Harrods is a brand that is recognised all over the world. Its
Knightsbridge store has 1 million square feet of selling space with
over 330 different departments. Its global reputation and prestige
is instilled through its brand values. Brand values represent what
an organisation stands for. Harrods values are – British; Luxury;
Service; Innovation and Sensation.This case study demonstrates the integral role that Harrods’
employees play in upholding these brand values. People are a vital
resource of any organisation. In the retail industry, employees are
the public face of the company. They are responsible for interacting
daily with a variety of stakeholders, for example, customers, senior
managers and suppliers, to ensure the day-to-day running of the
business. Effective communication is essential for creating an
environment where employees and customers are satisfied.
Harrods has been in business for over 160 years. It employs 4000
employees with an additional 3,500 agency and concession
employees. In 2010 Qatar Holdings purchased Harrods from
Mohamed Al-Fayed. The new owners are strongly committed to all
of Harrods’ employees. They recognise that engaged employees are
essential to the continuing success of the business. Such employees
are likely to be happy and consistently high performers who want to
progress their careers with Harrods. Managing employee
relationships is the role of the Human Resources department.