Assessment of the current operating environment
As Tanglewood has grown and opened branches in different parts of the country, the retail store has faced competition from retail stores in its category which are also expanding. Tanglewood’s main competitors are currently Kohl’s and Target’s because they all focus on the same market segment; middle-class and upper middle class who want to purchase quality items at reasonable prices.
The organizational structure at Tanglewood is on the surface similar to the hierarchy found in most organizations. In every Tanglewood store, there is a branch manager, under whom there are three assistant store managers responsible for softlines (clothing and jewelry), hardlines (non-clothing merchandise), and the human resource manager. Each of these managers has a designated number of employees working under him/her as well. In each of the twelve regions, with averagely twenty stores per region, there is a regional manager to whom the store managers report directly.
The difference in Tanglewood’s hierarchal management structure comes in the treatment of employees; on average there are two hundred and fifteen employees per store. Employee contributions are very welcome no matter what level of the hierarchy they are to be found. Employee contributions are also recognized by monetary rewards where implemented strategies are paid for.
Tanglewood’s mission statement reads in part ‘…committed as a company to providing maximum value to our customers, shareholders, and employees. …accomplish this goal by adhering to the core values of responsible financial management, clear and honest communication…’ (Heneman and Judge, p. 26).
In this vein, the culture at Tanglewood is is based on a philosophy of transparency and inclusion. Employees are encouraged to give their views. Service delivery is personalized to make customers have the ultimate shopping experience.
Recommendations for how the organization should staff its operations
Since Tanglewood has a policy of encouraging employee contribution and ideas, it eases management’s ability to pick out employees who can be more resourceful. This is a strength that the organization can work with to nurture in-house talent as well as opting for internal hiring. It is more cost-effective than acquiring talent and external hiring in terms of time and resources allocated.
Having a core workforce is a practice that is conducted at Tanglewood and should be maintained. It encourages employee integration as well as dedication, eases training and dissemination of skills, as well as teaching the corporate philosophy.
Tanglewood should aim at going national instead of global, at least in the meantime. Though the company has expanded drastically over the past two decades, there is still potential of further growth and expansion at the national level, before she can set her sights abroad.
Tanglewood should opt for moderate staffing. This ensures that employees give maximum output, while not being overwhelmed by their responsibilities. Overstaffing on the other hand, leads to ineptitude and hinders maximum productivity.
Since Tanglewood expands by acquiring smaller supply chains, it would be better for them to retain the employees of the old company. Other than maintaining the company philosophy on service and culture, Tanglewood has to adapt to the specific needs of the regions into which they expand. The employees in the acquired stores understand the local culture and this is an advantage to Tanglewood.
When staffing, Tanglewood should focus on Person-Organization match because an employee who understands the company culture and philosophy is easier to train and to absorb than one who is simply qualified for the job. For Tanglewood, upholding is company philosophy is a cornerstone.
The focus should be to hire employees with general KSAOs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics). This is because, other than at senior management level, retail store employees do not need specialized knowledge. Furthermore, employees without specialized knowledge are more malleable, thus can be trained to undertake various responsibilities.
Exceptional workforce quality is the way for Tanglewood to go because one of the organization’s strong point is its quality customer service. Investing in an exceptional workforce will uphold this trend.
My recommendation for Tanglewood on the best approach to their staffing policy would be focusing on their employees, meaning, Tanglewood should develop talent, maintain a core workforce and have exceptional Small feeling means that they have to adapt to immediate environment and though the overall feel of the store should stay the same, those small differences that reflect what part of the country is in should be maintained.
References
Heneman, H. G., & Judge, T. A. (2009). Staffing organizations (6th ed.). Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.