Factors in Environment Affecting Vacancies
The staffing process for managerial employees at Tanglewood in Washington state is not simple. Externally, there is a constant availability of capable individuals in the urban markets of Seattle and Spokane. These individuals from urban areas are frequently relocated to smaller towns as they progress in their careers.
Despite being seen as an undesirable market for recent college graduates, retail work offers valuable experience. Many perceive it as requiring long hours, low pay, and frequent conflict with lower-level employees (partially true). However, as individuals move up the hierarchy, these factors diminish. Nonetheless, many are hesitant to spend multiple years in positions like shift leader and department manager before getting promoted.
The labor market in the Pacific Northwest has been weak, with high unemployment rates and limited job opportunities. This has made it somewhat easier for Tanglewood to fill managerial positions. However, forecasts indicate that the professional and managerial sectors may expand, leading to a decrease in available candidates for these roles.
Internally, Tanglewood has utilized its seasoned staff members as a key talent pool. As mentioned before, the company frequently promotes employees from within (Figure 1). Consequently, managerial staff members often possess substantial familiarity with the company’s social dynamics and ethos. This internal approach to staffing is considered a notable advantage for Tanglewood, as it is believed to enhance the likelihood of retaining entry-level employees by offering them the opportunity for advancement.
Action Plan
After estimating the number of individuals required to fill Tanglewood’s positions in the upcoming year, there are various key decisions to be taken regarding the approach for filling these gaps. Tanglewood follows a combination of strategies for filling vacancies. They have a managerial track in place that promotes sales associates to become shift leaders, then advances shift leaders to department managers, and so on, gradually moving up the managerial hierarchy. Another managerial track involves hiring recent college graduates or individuals with extensive experience in another store chain directly into the assistant store managerial position.
Irrespective of employees’ backgrounds, the corporate staffing function shows a solid dedication to cultivating lasting relationships with its workforce. It is observed that numerous employees struggle in the beginning to adjust to Tanglewood’s distinct culture, which is why the company is displeased to witness experienced employees, who have already acclimatized, depart. Additionally, there are apprehensions about an excessive turnover rate eroding the company’s robust culture.
To summarize, staffing managerial employees at Tanglewood in Washington state is complex. There is a continuous supply of qualified individuals in urban markets like Seattle and Spokane, who are frequently relocated to smaller towns as they advance in their careers.
Despite being viewed as an unattractive market for recent college graduates, retail is often associated with long hours, low pay, and frequent conflict with lower-level employees. While these factors diminish as individuals progress up the hierarchy, many are unwilling to spend several years in lower positions like shift leader and department manager in order to be promoted.
In recent years, the Pacific Northwest labor market has been weak, resulting in high unemployment rates and challenges for job seekers. However, this has presented an opportunity for Tanglewood to find new candidates for managerial positions. Nevertheless, predictions indicate that growth in the professional and managerial sectors might decrease the pool of available individuals for these roles.
Internally, Tanglewood has utilized its skilled workforce as a primary talent pool, favoring internal promotions. Consequently, managerial staff frequently possess ample experience navigating the company’s social atmosphere and culture. This approach to staffing from within the organization is a notable advantage for Tanglewood, as it is believed to enhance employee retention by offering advancement opportunities to lower level staff members.
Acquire or Develop Talent
Acquisition staffing is an approach to recruit new employees who possess the necessary qualifications, competencies, and understanding of an organization’s principles, culture, mission, and vision. The goal is for these employees to contribute to the organization’s growth immediately upon hiring, without encountering any difficulties or requiring training. The strategy seeks out individuals who can quickly and easily acquire the KSAOs (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) necessary for the job.
An organization’s staffing strategy should determine whether to acquire or develop talent through training. If the organization has urgent or demanding jobs, such as production companies that need to keep up with growing demand and competition, it is necessary to acquire and develop talent.
This is because in such a situation there is no time to train and the internal employees already have duties to perform. Adding them more duties may make them less productive due to overloading of jobs or complications brought about by executing the two jobs. If the organization deals with non-urgent or non-demanding procedures, like retail shops that sell furniture, then there is no need in wasting your resources employing new people, just train the ones employed to make them more efficient and productive.
Tanglewood Department Store would benefit from using an acquisition staffing strategy due to the nature of its business. Dealing with nondurable consumer goods and being a chain of general retail stores, Tanglewood requires a larger workforce to effectively manage its stores. Developing the skills of current employees would not be suitable as it would lead to understaffing.
Lag or Lead System
The lag system of staffing involves classifying job seekers based on an organization’s objectives, principles, and future plans. It utilizes KSAOs as a guide in selecting staff, knowing the desired number and type of talent needed. In contrast, the lead system of staffing does not require adherence to layouts, principles, or objectives. My recommendation for Tanglewood Department Store is to implement the lag system of staffing, while also considering the lead system specifically for their sales and customer care department.
Affirmative action goals
It is possible to achieve the affirmative action goals within the year due to the sufficient capacity and availability of the necessary additional staff in the area. Moreover, the acquisition process and company standards would also be adequate.
According to A Bacal & Associate (2009), it is recommended that Tanglewood primarily utilize the internal method for staffing. However, if there is a need to promote or relocate minority/ethnicity staff, who may be in short supply within the organization, the external acquisition method may need to be employed. Similarly, gender acquisitions may present challenges but are expected to be less difficult to accomplish compared to minority positions.
References
- A Bacal & Associate. (2009). Who Should Be Involved in Strategic Planning. etrieved March 22, 2009 from http://work911.com/planningmaster/faq/processwho.htm
- Praxiom Research Group. (2008). Gap Analysis Tool. Retrieved March 22, 2009 from http://www.praxiom.com/iso-gap.htm
- U.S. Department of Interior. (2009). Workforce Planing Instruction Manual. Retrieved March 22, 2009 from http://www.doi.gov/hrm/WFPIManual.html#Step%20Three
