crew. These
competitor companies are having more than five training programs annually that keep their
employees up to speed with any new development in their field. While this is one weakness that
even the competitor companies consider as S.W. airline’s HR weakness, this vulnerability can be
improved by allocating a budget towards increased training and creating time for training sessions
(Weber, 2015).
Opportunities
There are a few opportunities that the HR department has which if they use, they can make
the unit better (Cascion & Boudreau, 2012). The first is the hiring of HR manager. Currently, the
company is spending a lot on the HR manager which again can be cured if the company can
consider looking into finding another employee for the department who can be hired at a cheaper
rate since the HR pool is flooded with skilled and well-trained HR managers. The second
opportunity is internal, and this is a case where the HR manager should convince the management
of the importance of more training sessions (Lawler, Boudreau & University of Southern
California, 2012). Through this process, the HR department can better their performance by
making the workers better skilled and trained. Finally, the HR should implement efficient,
rewarding systems that are not likely to cause complaints about biases. That way all the employees
will be motivated and hence reducing the turnover.
Threats
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
The HR department is threatened first of all by internal factors such as the lack of support
from the management and the company board. Such threats are arising because this administration
is a costly department that requires a lot of money pumped into making the employees better and
more excellent performers. As such, funds for programs such as training programs and exchange
programs may not be available, and this is likely to affect the performance of S.W. Airline’s HR
department (Weber, 2015). Competitors on the other hand rare increasing the use of technology
and such ideas are making their operations much smoother and swift. This is likely to give them
an upper hand in coming up with and putting in place, adequate HR programs or organizational
changes. Finally, with new skills coming into the job market, the HR department personnel are
likely to be of higher number with better skills and these people can be employed by competitors
and hence pose a threat (Lawler, Boudreau & University of Southern California, 2012). Finally, in
case the current HR manager chooses to move to another company, he is likely to take with him
the skills that he has acquired from S.W. Airlines to their competitor and hence make their HR
better.
Since the company is very much concerned with the performance of their employees, this
department has good financial backing (Cascion & Boudreau, 2012). The company is ready to
spend on the department since they have seen the returns and this can be proved by the fact that
S.W Airlines is one of the companies that has the best effective policy that looks at employees and
puts them first. All the other giant companies in the U.S. have had to borrow from the company
(Weber, 2015). Finally, the weakness of this company’s HR is the need to incorporate technology
into the HR to make the rewarding system efficient. This weakness can give opportunities to the
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
threats to be very useful. For example, the other companies can use this and do better in their HR
that S.W. Airlines.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths (Internal/Execution)
1. Effective recruitment policy.
2. Training for new employees.
Weaknesses (Internal/Execution)
1. Internal weakness by lacking more advance
technology for the department.
3. Using motivation such as rewarding system. 2. Employees have not been well informed on
remuneration legislations.
4. The company puts a lot of emphasis hence
3. The HR is very costly.
is willing to finance HR department.
4. The HR lack enough training programs for already
5. Effective conflict resolution processes
employed personnel.
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Opportunities (External/Environment)
1. Involving technology to make HR
department more effective.
Threats (External/Environment)
1. Losing their manager to a competitor.
2. Lack of finances/ funds from company B.O.G.
2. The company can recruit a manager hired at 3. Newly skilled HR managers are entering the market
a lower rate.
with new ideas and their competitors are employing
3. Use of training can better the performance
them.
of the personnel
4. Leaking of their HR ideas to competitors.
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Conclusion
The S.W. Airlines HR department has been found to be efficiently performing according
to this study. It has however been illuminated that the HR has some weaknesses and threats. The
vulnerabilities are in the company’s lack of involving better technology in the HR; the dangers are
in the fact that the company might lose their HR manager to their rivals even though through better
training and more money pumped into the department, this department can do better.
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
References:
Cascio, W. F., & Boudreau, J. W. (2012). Short introduction to strategic human resource
management.
Lawler, E. E., Boudreau, J. W., & University of Southern California. (2012). Effective human
resource management: A global analysis. Stanford, Calif: Stanford Business Books, an
imprint of Stanford University Press.
Weber, J., (2015). How Southwest Airlines Hires Such Dedicated People. Harvard Business
Review.
© 2015. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
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