Reference no: EM132168510

Question: Boeing's High-Flying Approach to HR Planning and Recruitment

As the world's biggest aerospace company, Boeing is well acquainted with the industry's major human resource challenge: identifying, attracting, and keeping enough skilled workers. Across manufacturing, the demand for engineers is intense, but it is especially so in aerospace. Engineers flocked to aerospace companies during the space race, but more recently, Internet companies are the main attraction. Consequently, the average age for aeronautical engineers is 47, compared with 42 for U.S. workers overall. In other words, many are approaching retirement. Compounding the problem, Boeing is in the defense business, so it faces legal limits on the number of non-U.S. citizens it may hire. To meet the challenge, Boeing has dedicated years to establishing a systematic approach to talent management linked to strategy. The system begins with the establishment of priorities. HR executives talk to business leaders about anticipated workforce needs. They divide the workforce into segments and identify which are most critical to success and where the current skills of the workforce do not meet those critical needs. They use predictive models to forecast business trends and workforce demographics. They analyze all this information to identify the changes needed to fill in the gaps in Boeing's workforce. Then, to apply the results of this analysis, Boeing's HR team plans how to make the necessary changes through a combination of three tactics: promotions within the company, transfers of employees into positions where they can be developed to meet future needs, and recruitment of employees outside Boeing. A key aspect of recruitment is reaching out to entry level engineers on college and university campuses. Boeing has intensified these efforts and is matching other companies' practice of making job offers earlier during students' senior years. During recruitment, students interview with several different managers and tour company facilities, so they understand the company and its culture and opportunities. Then, to ensure that the reality of working for Boeing lives up to the image portrayed during recruitment, Boeing has a workforce development program that plans career growth opportunities as carefully as the company plans hiring. Recruiting efforts alone cannot meet Boeing's needs unless schools are preparing individuals for technology-related jobs. Therefore, Boeing also enters into partnerships with schools. As analysis of workforce needs uncovers important emerging skills, Boeing helps school leaders plan how to teach those skills. Supporting university research projects bolsters the company's innovative image on campus. Boeing has also set up a Higher Education Integration Board, which identifies needs for continuing education, evaluates the quality of employees hired from specific schools, and sets strategy for future recruiting and research efforts.

The written case analysis should be typed, double spaced, and 2 pages or more in length. The written case analysis requirements are as follows:

1. Identify and analyze the problems and/or issues in the case.

2. Describe and analyze multiple alternative solutions to problems and/or issues in the case. From the alternative solutions pick the one you think will most address the problems and/or issues in the case and describe how you would implement the solution.