Organizational Culture In The Culture Of Southwest Airlines

People – One of the many things good about Southwest Airlines is that the kinds of people who are heroes of the organization are people who care and go out of their way to help the customers. They’re the ones who are celebrated and held up as shining examples. Additionally, high levels of satisfaction among employees can be attributed to Southwest employee policy. Happy employees can provide high quality service and bring more customers back. To reinforce the culture of hard work, high-energy, fun, local autonomy, and creativity, the company provided continuous education program to employees. If you can help someone out or brighten someone’s day, be it a co-worker or a passenger, you’re doing your job well.

Southwest has an organizational culture that emphasizes "LUV" and "FUN" which is aligned to the airlines business strategy creating an additional advantage. "LUV" refers to the company's core values of respect for individuality and genuine concern for others. "FUN" refers to the company's belief in employees enjoying themselves at work and creating an atmosphere, which allows customers to have fun. The word "Customer" is consistently capitalized in the company's corporate communications and practiced in its customer service performance.

Southwest Airlines is a major US airline established in 1967 that services a multitude of cities in all 50 states and beyond. The company is known for its outstanding quality in providing services and it 's cost effective ticket prices to its many passengers throughout the nation. This airline is based in the southwestern United States, in the city of Dallas Texas, and due to the tremendous number of airplanes that it has and the timely service that it provides to its passengers, this airline services more US passengers than any other airline. This airline also has the largest fleet of planes of any economical or low-cost airline service in the world and employees more than 45,000.

Southwest had an edge over its competitors because of its people and their people management. The culture practiced at Southwest ensured progress towards their primary goal of customer service and low cost. The HR programs at Southwest were based on the preserving the values and special culture of Southwest Airlines (SWA).

As the low-cost leader, Southwest spends an inordinate amount of time focusing on its mission, vision, culture, and goals. This concentration allows Southwest to rank as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for in America. The employee’s attitudes and efforts lead to fewer customer complaints and more on-time arrivals and departures.

Information systems development: AirTran uses Navitaire as reservations system vendor while Southwest uses Sabre to better accommodates international flights. Also, AirTran uses online travel agencies for ticket distribution while Southwest sells its tickets via telephone and its website.

Southwest Airlines' strong organizational culture is reflected in its mission statement "dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit" (Southwest, 2012). Southwest serves not only as a prime example of a company that excels in customer service and profitability, but as one that has utilized employee development as a means to meet these ends. Southwest makes a strong commitment to foster ongoing relationships with human resources. They demand that their employees are responsible members, however

Southwest Airlines is known as one of the most caring and considerate companies. Since 1971, Southwest Airlines has prided itself in their exemplary customer satisfaction and family like approach to customers. American Airlines excels in many areas, but the ones that will be discussed are emotional intelligence, and cultural organization. More often than not, developing these areas are easier said than done.

Organizations like the Southwest Airlines all have a culture, which demonstrates how the organization works and usually acts as its motivational tool. An organizational culture is important to the organization, as it is the major element in helping attain the organization's goals and objectives. Cultures in organizations are vast, with different organizations adopting their own type of culture. The examples of culture include; club cultures, where employees of the organization are assisted to fit into the culture. This is the most common type adopted by most organizations. There is also the academy culture, where the organization keeps its most skilled employees. The skills are developed by the company and an example of the organization that mostly uses this culture is the large corporations like the Southwest Airlines. The base team culture is designed to maintain high skilled employees, as these employees have great skills and can work for many other organizations. Other organizations have cultures that are highly discouraged, like the fortress culture, where employees hardly know their fate, and can be laid off any time. These organizations often undergo changes through reorganization, and only the specialized skilled people have chances for positions in the organization. Despite these many types of the cultures, management should ensure culture that is reputable, and

Southwest Airlines is one of the most successful airlines in the United States. There has never been layoffs or strikes in the history of the company, although there were several times when layoffs could have been justified, including the months following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. However, Southwest's Mission statement says “Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.” (Southwest, 1988). The Airline has always believed that their corporate culture is one of the keys to their success. The culture recognizes that employees have emotional intelligence and that their

Management highly believes that treating their employees well and making them loved their job will naturally lead them to treat customers warmly and courteously in return. In this regard, Southwest looks for fun loving and spirited people whose natural warmth and compassion contributes to superior customer service. This is the reason why Southwest particularly takes the pledge of hiring employees for “attitude” prior to “skills” as corroborates this quote from the former C.E.O Kelleher “At Southwest, our People are our greatest assets, which is why we devote so much time and energy to

Southwest has a great reputation of treating their passengers like family, often telling jokes and word games during the flights. Southwest also treats their employees very well, offering a wide range of perks and benefits. Southwest employees are routinely the highest paid in the industry.

Southwest Airlines: Culture, Values and Operating Practices (in Thompson, A. A., Strickland. A. J. and Gamble, J. (2005) Crafting and Executing Strategy (Fourteenth Edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, pages C-636– C-664).

Southwest Airlines encourages respect, innovation, a caring attitude and strives to adhere to all labor and employment laws which includes respecting privacy and equal opportunity. With a strong concern for avoiding corruption and avoiding anti-competitive behavior, they work hard to maintain accountability of all business practices. An example of this is the promotion of competition to provide consumers low air fares and a variety of high quality air service offerings across the US. This shows their devotion to the community they serve and maintains the company culture.

Southwest Airlines, a major airline company in the United States says there’s something they value more than its customers and that something, is their employees. Organizational structure is referred to the system of shared ideas, values, and beliefs which basically controls how employees behave in organizations. These shared ideas and values have a strong influence on the organization and its employees in the means of how they dress, act or even how they perform their jobs. Southwest Airlines is known for their organizational culture and this is also considered one of the key factors contributing to their success. However, it is very unusual to hear that a company will put their employee happiness above their customer satisfaction. Southwest Airlines lists the employees first, customers second and shareholders third. If the company treats the employees right, the employees will treat their customers right and this all results in increased profits which will make everyone happy including the shareholders. Southwest has created a culture that is fun, full of values and ideas which is to help employees to enjoy what they do and take pride in their jobs. The airline as well teaches and encourages the employees to put others first and show great customer