using the background information i have provided please Develop a formal talent philosophy and an HR strategy. Develop a specific staffing strategy for PIP facilities/maintenancr associates. in addition to developing a formal talent philosophy HR strategy and specific staffing strategy you also need to explain how PIP should address each of the nine strategic staffing decisions listed in table 2-6 for the Facilities/maintenance associate position, and justify your reasoning

Background Information on Pleasure Island Properties (PIP) Pleasure Island Properties (PIP) began in 1957 in Gulf Shores, Alabama as a real estate company. In the 1980s, the company began developing condominium properties. These properties are known as condotels. Each building consists of condominiums that are owned by individuals, but most are rented to "snowbirds" (retired senior citizens from cooler states) in winter months and vacationers (usually families with children) during other times of the year. PIP manages each property by allowing owners who rent their units to pay a monthly management fee. This fee includes listing the vacation rental, providing housekeeping services for the unit, making necessary repairs in the unit(e.g., air conditioning, bathtub drain), taking payments, and checking in guests at a front desk. The front desk and housekeeping services make the condominium units more desirable because they offer the amenities of a hotel with the space and independence of a condominium residence. PIP also supports owners who do not wish to rent their units. Deliveries and services can be managed through the front desk, repairs to the outside of units can be ordered through maintenance, etc. A portion of the monthly Homeowners' Association dues pays for PIP management of the properties. Owners also have the option of paying a monthly maintenance fee beyond the monthly Homeowner's Association dues that covers the cost for PIP employees to check/change furnace filters inside the unit, replace smoke detector batteries, repair paint problems, fix broken closet doors, and take care of any other problems. PIP developed 21 properties in coastal Alabama (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach). Most of the properties are located on Perdido Beach Blvd. and they face the Gulf of Mexico (i.e.. beachfront). Several are located on bays and the intracoastal waterways. Each building averages 175 condominium units per building (some are larger and some are smaller). PIP has a centrally located office, where HR functions take place. PIP provides housekeeping services for each building, front desks and guest services in each building a full-service facilities/maintenance department, and property security. The company owns the properties and common areas, but the condominium units themselves - defined as the space within the walls, floors, and ceilings - are owned by individuals. This application deals only with the PIP Resort Management Company that manages these condotels and surrounding property (including pools, parking lots, etc.). The PIP Resort Management Company is a division of the PIP Company. The project does not include other businesses within the PIP Company, such as new development, construction, residential real estate sales, or commercial real estate sales. The Pleasure Island properties include (per building): At least 1 outdoor pool At least 1 indoor pool 1 game room . 1 . . Racquetball courts At least 2 indoor spas/hot tubs At least 1 sauna At least 4 barbecue areas Boardwalks fully furnished lobbies with seating areas, tables and chairs, wet bars (serving complimentary coffee and doughnuts), and televisions Exercise rooms with cardio and weight equipment At least 1 meeting/reception room per building (for corporate events, weddings, etc.) At least 4 elevators per building Parking lots to accommodate 1 car for all units, and an additional car for large units (3 bedroom units) . Visitors/guests (i.e, non-owners) must pay for daily parking at the front desks. (Parking for owners is paid for through monthly homeowners dues). A separate beach service provides beach furniture rentals. Payments to the beach service are accepted by PIP employees at the front desk/guest relations of each property. Access to the properties is restricted. Each car must stop at a gatehouse and the driver shows a parking pass (owner or visitor/guest) to the security officer stationed in the gatehouse in order to enter. Check-in is 4:00 pm and check-out is 10:00 am. Special arrangements (eg. early check-in or late check-out) can be made with approval from the Resort Manager. 2 Organizational Chart Following is the organizational chart for the Pleasure Island properties: Resort Manager Facilities/ Maintenance Manager Housekeeping Manager Security Associate Front Desk Associate Facilities / Maintenance Associate Housekeeping Associate Following are brief descriptions of the jobs listed in the organizational chart. Please refer to the job descriptions for more details. The Resort Managers act as the general managers of each property/resort. They are responsible for managing the operations for the resort, managing budgets, and raising resort-related issues within the PIP Company. For example, the resort Homeowners Association recently requested that a fence be placed around the pool area for each building to decrease insurance costs. One of the Resort Managers, who attended the Homeowners Association's meetings, raised this concern with the PIP top management. PIP paid for the installation of the fencing for each property as a means for decreasing Homeowners Association dues, increasing the safety for guests, and increasing the marketability of the properties for vacation rentals. A Resort Manager is always on duty (day shift, evening shift, night shift); thus, the company must have shifts assigned to each property. 3 Front Desk/Guest Associates check in and check out guests, accept deliveries for owners, manage payments for parking, manage payments for services (eg.condo rental, beach services), schedule pest control and outside vendors, communicate with guests and owners as needed (e.g. messages), and ensure that all guest needs are addressed (eg. calls maintenance, calls housekeeping provides information to guests about area's attractions, arranges for baby cribs, etc.). Front Desk/Guest Associates also are responsible for posting and managing vacation rentals photos and listings online; they market vacation rentals online and with current guests. They work with owners to ensure that all condos meet minimum rental specifications, such as having large modern entertainment systems, newer bedding, no worn spots in carpets, modern furnishings, fully functioning appliances, etc. Front Desk/Guest Associates report directly to the Resort Manager. This direct reporting relationship ensures consistency across buildings in terms of how each is managed day to day. Note that these employees work in various locations throughout each property, not just the front desk. The PIP Resort Management Company employs its own facilities/maintenance, housekeeping and security employees. It does not lease these employees or use a third party for obtaining these services. The founders of the company feel strongly that the only type of company that can provide "over the top service is one in which the employees are treated well. Facilities/Maintenance and Housekeeping departments both are quite large. Thus, each Pleasure Island building has assigned to it a Housekeeping Manager and a Facilities/Maintenance Manager seven days per week. Both jobs report to the Resort Manager. The Facilities/Maintenance Managers and Housekeeping Managers must address property needs, schedule their staff members for shifts, and assign staff members to jobs based on their skills. They also are responsible for performance appraisals, working with HR to hire new staff members, addressing guest/owner issues, managing workloads, and other tasks common to first-line managerial jobs. The Facilities / Maintenance Manager assigns Facilities / Maintenance Associates to tasks that are needed for building upkeep and repair. These tasks include custodial tasks of the common areas (eg, emptying trash cans at the pool area, hosing sand off the boardwalk, cleaning and buffing hallways for each floor), as well as specific repairs, such as repairing drywall after a leak, repairing bathtub or sink drains, addressing plumbing issues, making basic HVAC repairs, weather stripping doors, repairing doors in a unit, painting, etc. Housekeepers (known as Housekeeping Associates) report to the Housekeeping Manager. Housekeeping Associates are responsible for cleaning condominiums before guests arrive and after guests leave. They collect soiled laundry and provide clean linens. Housekeeping Associates restock condo units with toiletry items such as soap, as well as small quantities of dishwasher and laundry detergents. Housekeeping Associates inspect each unit after guests check out and report damage to their manager. Housekeeping Associates clean common areas, such as the sauna, the exercise room, and the restrooms located in common areas. Owners may pay a housekeeping fee, even when not renting their unit, for regular housekeeping services (e.g., twice per month). PIP maintains a full security staff. Security Associates report directly to the Resort Manager. They are responsible for issuing temporary parking passes at the entry gatehouse and denying entry to individuals not staying at the properties. They issue parking tickets and arrange for towing of vehicles that have been ticketed and still are not displaying a valid parking pass. They also respond to disorderly behavior on site and attempt to remedy guest complaints. They monitor common areas, such as the pool area, for violations of rules, such as having glass containers, and they enforce rules. They are occasionally called to the beach area for disputes between guests; they work with the guests to resolve these issues. They accompany realtors or other non-owners or non- guests into individual condominiums to ensure owner/guest safety and to ensure that no damage is done to units, Company Culture and Values Pleasure Island Properties is the product of a partnership between Jack Jones and Elvin McGowan. Jack Jones and Elvin McGowan were friends from the first grade of elementary school. They grew up in Gulf Shores, AL and have strong ties to the community. Mr. Jones graduated from Auburn University and Mr. McGowan graduated from the University of Alabama. Despite their allegiance to rival universities, the two friends returned to Gulf Shores and began their real estate company. Both founders envisioned developing a company that would preserve the beauty of the Gulf Coast. They wanted to share their slice of Alabama paradise with others; thus, they began developing condotels so that guests could come to the Alabama Coast and "own" a place at the beach for a week or two. Mr. Jones and Mr. McGowan realized that Florida's beaches are well known and more likely to be visited than those in Alabama. They decided to offer exceptional guest service as a means of generating a loyal guest base. They hoped that families would make the AL Gulf Coast their destination for generations, and that they would choose to stay in the same properties again and again. Exceptional guest service isn't just a ploy for Mr. Jones and Mr. McGowan. They firmly believe that their staff members should be treated as family, and that you only can get the best work from employees who feel valued and respected. As such, they try to staff so that they do not have to layoff employees; additionally, the extra employees during high season (summer) often are local high school or college students who return summer after summer to work for PIP. Full-time employees receive pay that is slightly higher than market and they enjoy competitive benefits packages. Employees have the option of being promoted within the PIP organization, such as moving into other PIP divisions (eg, development, construction, sales). PIP provides extensive training of staff members in customer service, as well as the opportunity to learn new skills that are job-relevant. 5 The values of the company stem from Jones' and McGowan's own values. They value hard work, integrity, and respect. They expect that all associates (what staff members are called) will do their very best work and will go above and beyond the call of duty to please guests and owners. They expect their associates not to steal or lie, and to make ethical decisions. They expect associates to treat others (guests, owners, other employees) with respect and to treat them as they would treat their own family members. Because of their desire to treat employees as family, they expect employees to work as one big team to help satisfy guests; they encourage employees to help each other when needed. The PIP mantra of excellent guest service seems to be working, at least in terms of guest retention. A recent guest survey found that 90% of respondents were "extremely satisfied" or "satisfied with their overall vacation experience. Approximately 85% said they would vacation at the Pleasure Island properties again, even with increasing competition in the area (other properties are being built with more modern amenities, such as lazy rivers). Of those who said they would vacation at Pleasure Island again, 84% indicated it was because of the excellent guest service they received. One survey respondent commented, "When we had a problem with our dryer not working. Jim at the front desk immediately sent up Patrick to fix it. Patrick was so respectful . He quietly repaired the dryer and was in and out of our unit within 15 minutes. He even gave us some tips on local places to eat that would be fun for our kids. He turned an inconvenience into a good experience." Three-quarters of respondents (75%) indicated that their PIP vacation was a "good value." Note that these results represent only the surveys that were returned. The response rate for the survey was 43% Initiatives Relating to Serving Customers and Guests Before the start of the next high season (May 2022), the Resort has set goals for servicing customers and guests. The Resort has set as the highest priority: "Deliver world class customer service." To support this goal, the Resort is committed to "hire to a stronger paradigm, train to an uplifted standard, and streamline policies to be more efficient to facilitate a higher quality of care and service to our guests." Associate Retention PIP tries to staff so that associates are not laid off during slower times. The Pleasure Island properties are popular with the snowbirds in the winter months and PIP relies on the retention of these guests to stay fully staffed. A few more associates are hired for busy summer months, but these extra associates generally are students who plan to return to school in the fall. PIP has never had a layoff in their Resort Management division. Associate retention has been strong for Front Desk and Facilities/Maintenance in the past. However, COVID, the favorable job market, and the development of newer properties with more amenities is making retention a concern for all jobs at Pleasure Island properties. Some resort managers have complained that they feel they are training their guest 6 associates to take jobs at other companies. In addition, retention of Housekeeping and Security Associates is a going concern. Many of the Security Associates who leave say they love working for PIP, but that their heart lies in law enforcement and they would prefer to work for a police department. In Spring 2021, PIP passed a "special assessment" fee to owners to help increase the pay for Security Associates. So far, this has helped retention Housekeeping turnover increased sharply when many of the local residents who emigrated from Mexico left Alabama. In addition, many housekeeping associates turnover without "routing out"; that is, they just stop showing up. PIP Resort Management Company has struggled to hire and retain Security Associates and Housekeeping Associates. Now their troubles extend to retaining facilities and guest services associates, 2 jobs with historically lower turnover. To compound its concerns, management expects that many of its experienced Facilities/ Maintenance Associates and Guest Service Associates plan to retire. Many of these retirements seem to be premature due to COVID concerns. These experienced associates know the resort properties well; the average tenure at the Pleasure Island properties for Facilities / Maintenance Associates is 12 years and Guest Services is 8 years, although these associates generally work at a number of different properties within PIP. HR Challenges The BP spill depressed business for PIP through spring 2012. Summer 2012 bounced back, with many of the regular visitors returning. By summer 2013, business was better than expected, and visits actually exceeded pre-spill visits. Most units in Pleasure Island properties were occupied at or above 85% of the bookable dates. Summer 2014 through 2018 resulted in a record number of visits and stays in Orange Beach and at PIP properties. The summer of 2019 saw a decline; although bookings were high, the properties were not full capacity except for the July 4 holiday. Summer of 2020 had a number of cancellations due to COVID-19, despite the Resort reassuring visitors about cleanliness and that Lower Alabama was "open for business." Summer 2021 saw record-breaking visits; visitors seemed tired of the pandemic and made up for their quarantine by visiting the AL coast in record numbers and spending far above their average amount). Although people who return guest satisfaction surveys seem positive (mentioned earlier in case). TripAdvisor ratings decreased in 2019, 2020, and 2021from previous ratings: visitors indicated that they had trouble with Guest Service Associates at check-in (e.g. confusion over paperwork, billing issues), and that they did not have staff respond to their needs as quickly. They commented that some Guest Relations Associates "didn't seem to know what they were doing" and "didn't show the courtesy that we expected, given how much we paid." Those who called facilities/maintenance for service reported that they had to wait longer than they wanted and that the facilities employees seemed "harried" and "rushed." Many guest complaints related to wait times, surly staff, and problems due to hurried workers or inadequate staffing (e.g., unclean bathrooms, faulty appliances). 7 The large number of visitors to Alabama beaches has resulted in discussions among politicians of improving infrastructure to support the Gulf beaches. Additional restaurants and businesses have been developed along Perdido Beach Blvd. It seems that business is there to stay. However, this also means that there is more competition for people looking for quality accommodations. New resorts are shinier, more posh, and have more amenities, although Pleasure Island beaches still have more space buildings have fewer units, so there is more space on the beach for visitors). The increase in visitors and the potential for higher occupancy means that PIP will need to increase its staff in the following areas: maintenance/facilities, housekeeping, security, and front desk. The properties will keep the same number of resort managers but will need to increase FTES (full time equivalents) in all other jobs. With more visits comes more work However, PIP needs to make sure that it can capture its share of these visitors. Voluntary turnover is relatively high among Security Associates and Housekeeping Associates (as mentioned earlier in the case). Turnover is increasing significantly for Guest Services Associates and Facilities/Maintenance (you might remember the high turnover from Application 1). Unfortunately, this turnover results in higher training costs and total costs to help integrate new associates into the culture and to help them develop the knowledge and skills to deliver world class service to guests and customers. 8