Jetblue Airways: New Type of Airlines Start-Up

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Relying on all external strategies taken by JetBlue, it got net profits just in six months from beginning. The on-time record is 80%, 6% higher than 10 largest U.S. airlines’ records, and only 0.0006% complaint rate compared to industry average of 0.00299%. However, success during the start-up period is not enough and secured to continue performing excellently. To be successful internal human resources is another significant issue that JetBlue had solved. JetBlue build up a free, both in union and rules, and caring working environment for human resources.

At first, Ann Rhoades, Executive Vice President for People, define JetBlue’s values, which guide and judge all activities of JetBlue. It is the basis of development of human resources polices and management style. The five values of JetBlue are safety, caring, integrity, fun, and passion. By describing how the values drive activities in specific behavior terms, Rhoades succeeded making sure employees in correct ways while she gave them lots of autonomy which means employees’ works were just modified to fit values rather than controlled by rules and supervision.

The next a non-union environment was established. Compared to most American airlines with highly unionization, JetBlue’s decision of non-union indicated a team environment, much more free and positive than union environment.

For practicing human resources and caring environment, JetBlue delivered customized pay and benefit packages that met or exceeded the industry standard. Three different options, one-year contract; job-sharing contract; and full-time contract, with different levels of benefits were available to flight attendants. Other similar customized compensation packages are accessed for other types of jobs such service workers and reservation agents. The main idea is employees those who spent more time on working can earn more benefits. Different levels of customized benefits with more variation would reduce the likelihood that JetBlue employees would want union representation.

Selecting right people is another measures JetBlue take. The five values of JetBlue are highest orientation of its targeted selection process to identity employees who fitted to the company. For instance, JetBlue were not only looking for a pilots with high comfort level of computers. It also wanted employees fitting for company’s culture. Other human resources practices such as improving communication in company and watching out the power of language are also very important.

By using such measures in human resources, JetBlue succeed improving employees’ loyalty the basis of high productivity.