Motivation and Equality in Starbucks Coffee Company - Term Paper Example

HR PRACTICES Word Count (1605 words) Table of Contents Introduction 3 Equality and Diversity HR Practices 4 Thomas and Ely Model 5 Reward and Motivation 6 Adams Equity Theory of Motivation 7 Conclusion 8 Works Cited 9 Introduction The paper identifies and discusses two different HR practices within a specified company. Indeed, different companies adopt various HR practices to achieve a significant competitive advantage in the global market environment. Some of the most effective HR practices guarantee employee motivation, high productivity, ethical practices, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and compliance to the set production and labor standards. HR practices can include performance management, culture, equality and diversity, team working, leadership, resourcing and interviewing, reward and motivation, learning and development, and talent management (Starbucks Corporation 2014). In this context, I will address two different HR practices that include reward and motivation and equality and diversity in a multinational company, Starbucks Coffee Company. As a leading coffee retailer, roaster, and brand of specialty coffee in the world, Starbucks Coffee Company has significant HR practices that define its operations and competitive advantage. Under the leadership of Howard Schultz, Starbucks Coffee Company has grown in a large scale where it operates more than 18,000 stores in over 60 countries (Savitz and Weber 2013). The company originated from Seattle, USA and expanded to various locations through franchising (WORLDCITY STAFF 2014). Notably, the company adopts equality and diversity in production and human resource management. As a leading coffee retailer, roaster, and brand of specialty coffee in the world, the company diversifies its production unit that includes specialties in premium and sells salads, books, gifts, warm and cold beverages, and other accessories. Equality and Diversity HR Practices Starbucks Coffee Company commands a fundamental portion of the coffee industry subject to its equality and diversity HR practices, wide range of products, wide market network, quality products, and motivated workforce (IBS Centre for Management Research 2005). Ideally, Starbucks Coffee Company offers equal and diverse opportunities and benefits to its employees, suppliers, and customers. Starbucks Coffee Company employs more than 137,000 employees in its stores across the globe. Ideally, the aspect of accommodating employees from different cultures manifest the cultural diversity in the company that reflect equality and diversity HR practices in the company (SHRM 2014). These practices show that employee values can travel to distinct cultures. Starbucks Coffee Company adapts equality and diversity HR practices in the company in recruiting, hiring, retaining, remunerating, promoting, and dismissing employees (Starbucks Corporation 2014). Moreover, Starbucks Coffee Company stand out as Equal Employment Opportunity Employer where it considers all qualified applicants for employment without discriminating them on basis of gender, marital status, age, economic status, nationality, ethnicity, religion, physique, or disability (Starbucks Corporation 2014). Ideally, the company considers and treats employees within the limits of federal, local, and state laws. The failure to comply with the Equal Employment Opportunity policy and stipulated federal and local labor regulations and laws leads to severe disciplinary action. The implementation of equality and diversity HR practices in the company leads to the creation of a culture that values and respects diversity and inclusion. This aims at building a diverse workforce, enhancing competencies, shaping a culture of inclusion, and developing a diverse network of suppliers (Starbucks Corporation 2014). In ensuring that the company achieves its objectives with respect to diversity and inclusion, the management integrates this policy into the core of the company’s leadership. As a result, all leaders within the company have a mandate to adopt HR practices that manifest inclusion, equality, and diversity. Starbucks Coffee Company operates and competes across different cultures and communities in the physical and digital platforms. The equality and diversity HR practices equally apply in the supply chain where Starbucks seeks to offer a fair platform to qualified diverse suppliers who have equal opportunities to do business with the company. Indeed, the company aims at developing and implementing supplier diversity initiatives in America within the generally accepted standards (Starbucks Corporation 2014). Apart from establishing a diverse workforce and enhancing cultural competencies, Starbucks develops a diverse network of suppliers. Starbucks ensures that all stakeholders adopt the equality, diversity, and inclusion HR practices by leveraging the company’s partner network groups (Starbucks Corporation 2014). Starbucks Coffee Company has a hospitable workforce that encourages suppliers, customers, and the community to collaborate in making the company the best workplace in the coffee industry. As a result, the suppliers support, promote, and comply with applicable supplier diversity initiatives (Starbucks Corporation 2014). On the other hand, the management monitors, tracks, and reports on the diversity of Starbucks suppliers. Ultimately, the company measures the effectiveness of the equality and diversity HR practices by accessing the turnover from diverse customers, the purchases from diverse suppliers, and productivity of diverse employees. It is quite clear that the equality and diversity HR practices adopted by the company relate to the ideals of the Thomas and Ely Model Thomas and Ely Model In carrying out equality and diversity HR practices, Starbucks Coffee Company adopts the Thomas and Ely model. Ideally, the Thomas and Ely model advocates for HR practices that diversify the management and influence the correlation between employee diversity and organizational productivity. Indeed, the Thomas and Ely model addresses discrimination and fairness in an organization like Starbucks Coffee Company. It recognizes the positive effects of racial diversity and effective inter-cultural relations that derive respect, equality, fairness, and appreciation of all employees. This relates to the equality and diversity HR practices adopted by Starbucks Coffee Company. Indeed, the company treats all employees and other stakeholders fairly and equally by appreciating their race, ethnic, religious, sexual, national, marital, age, physical, and gender orientation. In doing so, Starbucks Coffee Company complies with the stipulated federal and local labor regulations and laws. More so, the company expects the management, employees, and other stakeholders comply with these laws. Indeed, the Equal Employment Opportunity policy applies in recruiting, transferring, promoting, compensating, dismissing, and remunerating employees, which plays a major role in influencing the correlation between employee diversity and organizational productivity. Reward and Motivation Starbucks adopts the reward and motivation HR practices as a coffee retailer that cares and provides incentives and enticing benefits to full time and part time employees (IBS Centre for Management Research 2005). The incentives and attractive benefits guarantees motivation to all employees and reduce the employee turnover rate at the company (IBS Centre for Management Research 2005). Moreover, the reward and motivation HR practices offer pleasant work environment and promotes respect and dignity for all employees at Starbucks (Frasch 2014). Specifically, the company train and allow employees to attend seminars and workshops (Frasch 2014). Moreover, the company provides a complete health insurance cover to employees who work twenty or more hours a week (Savitz and Weber 2013). This rewards and motivates employees to work for long hours. Starbucks offers retirement benefits, discounted purchases, domestic partner benefits, child, and elderly care to employees and their families (Savitz and Weber 2013). The reward and motivation HR practices also include flexible work hours, rich rewards, and above-average pay for new employees that enable it to attract professional workforce. Furthermore, through the values alignment strategy, the company strengthens its relationship with the employees (Savitz and Weber 2013). Other aspects that motivate Starbucks’ employees include the sustainable social and environmental programs adopted by the company. As a result, the employees deliver the Starbucks Experience that defines the mission and vision of Starbucks’ business model (Savitz and Weber 2013). Adams Equity Theory of Motivation Starbucks reward and motivation HR practices relate to Adams Equity Theory of Motivation. This theory recognizes the need to establish and enhance employee motivation. Starbucks have been using this theory to establish and enhance employee motivation by considering the employees’ inputs and outputs. In this context, the inputs of motivated employees include loyalty, hard work, determination, and commitment to the company. Indeed, Starbucks’ employees manifest their motivation by being loyal and committed to the company. Starbucks’ employees derive this motivation from attractive salaries, employee benefits, competency, huge rewards, and enhanced job security. Indeed, the employee benefits package that includes full healthcare benefits, retirement plan, dental insurance and vision care, and disability and life insurance strengthens the company since it helps in reducing employee turnover. Moreover, the vacation time, off time, price discounts on Starbucks merchandise (Nelson 1998), and the Employee Assistance Program motivate employees as seen in the Adams Equity Theory of Motivation. As such, I find that Starbucks reward and motivation HR practices reflect the Adams Equity Theory of Motivation where the company seeks to motivate its employees through attractive salaries, employee benefits, competency, huge rewards, and enhanced job security. Conclusion Starbucks Coffee Company adopts reward, motivation, equality, and diversity HR practices. The company accommodates employees from different culture and adapts equality and diversity in recruiting, hiring, retaining, remunerating, promoting, and dismissing employees (Starbucks Corporation 2014). Starbucks Coffee Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer that considers all qualified applicants for employment without discriminating them on basis of gender, marital status, age, economic status, nationality, ethnicity, religion, physique, or disability. The equality and diversity HR practices adopted by Starbucks relate to the Thomas and Ely model that advocates for HR practices that diversify the management and influence the correlation between employee diversity and organizational productivity. Moreover, Starbucks adopts the reward and motivation HR practices that provide incentives and entice full time and part time employees. These include complete health insurance cover, flexible work hours, employee benefits, rich rewards, and above-average pay for new employees. The reward and motivation HR practices relate to Adams Equity Theory of Motivation that seeks to establish and enhance employee motivation. I would recommend that the company address the challenge of retaining the right number and quality of employees to foster its future growth. Moreover, I would recommend for a change in the company’s ethic policy since the company has been facing numerous ethical issues. Works Cited Frasch, K 2014, The Starbucks Way, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/view/story.jhtml?id=534356806> IBS Centre for Management Research 2005, Starbucks Human Resource Management Policies and the Growth Challenge, retrieved 19 October 2014, Nelson, B 1998, How Starbucks Is Offering Not Just Jobs but Careers, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://www.workforce.com/articles/how-starbucks-is-offering-not-just-jobs-but-careers> Savitz, A, and Weber, K 2013, Recruiting and Hiring Advice, retrieved 19 October 2014, SHRM 2014, Trust Travels: The Starbucks Story, retrieved 19 October 2014, Starbucks Corporation 2014, Diversity and Inclusion, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/community/diversity-and-inclusion> Starbucks Corporation 2014, Our Company, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information> Starbucks Corporation 2014, Starbucks Equal Employment Opportunity Policy – U.S, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/c53c33fe3b484033bbe7c4285dcdb516.pdf> Starbucks Corporation 2014, Supplier Diversity Standard – U.S, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/be606cc50fa14fa89f86c972fc046141.pdf> Starbucks Corporation 2014, Working at Starbucks, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://www.starbucks.com/careers/working-at-starbucks> WORLDCITY STAFF 2014, How Starbucks reinforces its culture of service, HR style, retrieved 19 October 2014, < http://worldcityweb.com/past-events/hr-connections/11298-how-starbucks-reinforces-its-culture-of-service-hr-style> Read More