You should be using what you learned in Chapter 15: Human Resources and Managing the Store to answer the questions. You should cite references in the text and also provide links to references at the end of your post. Please review the Written Communication Rubric for expectations for this and future discussion posts. Expected time to complete this post: 90 – 180 minutes.

After completing your post, you must read through your classmates’ posts and respond to at least one post from a classmate. Your response can (1) highlight what you learned from the post and/or (2) discuss what you found most surprising or interesting about the post. Responses should be no longer than one paragraph in length.

Discussion Post Content

Select a large retailing organization to research for this post. Do not select the retailer you are studying for your Team Project.

Visit the “Careers” page on the retailer’s website and explore the information presented. If the website does not have a Careers section or a similar section, please select another retailer.

Retailers engage in five activities to acquire and retain employees: recruit, train and acculturate, motivate, evaluate, and reward and compensate. Please discuss what the retailer you selected is doing for each of these activities by answering the questions below. You may not be able to answer every question, but do your best to describe what is being done for each activity given the information provided.

• Provide the name of the retailer you selected for this discussion post and provide a brief description of the retailer.
• Activity 1: Recruit
  1. How does the retailer advertise its company to potential applicants for employment?
  2. Has the retailer been selected as a top place to work by Glassdoor, Best Places to Work, Fortune or other rating websites?
  3. Does the retailer do anything unique to attract potential employees?
  4. What does the retailer do to recruit employees?
  5. Where are positions advertised/posted/listed?
  6. How much detail is provided in job descriptions?
  7. What is the application process?
  8. Does the retailer do anything unique as part of its recruitment or interview process?
  9. Include any additional information that was not included as a response to the questions above that is important and related to this activity.

• Activity 2: Train and Acculturate
  1. How do new employees learn about the company and the company culture?
  2. Does the retailer offer specific training programs (e.g., structured training, on-the-job training, ongoing training)? If so, describe the training program.
  3. Include any additional information that was not included as a response to the questions above that is important and related to this activity.

• Activity 3: Motivate
  1. What does the retailer do to motivate employees?
  2. Include any additional information that was not included as a response to the question above that is important and related to this activity.

• Activity 4: Evaluate
  1. How are employees evaluated?
  2. How often are employees evaluated?
  3. How is employee performance measured?
  4. Include any additional information that was not included as a response to the questions above that is important and related to this activity.

• Activity 5: Reward and Compensate
  1. How are employees rewarded and compensated?
  2. What type of compensation is offered (e.g., straight salary, incentive compensation)?
  3. What benefits does the retailer provide (e.g., medical, 401k, car allowance, paid time off)?
  4. Does the retailer offer benefits related to health, wellbeing or flexibility for work-life balance (e.g., wellness challenges, flexible hours, ability to work from home)?
  5. Are there any benefits or perks that the retailer offers that are unique?
  6. Are there benefits that are not offered that you believe the retailer should offer in order to attract employees?
  7. Include any additional information that was not included as a response to the questions above that is important and related to this activity.

• Take the perspective of a potential applicant for a position working at this retailer.

1. Overall, how well does the retailer’s career website present information? What is done well? What needs work?
2. Is key information missing? What information is missing or what information would you want to know prior to applying for a position?
3. Were you surprised (in a good way or a bad way) by any of the activities the retailer is engaging in as part of its Human Resources strategy (e.g., the training program, the benefits provided)?