Aviation Workforce Management: Turnover and Motivation (TAL034-1)

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Assessment 2 – individual written report
Module name: Managing People in Aviation
Unit code: TAL034-1
Name:
Student number:
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Explain why businesses might have high turnover rates, and provide up-to-date examples from
aviation practice...............................................................................................................................4
3. Examine what aviation businesses could do to improve the motivation of their workforce,
ensuring suggestions is cost-effective and realistic, within the context of relevant theory. Provide
up-to-date examples from aviation practice....................................................................................6
4. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................8
Reference List..................................................................................................................................9
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1. Introduction
The aviation industry has been subjected to high employee turnover rates in the recant years.
This has had a negative impact on the growth of the aviation industry. The organizational
performance of the industry is further affected. The report will provide an understanding on the
different methods that could be utilised to comprehend the reason behind the high turnover rates
prevalent in the aviation industry. According to the financial and civil aviation reports, the
aviation industry has witnessed an employee turnover of 33.4 billion Euros in the year 2015.
Therefore, the study will shed light on the factors that are accountable for the high turnover rates
in the recent years. It will also provide an analysis on the cost- effective measures that could be
utilised for the growth of the aviation industry.
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2. Explain why businesses might have high turnover rates, and provide up-to-date
examples from aviation practice
Reasons for High employee turnover rates in business industries
The term high turnover rates implicates the rate of the replacement of employees by the human
resource managers working for the company. There are a number of reasons shed light on the
main reason for high employee turnover rates in industries. The aviation industry has been
subjected to such practices in the last few years. The main reason behind high employee turnover
rates are due to recruitment of employees that are not focused on having long term plans for the
industry. These entry-level employees are hired for the improvement and productivity in
business. The low level of self-esteem and perseverance portrayed by these employees has a
negative impact on the productivity of the business. The HR managers replace these employees
to maintain the productivity of their companies. In the words of Shehada (2015), employee
turnovers have witnessed an increase in the business industries due to hiring of employees with
the provision of minimal wage. The employees working in the aviation are subjected to less
appreciation and have an impact on the growth of company standards. The poor management is a
factor that has an impact on the productivity of the employees. The employees working for the
aviation industry are subjected to staggered shifts that give rise to health issues.
The other reasons that are prevalent for the growth of the employee turnover in the aviation
industries are due to better opportunities from other better aviation industries. The mode of better
payment options can also affect the staff turnover rate in the industries. The company might lose
its employees due to poor management techniques. As stated by Ec.europa.eu. (2019), the
working conditions and lack of training and practices have an impact on the increase in the
turnover rates of the employees working for the company. According to extensive statistical
reports, there has been decrease staff due to the clash of ideas between younger generation staff
and older generation staffing. The US airline industry has accounted an increase in the industry
by 17.7 percent. This has been mainly due to a decrease in the salary and low safety issues for
women. There were a total record of higher employee turnover rate in the case of women that
were subjected to stress emotional turmoil and unsafe working hours. The employee turnover in
the case of women employees were subjected to 15% when compared to men that accounted to
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9%. The year 2013 experienced a huge turnover rate in the airline industry by 11% (Statista.com,
2018).
The proper understanding of the employees and catering to their needs is vital for the growth of
the company. There are real life examples that portray the ill service received by the company
employees. This also influences the rate of resentment in the employees unable to cater to the
growth of the business. Hence, with the changes in the working patterns and business conditions,
the companies are unable to cope with newer modes of transportation practices that are prevalent
in the industry. Hence, this has a damaging impact on the growth in the employees working for
the industry.
Employee turnover rates in the Aviation industry
The US airlines industry has witnessed a huge employee and staff turnover rates in the field of its
operations. The low freight service provider Ryanair subjected to a loss in its employees with
around 700 employees that left vacant their position due to the ineffective practises by the
employers of the company. According to Davies (2017), the company was struck under perjury
when it did not cater to the improvement in the employment section. This resulted in a dispute in
the cabin and led to the staff turnover of the industry. Similarly, airline companies such as Jet
Airways have also witnessed a decrease in its demands due to the salary cuts of the employees.
This led to resentment and lesser growth in the working conditions of the industry.
Figure 1: Loss acquired by Airline industries due to employee turnover
(Source: Erkmen, 2015)
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3. Examine what aviation businesses could do to improve the motivation of their workforce,
ensuring suggestions is cost-effective and realistic, within the context of relevant theory.
Provide up-to-date examples from aviation practice
The aviation industry has faced a severe downfall due to its high turnover rate. It has become
crucial to retain the employees in the aviation sector by improving their job satisfaction and
motivation for the viability of the business. Companies engaged in the sector can adopt theory
such as Herzberg two factor theories. As per this theory, job satisfaction depends on two factors,
which are termed as motivators, and hygiene factors. Aviation industry can improve the
motivation of its workforce using the motivating factors, which are as follows:-
 Achievement- It should recognize the achievements of its employees. It can be done
through appraisal, promotion, and celebration of achievement.
 Recognition- It should attempt to improve the quality of its performance, as it would help
the employees get recognition as personnel of a reputed company. It should arrange for
functions for rewarding employees for their performance, helping them be recognized for
their contribution to the business.
 The job itself- The industry should attempt to improve the condition of the job i.e. the
timing, flexibility, and condition of the work. If the job to be performed is safe and is to
be done in a healthy environment, job satisfaction among the employees would improve.
 Responsibility- The employees feel motivated when they are trusted with responsibilities
and given the flexibility to execute their task. The industry can improve the same by
letting their personnel work according to the circumstances rather than providing them
with a rigid structure.
 Advancement- The aviation industry must arrange for the growth and development of its
employees. It could be done by expanding their area of operation or giving them enough
opportunity to be promoted within the same structure.
The industry can also work to improve its hygiene factors as they hampers the job satisfaction of
employees leading to high turnover, thus addressing them is must for the improvement of the
sector.
 Institutional politics- The industry must focus on eliminating politics within an
organizational structure. It can do so by attempting to promote equality, assigning task
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through a centralised system, fixing a particular supervisor for a group of personnel,
making employees familiar with the proper chain of command.
 Management approach- The industry must focus on improving its managerial approach. It
can be done by promoting a healthy relationship among employees by creating a friendly
work environment. It should focus on taking the input of employees before taking any
crucial decision.
 Supervision- It must ensure that the employees are not overburdened with work and the
management is following the airline regulation for handling the personnel
 Pay- The industry must strive to provide its personnel with a good pay scale as per the
market standard. It should attempt to expand the industry by introducing new channels of
airlines or increasing the number of in-route flights so that it would lead to the growth in
the profitability of the sector thereby leading to increase in the pay of the employees.
 Work-condition- The management of the industry must ensure a healthy and safe work
environment for its personnel. It must attempt to reduce the number of accidents by
equipping the flights with all the necessary safety equipment. It should provide the
personnel with a healthy work-life balance by ensuring that the number of flying hours
does not exceed the set limit, minimizing the number of layovers, Arranging for good
facilities while laying over etc.
The aviation industry that has followed the utilization of these theories and models has witnessed
an improvement in the growth of the profits for the industry. There has been improvement in the
Ryanair and Jet Airways with the initiation of these expert services for the growth of the
industry. The aviation company Jet Airways have also maintained the safety of the employees
and catered to their growth in the improvement of the industry. There have been good
management systems in a number of aviation industries. Hence, the companies have acquired a
better understanding of the operations that are prevalent in the industries. Hence, this has
improved the working conditions of the company and catered to its growth and productivity in
the organization to produce better and effective results.
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4. Conclusion
The report has provided an effective understanding on the management and leadership styles that
should be adopted by the aviation industry. With proper management styles, the company will be
able to acquire and retain employees working for the growth of the industry. There report has
elucidated the practical and real life examples from Ryanair and Jet Airways to show and portray
the ill effects of a proper and effective management system. Hence, it has made the utilization of
managerial strategies that have a better impact on the growth and efficiency of the aviation
industry. Undertaking a precise management has been enraptured for retaining the number of
working employees in the company.
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Reference List
Davies, R. (2017). Ryanair staff brand company a 'disgrace' over handling of issues. [online] the
Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/22/ryanair-pilots-
michael-oleary-cancellations [Accessed 7 Jan. 2019].
Erkmen, E. and Hancer, M., 2015. Linking brand commitment and brand citizenship behaviors
of airline employees:“The role of trust”. Journal of Air Transport Management, 42, pp.47-54.
europa.eu, 2018. Study on employment and working conditions in air transport and airports
[Online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/modes/air/studies/doc/
2015-10-employment-and-working-conditions-in-air-transport-and-airports.pdf [Accessed 7 Jan.
2019].
Shehada, M., 2015. Flight attendants turnover, length of service, and reasons for leaving, 2009-
2013. International Journal of Management and Commerce Innovations, 2(2), pp.355-364.
Statista.com, 2018. ANA Holdings: employee numbers 2018 | Statistic. [online] Statista.
Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/798756/ana-holdings-employee-numbers
[Accessed 7 Jan. 2019]
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