Video Tip: Hard Rock’s Human Resource Strategy

Filming the whole series of 7 Hard Rock videos was a really interesting experience. First, it is such an unusual company–the 8th most-recognized brand name in the world: with  food ostensibly as its product–but in reality it is an experience-based product of rock n’ roll, memorabilia, exciting/unusual staff, popular gifts, and finally the meal.

What was the biggest eye opener, though, was not seeing one employee–from CEO on down–ever dressed in coat and tie. And that is what makes this particular video fun to show in class (as part of Ch.10, or just to close out the semester). What other company (prior to the recession, of course) had minimal turnover, allowed employees to have pink hair, body piercings galore, and multiple tatoos? And who else offers every employee a Rolex watch to celebrate their 10 year anniversary? What a strange contrast to the so clean-cut image of our other major employer in Orlando, namely Disneyworld!

This video is very reassuring to undergrads who see themselves as non-conformist, and hope there is some place in the wide world of business in which they can make a home. It is easy to generate good classroom discussion with students who have had work experience in normal restaurants, sharing impressions of the differences.