The New Dubai Shopping Mall: Marketing and Human Resources

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Competency/ Value Framework
Recruitment Strategy
Performance Management Strategy
Conclusion
References

Introduction

When opening a new store, human resource planning is one of the most important tasks that the top management unit will need to consider before a firm becomes operational. It is one of the initial tasks that should be done in order to determine the approach that the organization will take in hiring and managing its employees. Human resource is one of the most important factors that an organization needs in order to operate normally.

According to Starling (2011), human resource defines the path that an organization takes based on the manner in which they implement the strategies developed by the top management. Employees are always in constant interaction with the customers and other stakeholders within the external environment. This means that they are the best ambassadors of any given organization. Customers or the general public will base their judgment about a firm on the nature of the experience they had with the employees of a firm. Similarly, the top management needs the employees for two very important tasks.

When formulating policies, the employees who are always in the field are needed to help inform the top management about the current situation in the market and the changing tastes of the customers. This will ensure that the formulated policies are sensitive to environmental conditions. When the policies have been formulated, the top management will also need the employees in the implementation process. They will need to apply the policies while in the field to help the organization achieve its objectives.

The New Dubai Shopping Mall is expected to be one of the leading prestigious shopping malls in the city of Dubai. The project is underway, and it is important to clearly define the nature of the employees who will be involved in its normal operations. According to Kuballa (2007), when starting a new business, it is important to be careful with the type of employees hired to undertake various duties. This is specifically so if the new business is planning to operate in the high-end market.

This business unit will target the upper-middle class and the upper-class members of this society. These are people who are very sensitive, not only to the products they receive from the shops but also the manner in which they are served. They need a workforce that understands their mentality and are able to meet their demands efficiently. The New Dubai Shopping Mall will need employees who understand the market needs, changes brought about by technology, and cultural influence on consumer purchasing patterns. It means that the employees must have a good educational background, skills, and talents to address various tasks within the mall, and the desire to meet and exceed the set expectations.

Those who will be directly involved with the handling of the customers should be fluent and very presentable. Given that this is a high-end shopping mall, it may even require employees who are bilingual given the cosmopolitan nature of the city of Dubai. In this section, the focus will be to define human resource planning that will be used by the relevant authorities when establishing the plant.

Competency/ Value Framework

The New Dubai Shopping Mall is an ambitious project that is expected to offer competition to the existing shopping malls. This shopping complex will have various departmental stores where various products will be sold. According to Starling (2011), the retail market is taking a new shape as competition becomes very stiff. Many organizations have realized that consumers prefer a one-stop-shop where they can do all their shopping without having to make another stop.

This has given rise to shopping malls where various services are offered to the clients upon demand. The city of Dubai has several shopping malls as the players struggle to manage the market competition. Most of the products that are stocked in these malls are from the same manufacturers. Items such as electronics, furniture, utensils, stationery, and even food products supplied in these malls come from the same factors. However, these firms always have to find a way of making their products unique in order to attract more customers. Given the fact that this film targets high-end consumers, the pricing strategy may not work because these consumers do not lay emphasis on the prices of the products.

They are concerned about the value of the products, and the product delivery methods. For this reason, many firms would depend on the interior designs of their shopping malls, and the type of employees they hire. These employees would determine if a firm has an edge over other competitors in the market. The first step in competency management is the recruitment of the right employees as discussed in the section below.

Recruitment Strategy

Recruiting new employees is one of the most challenging tasks, especially for a new organization that is just getting operational. According to Novikova (2009), recruiting employees for a new firm involves hiring employees in all departments. It is very different from the case of hiring employees in an already established firm. It is important to ensure that the process of recruiting the employees is effective enough to management a firm to get the right workforce.

The process should be thorough enough to ensure that the mall has competent employees who understand the needs of the consumers. This shopping mall will need an appropriate recruitment strategy that will not only help it get the right candidates for various positions but also enable it to create teams in various departments that can work as a unit towards achieving specific objectives. The following model may be helpful in defining the right approach that can be taken in the recruitment process.

As shown in the figure above, the human resource management will need to follow a rigorous process in order to end up with the right candidates for various departments within the model. There are seven steps that will be followed in order to get the right candidates.

Step 1: Database Search

As a new firm that is just getting into the market, the New Dubai Shopping Mall will need to get the services of the leading recruitment agencies within this city. These agencies have large databases with lists of prospective employees qualified in different areas. They have the contacts of the job seekers who may have the right qualifications needed by this new firm. They can search their databases and offer help to this firm by reaching out to these candidates. They may be the perfect link between the new firm and the job seekers. These agencies are always helpful when there is an urgent need for employees. The time within which this plant should be operational is rather long, and this strategy may only be used as a more professional way of finding potential employees who can work in various departments.

Step 2: Advertising

This shopping mall should be operational by the year 1918. It means that the human resource unit has over three years to plan and establish a functional workforce that can address various challenges in the market. Advertising will offer this firm a better opportunity to reach out to qualified employees from various parts of this country. According to Lindenau-Stockfisch (2011), when there is enough time to recruit the employees, advertising is always considered superior to database search. This is so because in most of the cases, when a firm advertises for the vacancies, many people will apply, including those who are already working in other firms.

The New Dubai Shopping Mall will benefit a lot if it can attract employees from other leading rival luxury department stores such as Harrods. These employees already have knowledge about the market, and they can help this new firm to understand some of the strategies that the rival firm is using to achieve success. Through such adverts, this firm will also be announcing its presence to the consumers. The consumers will develop a desire to visiting its stores in order to determine if it has better products to offer to its clients.

Step 3: Networking and Referrals

According to Kusluvan (2003), a firm that is just getting started needs other alternative methods of recruiting the right workforce in order to enhance its ability to get qualified candidates. Networking and referrals are some of the strategies that a firm can use to identify employees who can work in various departments. The top executives of this firm can make use of their networks to help in identifying the right candidates.

They can also receive referrals from their corporate partners about who to employ in various posts. One of the biggest benefits of referrals is that in most of the cases, the referred candidates are always qualified candidates with tested track records on how they handle their tasks. Such candidates would come for a specific post that they have a vast knowledge of due to the educational background and work experience. However, it is important to note that candidates gotten from any of these three approaches would need to go through further screening to ensure that they have the right knowledge and skills to undertake the duties they will be assigned.

Step 4: Processing of Applications

Once the application has been received from the three sources discussed above, the next step will be to process the applications to determine the right candidates who can move to the next step of screening. In this first stage of screening, the human resource team involved in the recruitment will analyze the applicants’ documents in order to determine their educational background, work experience, special skills and talents, and any other relevant information that may make a candidate superior to others in a given task.

When analyzing the documents, Kuballa (2007) warns that care should always be taken to ensure that all the parameters are given proper consideration. In most cases, some recruitment officers make the mistake of overemphasizing the educational background of the applicants. Inasmuch as this is one of the most important qualities that employers look for, it does not solely define the appropriateness of an individual to handle a given task. To ensure that this screening process is successful, the recruiting team should define the task needs first. After this, then they should compare the qualifications and qualities of the applicants with the task needs.

Priority should be given to the applicants whose qualifications and qualities closely compare with the task needs. The interviewing panel should be given the resumes of the candidates who have passed this stage the previous stage so that they can go through them and give their own approval. Given the fact that this project will take off within the next three years, there is enough time to do this. Given that this is a new firm that is just getting operational, thoroughness is needed to achieve success.

Step 5: Submission and Interview

When the first screening process is successfully completed, the next important phase will be the submission and interview. The names of the candidates who passed the screening stage will be submitted to the interviewing panel will a clear explanation of why they are considered more qualified than other candidates. At this stage, the panel will need to conduct a professional interview in order to determine whether the selected candidates have the right qualifications and values that the organization needs. The panel should cross-examine the candidates to determine if they truly reflect their academic qualifications.

Other than their academic qualifications, there are other features that this panel should be sensitive about based on the tasks that these employees will be assigned. For instance, academic qualification may not be very important when interviewing candidates to work as loaders. Here, physical strength and willpower are the key determining factors. For the shop assistants, other than the academic qualifications, beauty, fluency in spoken language, and being presentable are some of the key factors that will determine their qualification because they will constantly be interacting with the customers.

High-end consumers like being in an organized environment with presentable and well-spoken people. This might be the edge that this firm needs in order to outsmart some of its archrivals in the market. The cashiers, also need to be presentable because they will interact with the customers. Emphasis on academic background and work experience will be needed for the employees who will take managerial positions because they will be needed to come up with relevant policies based on the prevailing internal and external environmental conditions. This interview should be completed six months before the official launch of this firm. This will give an allowance to make any changes in case this might be necessary before the official launch.

Step 6: Feedback and Offer

The human resource management unit will need to make the necessary feedback to the participants of the interview in order to inform them about the offer. The feedback is always given to the candidates who have been approved. After the interview, the panel will compare their rankings of different candidates and determine those with the highest ranks based on a number of parameters.

The ranking system is important because it helps the human resource team to identify the next best candidate in case the best candidate fails to report for one reason or the other. The selected candidates should be contacted three months before the official launch of the project. The feedback should be done through a phone call because of the need to receive an immediate response. This way, the firm will know those who have since dropped their desire to work for the firm for one reason or the other. The candidates should be given an appointment with the human resource managers so that they can discuss the offer.

The appointment should be set two months before the launch. When the candidates come to discuss the offer, the management should make an effort to determine the market average salaries. Given the prestigious nature that this mall is expected to acquire, the candidates should be offered a slightly higher amount than the industry average. The two-month period is enough to get a suitable replacement in case a given candidate rejects the offer given by the company.

Step 7: Commencement and Retention

Once the candidates accept the offer, they should sign a contract with the firm based on agreeable terms and the provisions of the law. The management of the New Dubai Shopping Mall will need to observe both the local and national laws regarding the employment policies in this city. It is important to consult the services of qualified and experienced attorneys who understand the nature of the employment laws and regulations when designing the contract.

It may be necessary to allow the attorney to draft the contracts so that the interest of the firm will remain protected before the law. Once the contract is signed, the candidates will officially become employees of the firm. Some will need to start working immediately before the launch in order to help with the arrangements of the shelves and other duties. Others will be expected to report to work a week or two before the official launch for orientation. According to Kronberg (2011), one of the most challenging tasks in human resource management is employee retention.

After going through a rigorous process of sourcing for the right workforce, it is very important to ensure that they are retained within the firm so that their desirable attributes can benefit the firm. However, it is very costly to lose qualified employees who have been trained by the firm. When such an employee is lost, a firm will be affected in many ways. The employee will be going with a wealth of experience gained from the firm, and if he or she is hired by a competitor, he will share with the new employer some of the strategies that may this firm successful. It is not a guarantee that the replacement will be as qualified as the lost candidate.

The firm will also need to spend time and financial resources in order to train such new replacements (Hernon & Whitman, 2000). In order to avoid such unfortunate scenarios, this firm will need proper strategies that will help in employee retention. The employees will not only need attractive salaries and a good working environment but also tasks that will be positively challenging and highly motivating.

Performance Management Strategy

The New Dubai Shopping Mall is a massive project that is going to cost over 3 Billion AED. It is, therefore, imperative to ensure that the project is successful once it starts operational. The employees must be able to deliver results in order to make this new mall to gain a competitive advantage over some of the already established institutions in this country. For this reason, human resource management will need to use an effective performance management strategy that will maximize the skills and talents of its employees.

The commonly used performance management strategies are management by objectives and the balance-score card. Each of these two approaches may be appropriate in different contexts. Management by objectives is always very popular when an organization is planning to overhaul the current system and to apply a new system as a way of adjusting its operational performance. Kuballa (2007) defines management by objective as “A management system in which the objectives of an organization are agreed upon so that management and employees understand a common way forward” (p. 43). Given that this is a new firm that is just making an entry into the market, this strategy will not be appropriate.

It requires an established organization that has a wealth of experience in market operations in order to define these objectives based on the known market forces. This strategy will be useful to this firm later on when the management realizes that there is a need to readjust its operational strategies. At this stage, this firm requires a conventional framework that will make the firm operates. This means that the performance management strategy that will be used is the balanced scorecard model. According to Grigoroudis and Siskos (2010), “The Balanced Scorecard concept involves creating a set of measurements for four strategic perspectives which include, financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth” (p. 78). Below is a balanced scorecard framework.

*Figure 2: Balanced Scorecard Framework.*

It is clear from this framework above, that there are four areas that the management of the New Dubai Shopping Mall will need to focus on in order to manage the performance of the organization. When using this performance management strategy, it is necessary to look at the four management areas and how they will be relevant to this new firm.

Financial perspective

The shareholders have given out over 3 Billion AED as an investment to this project. They expect returns out of their investment within the shortest period possible. The human resource manager, just like other departmental heads, has a responsibility to ensure that the firm gives returns to the investors as they expect. The shareholders will be comfortable when they realize that there is a steady cash flow into the organization through its operational activities.

The activities of this firm should generate enough income, not only to facilitate its growth but also to start paying the investors handsomely in order to motivate them to invest more in the firm. When the shareholders decide to invest more, the firm will be able to expand rapidly to other major cities in the region, especially in Abu Dhabi. The role of the human resource manager will be to ensure that employees remain motivated and productive enough in their assigned duties. The employees should be able to meet the needs of the customers in the best way possible, and they should learn to work as a team, especially when handling challenging tasks.

Internal business

Internal operations will always define the ability of a firm to achieve success in the market. The manner in which, employees approach different tasks will define their ability to achieve success and enhance the prosperity of a given organization. This firm is new in the market, and its success largely depends on the approach it takes when handling various tasks. Creativity and innovativeness are one of the most important areas that the employees of this firm can help it gain a competitive edge over its market rivals. The employees should always strive to find new approaches to approaching various tasks in ways that are less costly, less time-consuming, and less strenuous.

This way, they will be able to meet the needs of the customers in a better way. The creativity and innovativeness of the employees depend on the management approach that an organization uses. Some organizations always ignore the potential of junior employees to come up with new strategies for approaching different tasks. This is a wrong perception because these employees are always in the field, and when they are motivated to be imaginative, they have the best ability to develop new ways of addressing different tasks.

The management of this mall will need to create an enabling environment where employees can come up with different methods of undertaking their duties. This means that there should be no punitive measures when they make mistakes in their attempt to be innovative as long as the mistake does not affect the customer directly or indirectly.

Learning and growth

Many organizations spend a lot of their financial resources buying infrastructure to make their premises more attractive and work easier for the employees. However, what many of them always forget is the fact that they also need to focus on employees’ growth and development. The world is changing rapidly, and this requires constant learning and development. What an employee learns today may need to be updated in order to make it relevant to the current environmental conditions. There are various approaches that can be used to develop the capacity of the employees. The organization can consider offering its employees regular study leave that is fully paid so that they can go back to school and advance their careers.

Sometimes the best development may come in the form of on-job training. Junior employees who are working in stores or other departments within the firm can be trained while at work. The trainers will need to join them and inform them of the strategies they can use to improve their performance. Sometimes, it may be necessary to organize seminars. In such seminars, the employees will be trained on various aspects that concern their job in order to improve their attitude and approach they take when handling their duties. Learning enhances

Customer perspective

The ultimate aim of any business organization is to achieve maximum customer satisfaction in the market. The retail industry has become increasingly competitive, and many firms are struggling to retain their customers. The New Dubai Shopping Mall is getting into an industry that is almost saturated. There are so many players in this industry that it becomes very challenging to attract and retain customers.

However, this is what this firm needs to do in order to remain operational. It should be able to attract customers through promotional campaigns. Once these customers visit the facility, it should offer them maximum satisfaction to ensure that they will make an effort to visit the store next time they are planning to make similar purchases. It is through this that it will be able to expand its market share within this region. When setting the strategies to meet customers’ needs, the management unit will need to be aware of the fact that Dubai is a highly cosmopolitan city. There are customers from various parts of the world, and this means that they will need to be served differently.

Employee Job Satisfaction

According to Griffeth and Hom (2001), many successful firms in the current market have mastered the art of meeting the needs of their employees in a way that will make them remain motivated at work. The New Dubai Shopping Mall will need to find ways of satisfying their employees in order to retain them within the firm. Kuballa (2007) says that employee satisfaction can only exist when the employee feels that the management is taking care of his or her social, economic, and emotional needs. These three needs must always be fulfilled in order to achieve maximum employee satisfaction.

The first factor is meeting economic needs. The management of this firm has the responsibility of addressing the economic needs of its employees based on the agreement made when signing the contract. This involves good remuneration that is commensurate to the output of the employees. Many people always assume that good remuneration is the only factor that would define employee satisfaction within a given firm.

However, the truth is that it is just an important component of satisfaction. It is one of the factors that may make an employee move from one firm to the other. The management of this firm must be able to classify the employees based on their knowledge, skills, and importance to the organization. In the private sector, it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that its employees are properly remunerated based on their qualifications and relevance within the organization. This will help in meeting the needs of the employees, increasing their level of satisfaction, minimizing chances that they may consider moving to other firms.

Social needs form another important factor that must be considered when analyzing employee satisfaction. Good remunerations alone may not form the basis of employee satisfaction. It is important to ensure that the social needs of the employees are met. These social needs may vary because of a number of reasons. Gaurav (2013) describes an employee’s social needs as the necessities that should be met by the employer other than the financial benefits. This may be in the form of holidays, end of the year parties, or participation in sporting events. Employees may need some time to rest after a long period of work.

The management unit must ensure that the holidays for the employees are clearly defined so that none is subjected to an unnecessarily long period of work. The overtime should also be based on the choice of the employees. This means that the employee will be given the liberty to choose whether or not he or she will work the overtime. This will make them feel that their rights are protected and that the firm respects their freedom. Sometimes there may be a need for a sick-leave. As long as the management determines that the need for the leave is genuine, they should not be denied the opportunity.

The third factor is also as important as the two other factors, but it is always ignored by many employers, especially large organizations that have a large workforce. The emotional needs of the employees should be met adequately in order to ensure that they remain motivated in their work. The emotional need may come from various forms. One of the most common emotional tortures that an employer may subject the employee to is the constant pressure to achieve specific goals that are beyond the capacity of the employee. This is very common in cases where an employee is assigned a wrong task that does not reflect on his or her knowledge and skills.

For example, there are cases where a messenger is assigned clerical duties within a given firm. The messenger may not perform as well as the secretary in clerical works. When the manager demands output that is similar to that of a professional office secretary, the messenger will get stressed. This emotional torture may make the employee’s output slow down further, a fact that may raise criticism from the employer. This would lead to dissatisfaction of the employee.

Denying an employee a promotion that he or she deserves and considering a less deserving employee for that post may also constitute dissatisfaction. Constant criticism of the employees without offering solutions or giving positive guidance may also make employees dissatisfied in the workplace. Some managers often disregard these needs, making it difficult for the employees to enjoy the workplace environment. These are some of the fundamental areas that the management of this firm will need to focus on in order to ensure that its employees remain motivated.

Employee Engagement Strategy

Employee engagement has become one of the most important ways of maintaining employees within an organization and retaining them within a firm. Gaurav (2013) defines employee engagement as “The employee’ ability and willingness to contribute to organizational success, especially their willingness to give discretionary effort, going beyond what is typically required in their position to make the organization successful” (45). It is a situation where the employees feel that they are part of a firm and that they have the responsibility of going the extra mile in their work in order to ensure that they achieve success.

It involves making the employees develop a sense of belonging other than the feeling that they are just mere employees. This may not be a simple process because most of the employees always have the feeling that the only relationship between them and the firm is the salary they earn. At the New Dubai Shopping Mall, it is important to find the best employee engagement strategy that will make the employees more willing to give an extra effort in their respective tasks. The following framework shows the model that this firm will need to use in order to ensure that it has a successful employee engagement strategy.

*Figure 3: Employee Engagement Framework.*

In order to have effective employee engagement and retention in this firm, the first requirement will have a credible leadership. It is through the actions of the leadership that an employee will develop a sense of belonging within a firm. There is also a need to have supportive co-workers. The management will need to explain to all the employees that they have a role to play in making the working environment favorable for everyone. Job career satisfaction is another factor that defines employee engagement.

The management will need to make an effort to ensure that its employees are satisfied in their jobs as they seek to advance their careers. This will increase their commitments towards their assignments. According to Gaurav (2013), employees are always motivated to work in a high performing organization. The top management will need to ensure that the overall performance of this firm is above average. This will exert some positive pressure on the employees as they struggle to retain the good image of their firm.

Having a team of committed employees will also influence new employees to work extra hard in order to maintain the spirit of commitment. A high performing workforce will also improve employee engagement. It will create a positive competitive environment as the employees make an effort to be part of the winning team. Sometimes employee engagement is always achieved by having a productive and profitable organization.

Many people are happy to work in a successful organization that is highly profitable. They know that high profitability later translates to better remunerations. Finally, having satisfied and loyal customers also promotes employee engagement. When the employees are serving customers who are very positive about the products offered to them and the delivery method, a code is always created between the customers and the employees. This will always make the employees develop the urge to offer superior services to them.

Conclusion

Human resource planning is one of the most important tasks for a new firm that is planning to launch its operations in the market. The human resource unit must make an effort to ensure that it gets the right workforce that is highly motivated, qualified, and talented to work in various fields. The New Dubai Shopping Mall will need a proper employee recruitment strategy that would enable it to get the right workforce. From the discussion above, it is clear that there are a series of activities that this firm will need to engage in to ensure that the highly talented employees are retained within the firm. Retaining such talents is critical to ensuring that the firm is successful, especially when operating in a competitive industry such as the retail market.

Having the right workforce is one of the key components of attracting and retaining a stream of loyal customers. It is also explained that this firm will need an employee engagement strategy. This will help create a sense of belonging among the employees. It will make them feel part and parcel of the organization, a fact that will make them willing to make extra effort to ensure that the firm is successful.

References

Gaurav, K. (2013). Drivers of employee satisfaction and attrition. S.l.: Grin Verlag.

Griffeth, R. W., & Hom, P. W. (2001). Retaining valued employees. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.

Grigoroudis, E., & Siskos, Y. (2010). Customer satisfaction evaluation: Methods for measuring and implementing service quality. New York: Springer.

Hernon, P., & Whitman, J. R. (2000). Delivering satisfaction and service quality: A customer-based approach for libraries. Chicago: American Library Association.

Kronberg, I. (2011). Employee Satisfaction on Cruise Ships. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Kuballa, J. (2007). Employee satisfaction – A precondition for the economical success of service companies?. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Kusluvan, S. (2003). Managing employee attitudes and behaviors in the tourism and hospitality industry. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Lindenau-Stockfisch, V. (2011). Lean Management in Hospitals: Principles and Key Factors for Successful Implementation. Hamburg: Master Publishers.

McKeown, J. L. (2002). Retaining top employees. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Novikova, K. (2009). A study of customer satisfaction factors and employee satisfaction in the hospitality industry. New York: Cengage.

Starling, G. (2011). Managing the public sector. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

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