Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines

Goals and Objectives

It is important that the company values and appreciates it employees as much as it appreciates it customers. This ensures a motivated working environment and a sense or value for each and every individual working at the airline. Southwest Airlines strives to promote a healthy working environment where employees are motivated, respectful and treat customers with courtesy, friendliness and a welcoming attitude. Southwest Airlines also strives to shows its own employees respect, trust and to listen to employees’ views and opinions. It was found in a study using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) that these three qualities are what employee’s value most (Butler, 2007).

Managerial Roles

Current CEO since 2004, Chairman and President of Southwest Airlines, Gary, C. Kelly, oversees approximately 35,000 employees. Kelly has been with Southwest airlines for almost 20 years, first starting out as a controller, then as CFO and now in his current positions. Kelly is proof that when one works at Southwest Airlines, it is a career and not just a job, and this is a value that the company tries to instil in its employees, a sense of pride and loyalty. Kelly leads by example.

W hen Kelly came in to office at the company, he said Southwest’s objective was to further streamline its reporting structure as well as implement a new labour relations department. (Hansel, Jr. 2004). Southwest Airlines uses a university style curriculum program given by The University for People, which is given to its employees to become orientated with the company and its objectives as well as offering personal development and leadership courses. The courses assist employees with leadership and managerial guidance once a promotion is obtained and helps with the transitions between postions within the company. Southwest Airlines has a policy not to fire employees, but rather eases the hiring process or offers generous severance packages. This ensures a sense...