michaelgarcia-tanglewoodpt1

Running head: TANGLEWOOD STORES - PART 1

Tanglewood Stores Case - Part 1

Michael Garcia

LeTourneau University

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TANGLEWOOD STORES - PART 1

Tanglewood Stores Case - Part 1

Staffing Strategy

Staffing Levels

Acquire or develop talent. Tanglewood should develop talent. It has committed

itself to staying innovative and independent by following the philosophy of, “If you tell

someone exactly what to do, you’re only getting half an employee. If you give someone

the space to make their own decisions, you’re getting a whole person.” Tanglewood has

hired employees that have worked with this mantra since its founding. Tanglewood

should continue to develop talent in-house. By choosing to mostly acquire new talent,

Tanglewood falters in its mission to encourage independent learning and style among its

employees. The company prides itself on encouraging all employees to think like

managers, and it should follow through with their professional development. It is clear

that there is some inconsistency among stores when it comes to managerial styles, but

this will improve by establishing clear company training guidelines that can be

implemented in all regions.

Hire yourself or outsource. While outsourcing hiring may alleviate some of the

cost and time of finding new employees, it is important that Tanglewood recruit and

select their own talent. The hiring managers within each region understand the

Tanglewood philosophy and will be better suited in selecting great talent for the

company. Outside consultants would also lack the knowledge of each region’s strengths

and weaknesses. Tanglewood spends a great deal of resources developing employees that

have been tailored to fit each store. It would be counterintuitive for someone from the

outside to hire employees.

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External or internal hiring. Tanglewood should take every opportunity to hire

internally when possible. Executive and management positions should be filled from

within whenever there are qualified candidates. There will be instances where a qualified

internal candidate may not exist and someone from the outside must be hired. In these

cases, training and development must be examined to determine why there were no

strong candidates. Tanglewood has repeatedly following a philosophy that encourages

long-term professional growth of all employees. Obviously, external candidates will fill

entry-level positions.

Core or flexible workforce. A core workforce is currently in place, and it should

remain the same. Tanglewood has chosen to follow a philosophy that is focused on

employee development. They also attribute the company’s success to a strong company

culture, so their actions must be consistent with that mission. Choosing a core workforce

shows a commitment to having employees for the long-term. Core workers have more job

stability and a greater personal investment to the company.

Hire or retain. The organization should retain employees whenever possible.

Since Tanglewood is choosing to develop employees, the costs associated with training

and development will be higher than other companies. They should work diligently to

minimize costs by setting high retention goals.

National or global. Tanglewood has grown quickly is in a transition period. They

are moving from a much smaller chain to a much larger organization. This growth must

be carefully planned, or they could overcommit and fail in the process. They do not have

complete representation in the United States, so expanding to regions like the South,

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Northeast, and Midwest would be smarter than international expansion. They should

focus only on national growth for the foreseeable future.

Attract or relocate. Some companies choose to relocate to areas where there are

plentiful labor sources. In Tanglewood’s case, this would not be necessary. The stores

should open where there is a strong customer base. They will be able to attract labor

instead of relocating to find it.

Overstaff or understaff. Tanglewood has differentiated itself from the

competition by creating a unique customer experience. They have chosen to train their

employees to be creative and resourceful, so one would assume that the store experience

is very important to Tanglewood. It is safe to say that customers do not like to wait in

long lines and face disorganized stores with no employees to provide any help, so

Tanglewood should ensure that experience is always positive. They should aim to

overstaff to ensure the high standards of their experience. Providing sufficient labor

support to their strategy will result in greater customer experiences.

Short or long-term focus. Tanglewood has been around for quite a while. There

strategies should be for the long-term, but they should respond to short-term needs as

needed. Ultimately, employing a core workforce instead of a flexible one and committing

to development demonstrate the company’s commitment to their long-term focus.

Staffing Quality

Person/job match or person/organization match. Person/Job match focuses

more on how a person is suited for a specific position. In terms of Tanglewood’s

philosophy, the person/organization match is more suited for the company. Tanglewood

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encourages professional growth of their employees and continued learning. They need

individuals who are as dynamic as the organization.

Specific or general KSAOs. General KSAOs are consistent with the Tanglewood

culture. Employees who are flexible and independent are the kind that Tanglewood

needs. General KSAOs recognize more dynamic attributes of individuals. More specific

KSAOs tend to lead to individuals more skilled in one particular area. These employees

would be potentially less flexible.

Exceptional or acceptable workforce quality. While some industries may

demand exceptional workforce, it is not necessary in the department store industry.

Tanglewood believes in developing its employees, so acceptable employees can become

exceptional through the right development. The amount of employees makes is

prohibitive hire all exceptional employees. Ultimately, it is more cost effect to hire a

workforce that is still good and of acceptable quality.

Active or passive diversity. Tanglewood should pursue a policy of active

diversity. As the company expands, it should ensure its staffing process recognizes the

diversity of an area. The location’s employees should reflect the surrounding area. This is

a legally and ethically responsible path to pursue to ensure that all stores feature staffs

that are representative and inclusive of all people.

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Recruiting

Open or Targeted Recruiting

In analyzing the successes and opportunities regarding recruiting in Tanglewood’s

regions, it appears that a targeted recruiting yields employees better suited for success

within the company. Tanglewood is looking to hire employees that have leadership

qualities and that are independent and have a drive to learn. While they may not be

highly-skilled in one area, their employees are versatile and can easily adapt to more

demanding positions. Targeted recruiting helps identify candidates with certain KSAOs

that are consistent with the organization’s culture. Open recruiting may reach a wider

array of people, but employees hired through open recruiting methods have lower

retention rates according to Tanglewood’s data.

Methods of Recruiting

The best methods of recruiting at Tanglewood appear to be through referrals and

agencies. According to the data at the three locations where referrals are used, they are

the most effective. The individuals hired through referrals yield the most qualified

employees. Their retention rates are high and the costs associated with hiring them are

lower. This is probably due to the fact that these employees are happier since they work

in an environment where they know other people. Employees who share the sought after

KSAOs have referred them, so these candidates have been essentially pre-screened. In

terms of agencies, the start-up costs are high, but the candidates provided by agencies are

qualified. Their retention rates are high, and their overall cost is lower than other open

recruiting methods.

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Recruitment Guide

Recruitment Guide for Store Associate

Position: Store Associate

Reports To: Shift Leaders and/or Department Manager

Qualifications: Previous experience in similar position desired

Relevant Labor Market Regions where stores are located

Timeline Ongoing

Activities to undertake

to source well-qualified

candidates:

- Notify current employees of need for referrals.

- Employ job agencies and job services to select

candidates.

- Post position on company website.

Staff Members involved: Assistant Store Manager for Operations & HR

Assistant Store Manager for Hardlines/Softlines

Department Manager

Budget: $3,000 - $5,000

Recruiting Messages

As noted by the manger focus groups, the recruiting message must be more

realistic while still being positive. Also, the message should exemplify the company’s

unique culture. In taking the recommendations into consideration, the following message

should be included in all job postings and should also be conveyed in initial

communication with a candidate and reinforced throughout the hiring process:

The Tanglewood Lifestyle

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Tanglewood is a retail brand that celebrates the outdoor lifestyle. We

love all that embodies the simple and functional elegance of nature. We are

seeking experienced individuals to be Store Associates for our locations in both

our hardline (sporting goods, home décor, electronics, outdoor living) and

softline (apparel, beauty, footwear) departments. This customer-focused

position is an essential part of our brand experience. We depend on our Store

Associates to be valuable team members led by our Shift Leaders and

Department Managers.

Tanglewood greatly appreciates its customer loyalty, and we seek to

create an environment that personalizes their experience with great employee

interactions. Candidates should possess prior retail experience. They should be

enthusiastic brand advocates that demonstrate exceptional communication

skills. Perspective employees should also have great critical thinking skills and

be committed to continued learning and development. Our Store Associates must

assist our customers in choosing the best products for their lives, and we must

provide great solutions tailored to their needs.

Tanglewood knows that its people are at the foundation of its continued

success. We happily reward our employees with competitive compensation

packages. We strive to develop our talent from within, and we offer a unique

environment where professional growth is a priority. We encourage you to join

our amazing team.

Interview

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Selection Plan

Major KSAO Category Req? EXP EDU MAE RKT

Communication and speaking skills Y X X

Knowledge of organizational policies and practices N X

Skill in judgment and decision making Y X X

Knowledge of customer service principles Y X X X

Ability to develop original solutions within parameters Y X X

Knowledge of legal precepts underlying personnel mgmt.. Y X X

Knowledge of retail management policies and practices Y X X X

Skill in managing personnel resources Y X X

Ability to reason inductively Y X X

Skill in analysis of financial and operational data Y X X XEXP = Experience Check, EDU = Education Check, MAE = Marshfield Applicant Exam, RKT = Retail Knowledge Test.

Situational/Experience-Based Questions

Q1: Tell me about a time when you didn’t fully understand instructions from

your direct supervisor. What did you do?

KSAO: Communication and speaking skills.

Scoring

:

1. Candidate cannot provide an example.

3. Candidate provides an example, but cannot provide a proper

solution.

5. Candidate provides an example where he/she properly

communicated their confusion and asked for more clarity.

Q2: A customer demands a refund on an item outside of the allowed return time

frame because the item was clearly defective. How do you handle the

situation?

KSAO: Knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, knowledge of

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customer service principles.

Scoring

:

1. Candidate cannot provide a solution.

3. Candidate provides a solution, but it is inconsistent with company

policy and may not satisfy customer.

5. Candidate provides a solution that is in-line with the company policy

and provides an exceptional experience for the customer.

Q3: An employee demands to go home immediately. This adjustment would put

another employee into overtime. How do you handle the employee who

wants to leave? How would you make adjustments to the schedule so the

other person does not have to work overtime?

KSAO: Skill in managing personnel resources, knowledge of legal precepts

underlying personnel management, knowledge of retail management

policies and practices

Scoring

:


3. Candidate provides a solution that partially addresses both issues.

5. Candidate provides a solution where the employee issue is addressed

and overtime is not incurred.

Q4: You must setup a display this morning within the next two hours, but not all

of the apparel items have been received for the merchandising setup. What

do you do?

KSAO: Skill in judgment and decision making, ability to develop original solutions

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within parameters.

Scoring

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3. Candidate provides a solution that is insufficient.

5. Candidate provides a solution where adjustments are made to the

setup by the deadline and within company parameters.

Q5: Your department is the only department to have fallen short of goal over the

past month. What are some steps you can take to identify and solve the

problem?

KSAO: Ability to reason inductively, skill in analysis of financial and operational

data.

Scoring

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3. Candidate provides a solution that is partially correct.

5. Candidate provides a solution that demonstrates critical thinking and

an understanding of sales metrics.

Revise and Recommend

In reviewing the questions, they seem sufficient in measuring KSAOs in candidates. In

some of the experience-based questions, an interviewer could ask for an additional

example. It might also be prudent to have both situational questions and experienced-

based questions measuring the same KSAOs.

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References

Heneman, H. E., Judge, T. A., & Kammeyer-Mueller, J. D. (2012). Staffing organizations

(7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Kammeyer-Mueller, J. (2012). Tanglewood casebook. New York, NY:

McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

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