Outback Case

Discuss how the employee selection methods at Outback Steakhouse help the organization achieve a competitive advantage:

Since people are the competitive advantage to an organization's success, it is important to select the right candidate for the job based on the needs of each individual business. Outback Steakhouse has incorporated a precise selection process for hourly and management workers that will help hire and retain people to effectively run their organization. This selection process helps the organization achieve a competitive advantage because it allows Outback to recruit the applicant, assess their qualifications, then select the one(s) most qualified based on their business objective thus choosing workers who are willing to conform to the culture, vision, values and beliefs of Outback Steakhouse. It also allows them to employ people that understand (and carry out) the value of teamwork, accountability, kindness, and individual responsibility. I think the validating (test) potential new hires against existing Outbackers who have been successful in the company is a strategic way to find out if a person is a good fit and that along with the series of test that are given makes Outback a step above the average restaurant when it comes to the selection process of hourly and management workers. By capitalizing on the strength of their employees, Outback Steakhouse not only keeps their turnover low, they have gained a competitive advantage in the restaurant industry.

Discuss the importance of fit to Outback Steakhouse:

The individual match to the company's culture, principles and values is of great importance to Outback, and that is why they have a rigorous selection process that helps them carefully choose that right candidate for hourly and management workers. In the reading it tells us that a key to making Outback a great place to work is hiring the right people so the organizational based fit is very important to the success of carrying out the vision and mission of the company, keeping turnover low and retaining good leaders.

Evaluate Outback's selection process including the order of selection methods such that applicants first complete an application, then complete tests, and then participate in interviews:

Although we don't have access to all of selection process the steps given in the reading were: job preview, Dimension of Performance, application, testing and then the interview. This process is a little different from other restaurant selection process. For the most part, the application is filled out, if the company is interested in you, there is an interview and perhaps some test, then a call on when to start or no call at all but not at OS, there the process is different. With the turnover rate in the food service industry being as high as 300% (www.encylopdia.com), Outback Steakhouse