A study of HR activity and how it contributes to competitive advantage, growth and increase in productivity of a company.
Starbucks is one of the leading corporations in the fast food and beverages industry in the world. Starbucks is a multinational company based in the US where it has over 17000 stores nationwide and is present in over 45 countries worldwide. In an article in the New York Times Stewart claims that the company has been able to keep its profits high by offering the best customer service around. The articles claims the making the snob coffee drinker happy has increased the popularity of the company.
The company has gained popularity due to the high-quality service and drinks offered in all its stores. Customers are assured of the very best quality when they purchase a Starbucks. The three learning aspects that the paper will derive from Starbucks’ HR operation is the role of valuing employees, quality training and selective recruitment in the success of the business. The paper will apply these concepts of HR on the competitive advantage of a company, its productivity and growth of a company respectively.
Valuing Employees and Competitive Advantage
The human resource department can employ strategies that may help the company attain a competitive edge over its rivals. In the service industry, the delivery of services by the workers is crucial in creating customer loyalty. Employees at Starbucks are widely praised for their professional employees. The company attributes the good conduct of the employees because of the value that they place on their labor force. Workers are referred to as partners and they have a lot of responsibilities in the business. The partners are considered the most important component in the machinery that is Starbucks. The value placed on the employees gives them extra incentive to deliver quality service, hence contributing to the competitive advantage.
Starbucks, who refer to their employees as partners, believe that the attendants are the most important component of the Starbucks experience. The employees of the company must have expert knowledge of coffee and the products sold in the stores. The baristas are trained on how to prepare the best quality products for the customers. They are not allowed to make more than two products at a time to ensure that proper care and time is taken in making each product. The customers are assured of the very best quality product each time they order at a Starbucks. The partners are trained on how to prepare the best products and even went as far as closing all stores in 2008 to teach the staff how to perfect the art of espresso (Stewart, 2). The company follows this model to ensure that all the clients are served with only the best. Clients come back to Starbucks because of this high level of quality that they receive. Starbucks has established a pattern of excellent customer service through its HR that it has given them a great competitive advantage over its rivals.
Quality Training and Productivity
The productivity of the workforce is measured in the quantity and quality of the work done in relation to the cost of input. Employee productivity is not necessarily measured only by the amount of output but also by the quality and efficiency of production. An efficient workforce ensures increased productivity within the company. Increased productivity, in turn, leads to a more competitive business. Productivity can be increased by increasing the quality, quantity or the efficiency of the output of production.
Starbucks has taken its time to train its partners in the most efficient way of improving output efficiency and quality of service delivery to its esteemed customers. The partners are prepared to be as friendly and welcoming as possible. The workers are encouraged to refer to the regular customers by their names and strive to maintain friendly relations. Clients feel more attached to the institution when they are referred to by their names whenever they come to a Starbucks. An increase in customer care techniques results in an increase in productivity from the employees. The company has some policies that the baristas must adhere to when serving clients in order to bring a consistent quality and freshness to all the various stores. To increase the quality of the coffee made in the stores, the baristas are directed to handle making one coffee at a time. To use freshly ground beans for each new order and to not re-steam the milk. The process of making coffee in Starbucks is therefore very thorough and careful to increase the quality and freshness of coffee served. Increased productivity in Starbucks translates to a greater market share of the beverages industry in the US and around the world.
Selective Recruitment and Growth
Human Resource plays a significant role in the growth of any organization. A competent workforce ensures efficient output and sales are achieved in the group. The HR of a company can spark its growth by providing skilled contributions to the organization and capture new markets that will allow for growth. Employees who are skilled improve the performance and growth of companies by helping capture new clients and helping to retain the customers already subscribed to the company's products and services. Top corporations are very selective when it comes to hiring the taskforce. Selectivity ensures that only the best candidates are chosen for the job.
Starbucks went through a tough time during the recession period when most people in America could not afford luxury items such as a cup of coffee each day. Many people believed that the group sold its products at exorbitant prices, and the company experienced a dramatic fall in sales. The fall was so bad that the company had to close shop and come up with strategies to boost sales and save the company. The company considered its workforce the greatest asset through which it could revive itself. The company took the time to train the partners on how to deliver a quality product with superior customer care. The aim of Starbucks was to grow the business through offering a unique customer experience that will increase the loyalty of the clients. Through the efforts of HR, this goal was accomplished.
Works Cited
Stewart, James. "Starbucks prospers by keeping pace with coffee snobs." New York Times 3 Dec. 2015: 1. Print.
