Southwest Airlines
Employee motivation plays a vital role in the success of any organization. Employees tend to deliver their full potential when their needs are fulfilled, and their working environment made conducive. Southwest Airline is one of the companies that have made employee motivation a top priority. For the last ten consecutive years, Southwest Airlines has been ranked as one of the best places to work by Glassdoor. The ranking is based on reviews and satisfaction from the employees of Southwest Airlines. The employee motivation strategy used by Southwest Airlines is in line with the Herzberg two-factor motivation theory.
Southwest Airlines is best known for its people-first approach. In line with Avakian (2019), Southwest Airlines is committed to providing employees with a range of perks and a conducive work environment. In an attempt to make employees feel like part of the company, Southwest Airlines has a profit-sharing plan with its employees. Although many companies would write the profit-sharing plan as non-profitable, the policy has remained effective in Southwest Airlines for more than four decades. When employees get a share of the profit, they feel motivated towards delivering quality service to increase profit. Therefore, by sharing profits with its employees, Southwest Airlines makes more profit.
Southwest Airlines offers healthcare covers to its employees. The employees are free to choose the type of medical cover from the many options provided to them. Besides, the medical covers also cover the eligible dependents of the Southwest Airlines staff. By providing a wide range of medical covers to its employees and their dependents, Southwest Airlines shows that it cares for the welfare of its employees. Therefore, Southwest Airlines staffs feel motivated since their health, and that of their dependents is taken care.
Southwest Airlines offers development activities for the children of its employees. According to Avakian (2019), the children in kindergarten through 12th grade engage in activities such as aviation days and summer camps. The children get to learn about the airline and what it feels to work for the airline. By engaging the children of their employees, Southwest Airlines attracts potential employees as well as making feel their employees feel like a family. Also, eligible dependents of the employees at Southwest Airlines are allowed to fly for free. The employees also fly for free as much as they like. All measures taken to offer inclusivity to the families of their employees make Southwest Airlines indeed the best place to work.
Teamwork between employees at Southwest Airlines also contributes to staff motivation. The team building culture begins right from the interview. Most interview questions and discussion are motivational based, and they also include a lot of teamwork-related questions (Avakian, 2019). Employees understand that each of them has an important role to play in the success of their company. Therefore, the employees in high ranks relate well with junior staff, a situation which creates a warm working environment.
The motivation approach at Southwest Airlines is in line with the Herzberg two-factor motivation theory. Herzberg argued that certain factors would be introduced to business to motivate employees to work harder directly. Motivating factors encourage employees to work harder and develop a positive attitude towards their work. On the other hand, hygiene factors do not necessarily motivate employees to work hard, but their absence de-motivates employees. Motivating factors include achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, and growth. Hygiene factors include salary, company policies, work relationships, and work security.
Southwest Airlines motivates its employees by providing motivation factors. The employees of Southwest Airlines feel recognized when they get included in the profit-sharing plan. The employees get motivated to increase their efforts in the knowledge that they will be included in a profit-sharing plan. Also, the employees feel a sense of achievement when the company profits go up because of their dedication. Due to the profit-sharing policy, the employees at Southwest Airlines feel responsible for the growth of the company. The inclusivity offered by the airline motivates its employees to work towards its advancement. Southwest Airlines also cares for the families of their employees. Eligible dependents are included in the medical covers; they get to fly for free, and also, their children attend aviation days and summer camps. The motivation factors offered by Southwest Airlines encourage the employees to work hard and develop a positive mindset towards their employer.
Southwest Airlines also offers hygiene factors to their employees. Although hygiene factors do not necessarily motivate employees, their absence can discourage employees from working hard. Southwest Airlines fosters good working relationships between employees of all ranks. The company policies are employee-oriented, and therefore, all employees feel a sense of belonging. Besides, employees receive their salaries on time on top of their profit dividends. Due to the hygiene factors, employees at Southwest Airlines work hard.
The power of employee motivation is apparent in the immense success of Southwest Airlines. The airline uses a people-first approach and therefore making their employees a vital asset in the company. In line with the Herzberg two-factor motivation theory, when employees are satisfied in their work environment, they get motivated to work hard and also develop a positive attitude towards their place of work.
Reference
Avakian, T. (2019, February 26). Here’s What It’s Like to Work for Southwest, One of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work for 10 Years in a Row. Retrieved July 3, 2019, from Travel and Leisure : https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/working-for-southwest-airlines-career