CHAPTER 1 Managing Human Resources 27 the retailer discovered that these employees are particularly Gap created an internship program called This Way Ahead entry-level employees by 2025. TWA's creation and rollout (TWA). The program partners with local nonprofits that are also consistent with Old Navy's HR goal of creating provide training in basic job skills such as customer service, "a workplace culture that embraces diversity and inclusion time management, and communication. Participants get and treats every individual with dignity and respect," in the part-time jobs at Old Navy and other stores under the Gap words of Kisha Modica, Gap's senior director of diversity umbrella, where they can practice the skills they are learn- and inclusion. ing. Most of them go on to get an offer of a permanent job. Questions In your own words, briefly summarize the business well equipped for work in the stores. They tend to be enthu- problem facing The Gap and the effectiveness of This siastic about their jobs, and they stay with the company Way Ahead as a solution to the problem. twice as long as employees hired through other channels. 2. Suggest one or two ways Old Navy's HR department Some of them go on to college but continue to work part- could use data to measure the success of This Way time; some move up to management positions. An addi- Ahead in providing a source of talent. That is, what mea- tional benefit is that store managers who serve in the TWA sures would indicate success? program increase their skills in developing the employees Sources: "Old Navy Named One of the 2017 Best Workplaces for Diversity by who report to them. Great Place to Work and Fortune," news release, https://www.businesswire.com, Based on the success of This Way Ahead, Gap has December 5, 2017; Emily Bamforth. "Gap to Close 200 Gap. Banana Republic made it part of the company's strategy for talent acquisi- Stores, Focus on Old Navy and Athleta Brands." Cleveland.com, September 6, 2017. http://www.cleveland.com; Dori Meinert, "Is Your Workforce Ready?" HR tion. It uses the program to provide interns to 172 Old Navy Magazine, June/July 2017, pp. 42-48; Brian Sodoma, "A Running Start: How and other Gap-owned stores. Looking ahead, the com- Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic Help Teens and Young Adults Land That pany has set a goal to make TWA the source of 5% of its All-Important First Job." Forbes, September 12, 2016. https://www.forbes.com. MANAGING TALENT Old Navy's Talent Strategy Fills in Some This strategy for Old Navy requires low costs, even as a Gaps strong economy with falling unemployment rates is making jobs harder to fill. Retail jobs tend to be low-paying, and job Retailing is a difficult business, involving stiff competition applicants are not always well qualified. Worse, those who both online and off, along with fast-changing consumer do take jobs often quit. Therefore, a key business challenge preferences. So far, Old Navy is one of the winners. A divi- for Old Navy is to keep entry-level positions filled with qual- sion of The Gap, Old Navy has an attractive position in ified, motivated workers. the market, offering what it calls "democracy of style": low One solution to the need for talent started out as an prices on "American essentials," so that almost anyone can effort by Gap to address a social problem-the struggle afford them. As Gap closes hundreds of its Banana Repub- of teens, especially in poor neighborhoods, to land a job. lic and Gap locations, it is opening Old Navy and Athleta Teens who have never worked tend to lag behind the over- stores. all workforce for years afterward. To combat the