Employee Health and Safety Analysis: Etihad Airways HRM313 Project

This project examines employee health and safety within Etihad Airways, focusing on the company's commitment to a safe and healthy work environment for its employees, especially cabin crew. The study reviews literature on workplace safety, fitness-to-fly standards, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an overview of Etihad Airways, analyzing its HR function, including safety measures, employee health insurance, and accident prevention strategies. The project also includes interviews with key personnel, such as the Chief Operations Officer and the Human Resource Manager, to understand the company's health and safety protocols. The project concludes with recommendations for enhancing employee safety and health, emphasizing the importance of a safe working environment for overall company success and highlighting the need for regular safety training and adherence to safety regulations. This project also discusses the importance of considering employee safety and health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HRM313 – Fall (20/21)
Group project
Employee Health and Safety
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Table of Contents
Introduction:
Objective and important of the study:
Literature review:
Company overview & background:
Analysis of the HR function:
Evaluation of effectiveness of the HR functinon:
Recommendations:
Conclusion:
Refrences:
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Introduction
Aircrew fitness-to-fly is one of the factors that contribute to aviation's reputation as the safest
mode of long-distance travel. Cabin crew health is an important factor in performing safety-
related tasks. ‘Fitness-to-fly' is linked to specific workplace conditions, for which airlines have a
legal obligation to assure employee fitness. The COVID-19 epidemic has brought attention to the
need for a greater understanding of fitness-to-fly standards. Self-reported data is used heavily in
fitness-to-fly assessments, hence there is a need for a ‘safety' factor for self-reports. Pandemics
should be included in aeromedical evaluations as part of the entire risk of aircraft operations,
rather than only achieving medical criteria.
objective and importance of the study
Etihad Airways is the second-biggest carrier in the UAE after Emirates. They have been a central
part in the flying business in UAE for a long time now, and their essential greatness to coordinate
with the necessities of their partners has caused them to support their business for quite a long
time continually keeping watch to change its procedure to guarantee their business is beneficial.
This makes Etihad Airways an exceptionally worthwhile alternative for financial backers as a
result of the mindset of the association to stay productive with consistent changes to their
hierarchical methodology.
The objective and in-general aspiration of Etihad Airways is to be the best carrier on the planet.
The carrier was made to be a beneficial and monetarily reasonable business, and to help financial
turn of events, enhancement in Abu Dhabi and the accomplishment of its 2030 arrangement. By
understanding its objectives, Etihad will convey genuine worth to its investors, visitors, staff and
the networks in which it works
The Board stretched out a command to approaching Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, on
his arrangement in September 2006.
Etihad has a solid structure for morals and manageability maintained by: - •) Ethics line for
witnesses. •) Elaborate Code of Conduct. •) Sustainability plan for Ensuring social, Financial and
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Environmental maintainability over our associations. Etihad's Code of Conduct States that, "We
Take Great Pride in the variety of our workforce at EAG. We Respect our Cultural and Religious
differences and set forth a brave work to make our working environment free from badgering
and separation." Anyway, no ladies part on the Board Evidence non-execution of this Policy in
substance. There could be clear unfair limitation for ladies' workers and separation dependent on
sex. Disregarding the way that sex variety isn't told by law as of right now for the nation,
regardless, note that morals start where the law ends. Thusly needful portrayal of ladies’ chiefs is
required on the Board to show others how it's done and Justify the Market Leader Position.
Moreover, the Code of Conduct should evidently state systems on sex variety and lady’s
empowerment.
The techniques applied by the HRM division of Etihad Airways are the Performance Appraisal
System upgrade execution the board and profession support, the utilization of the advanced
innovation devices to help HRM structure, zeroing in on worker's ability improvement, vocation
movement and execution the executives. The use of the Total Quality Management to HRM
rehearses is considered to address clients’ issues to be cutthroat.
The aftereffects of the meeting have clarified the variables inspiring the representatives at Etihad
Airlines’ preparations and advancement, worker's acknowledgment, high serious compensation
remuneration, protected and sound working conditions.
So, we choose Etihad airways because this local organization received a sweep of awards, being
named the ‘World’s Leading Airline 2019’, ‘World's Leading Airline - Customer Experience
2019’, ‘World's Leading Airline Inflight Entertainment 2019’ and ‘World's Leading Excellence
Inflight Service 2019. Etihad Airways is the leader aircraft brand of Abu Dhabi with its great
marking and perceivability, and it has effectively supported numerous occasions. Etihad Airways
has zeroed in on quality client assistance, in-flight theater setups and elite parlors, and we feel
impressed that the company has more than 20000+ employees.
Literature review
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Asumeng et al (2015) The occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) is controlling
work environment safety for most mangers in private areas in US. including private companies
that follow safety guide from public institutions such as, managing safety and health in aviation
administration. Occupational safety and health principle including hardware safety navigation
the dangers and preparing programs. It additionally examining worksites and worker grumblings.
Caskey and Ozel, (2017) Organization motivators for safety come from the expenses of
administrative rebelliousness, like suit, laborers' remuneration charges, and pay requests, and
from the effect of safety on future incomes, financial backer/public discernments, and the
capacity to draw in and hold gifted representatives. OSHA upholds safety guidelines by making
customary reviews and examining specialist grievances. Punishments for rebelliousness range
from references and fines, which will in general be little, to prison time and court-requested
closure for outrageous infringement. Injury/sickness recurrence and seriousness is likewise
utilized as a vital contribution to the estimation of laborers' remuneration protection expenses.
Jermsittiparsert et al (2019) Furthermore, organizations can face wage differentials the
representative for injury and illness hazard. Also, injuries effect the institution negatively and
lead to loss. As safety recorded document is prequalification condition of maintain safety
standards.
Liu et al (2020) working environment safety can impact on associations reasonable worth
through it impact on open and financial backer discernments. repeated injuries and illness are
related to functional dangers as well as the probability of harmful accidents. Backers want to
know about safety environment on workplace after the big accidents that took attention on
media. Relatedly, we found that high rated institutions are that have social obligation and safety.
Tanha et al (2021) Working environment safety additionally influences businesses by means of
its effects on bosses' capacity to draw in gifted laborers and on representatives' requests for pay.
Workers with high danger resistance and low abilities self-select into intrinsically less secure
occupations. While workers request more significant salary for more hazardous occupations,
hazard open minded representatives request somewhat low steady compensation as remuneration
for hazard.
Company overview and background
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Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 to bring “Abu Dhabi to the
World”. Over the years, they have grown into Etihad Aviation Group, a diversified global
aviation and travel company, which is one of the world’s most acclaimed industry brands.
Etihad airline flies to over 84 destinations with a fleet of over 100 Airbus and Boeing aircraft,
serving 18.6 million passengers a year and carrying 682,000 tonnes of cargo in 2018.
The health and safety of ETIHAD communities-including their employees and candidates
remains their top priority. From a recruiting perspective they are continuing to identify people
for roles with Etihad in anticipation they will be able to hire, however the process may take
longer because they are using more virtual recruiting techniques, and start dates may be delayed
because of guidance from the governments in the countries they operate in.
Analysis of the HR function
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Employee safety and health is an important factor to consider while running a company. Ideally,
a safe and healthy workforce is said to very productive. Therefore, most companies invest a lot
on the safety of their employees to enhance productivity. Etihad has over the years been
relentless on enhancing the health and safety of its employees. I interviewed the Chief
Operations Officer and the Human Resource Manager to learn about the protocols that have been
initiated to safeguard the health of the employees as well as enhance their safety in their various
workstation.
Etihad maintains safety in the airplane, by hiring a team of highly qualified cabin crew to run the
operations in the plane. Normally, a set of regulations are put in place, and it is upon the staff to
ensure that they are adhered to. The top management team is crucial in enhancing the safety of
the staff and that of the passengers. Health and safety measures are put in place to avert accidents
which might occur inside the plane or outside the plane. Accidents inside the plane may be
caused by unprecedented weather conditions such as storms which cause the plane to destabilize.
This leads to instability in the cabin which causes injuries to the crew due to collision with
objects and other people. Such accidents may be avoided by fastening of safety belts during the
flight. On the other hand, accidents outside the plane are caused by a number of factors. Firstly,
staff negligence has been said to lead to a number of airplane accidents. Ideally, accidents
happen when one party fails to handle their assigned tasks effectively. Negligence spans from
failing to perform regular maintenance on a plane to disregarding flight rules. Secondly, outside
weather conditions also causes plane crashes. Although airlines liaise with meteorological
department, sometimes the weather prediction given may not be exact. Therefore, the pilot might
counter harsh weather conditions such as storms leading to plane crash. Plane accidents cause
massive life and property losses and are therefore avoided by all means.
Staff’s health and safety is of prime importance to a company. Etihad airline has invested a lot in
the health and safety of its employees. The company provides health insurance covers to its
employees and their immediate family. The insurance cover caters for both inpatient and
outpatient services and is given depending on an employee’s monthly salary. This enables even
the low-income earners to access medical services at a convenience rate. Additionally, the
company has also focused on maintain a healthy environment for its staff. This includes the
aeration and hygiene of the working areas as well as the foods being consumed by the staff.
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Etihad has also invested a lot on the health and safety of the passengers. Ideally, the company
would be nowhere without its client. Hence, it becomes very crucial to enhance the health and
safety of passenger, the prime clients. The company has been keen on curbing the spread of
corona virus during its service delivery. To achieve this, top management has been on the
forefront in formulating guidelines that will enhance the safety of its employees. Some of these
guidelines include ensuring social distance among passenger is maintained and people sanitize
their hands before entering the plane.
The interview with the Chief Operations Officer was very fruitful. The objective was to have a
glimpse of the general overview of the Etihad’s health protocols and the measures taken by the
management to enhance safety of employees and passengers. The Human Resource Manager on
the other hand, confirmed that the health and safety measures guidelines are designed to
safeguard the life of an employee. The company provides health insurance cover to the
employees to ensure their health and that of their families is safe. From the interviews, I learnt
that safety of the staff and clients is a fundamental to the overall success of the company.
In conclusion, employee safety and health play a major role in the overall success of a company.
Etihad has been on the forefront in ensuring that their employees have access to a safe working
environment. the company has formulated guidelines that safeguard the health and safety of the
employees. The company also provides health insurance cover to its employees for both inpatient
and outpatient medical services. Over the years, Etihad has been keen on averting accidents both
inside and outside the plane. Their strategy seems to have bored fruits since the accidents’ rate is
very low. Etihad understands the importance of health and safety regulations. It therefore
conducts regular safety trainings to enable their employee to understand the measures to be taken
to enhance their safety and health. Employees are also encouraged to assist their colleagues in
adhering to safety regulations and caution them when danger beckons. Safety in the workplace is
very important and should be enhanced at all costs.
Evaluation on effectiveness of HR function
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Al Etihad airlines is basically a service industry which is highly dependent on its employees in
order to increase their profitability on annual basis and improve their setup of business. The
Human resource department of the airline plays a very important role in determining and
maintaining their way of business. The responsibilities include managing and maintaining a
friendly environment between the employees. Therefore, the HR Department must practice the
right strategies for analyzation, recruitment, performance and the benefits of employee to keep
them highly motivated towards the company’s goal and objective (Solanki, 2020).
Performance Management
The performance management system at Etihad Airways revolves around a set of fixed goals.
Managerial authorities supply some goals and objectives to staff in the Etihad Airways operating
management group. The performance management system is very well implemented in al Etihad
airlines, with proper use of MIS results, implementations, and operations. The management of
operations, particularly the support system for customers, is likewise advanced in terms of
technology. The Etihad Airways management performance system is critical since thousands of
staff are responsible for serving millions of consumers on a regular basis. The labor force is the
most important resource in all organizations, including Emirates Airlines. Emirates Airlines
strives to have a well-seasoned and deeply committed workforce by implementing HRM
approaches while addressing the employment management problem. This role is carried out by
the HR professional through decisions and HR procedures casual and carried out by counsellors
and project administrators (Redman and Wilkinson 50). Emirates Airlines approaches HR roles
in this manner due to the need to providing equal sharing of organizational cultural values while
adhering to the theories that focus of employee relations that have evolved into HR management.
SWOT Analysis
 Strengths: One of the biggest strengths that give al Etihad airline is that it is centrally
located where more travelers can be accessed from. Now this location om the gulf region
gives it an edge of to quickly access the Europe and Asia. The fundings from Dubai in
terms of its finances makes it one of the best airlines in terms of service all across the
globe. The company today operated hub which are located in more than 55 countries all
across the globe. In such a short time the airlines is managing around 20,000 employees
today in its fleet more than its competitors. One of the top strength the airline has is its
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branding and marketing strategy that have helped the company in gaining its repute all
across the globe in such a short tenure
 Weaknesses: Al Etihad airlines operates only in the international destinations which
ultimately refers to the high operating costs by the airline. Moreover, the company’s
market share in terms of growth is restricted due to such high competition level with its
competitors.
 Opportunities: Having a new fleet can give Al Etihad airlines a better customer
experience. Moreover, global locations can be palpated in order to increase its reach of
this lines all across the globe. The company should also give promotional deals on flights
both on global and local events that are supposed to happen in the Middle East. The tie
ups with other international airports can give them an edge over a enhanced customer
experience thus satisfying its customers.
 Threats: The companies operating in terms of airlines in gulf region are numerous giving
AL Etihad airways a tough competition and also a major threat to their business. Emirates
Airline and Qatar Airways are two major regional competitors for Etihad. British
Airways, American Airlines, and Air Canada, to mention a few, are competitors on
various routes. The airlines with a low operating cost such as Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, and
others pose a threat to Etihad's economy seats (Venkatraman, 2016)
Role of HR department
Managers can use Etihad Airways' SWOT analysis to identify the company's competitive edge
over competing airlines. Creating a powerful, distinctive online recruitment process that makes it
easier for qualified applicants to apply can be a strength of HR practices. When a company
recruits highly educated applicants or graduates, it risks depleting the supply of competent
graduates or increasing competition for graduates. The Performance Appraisal System, which
focuses on employee professional growth, job prospects, and performance management, is one of
the strategies used by Etihad Airways' HRM department to improve performance management
and promotional opportunities (Al Masari, 2013). Another strategy is the use of advanced
technological tools to feature the whole HRM structure of the airways, which focuses on
employee professional growth, Progression in terms of career, and the performance management
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of employees. To be competitive, the use of Total Quality Management to HRM practices is
thought to suit the needs.
Recommendations
Based on the study above I would suggest the tin order for the airline to prosper well in their
domain the HR department should function both on individual and combined basis for the
growth of the airlines. Motivation to employees is a very important aspect in almost every
organization same goes for AL- Etihad Airlines if the employees are not motivated well, it is
very obvious that the company will face issue regarding the workforce which will ultimately turn
into the reason of downfall of the company. So, in order to function well it is very important for
AL Etihad airlines to focus on the HR department and the implementations of strategies by the
HR department. The HR department of the airlines uses a performance Appraisal system which
helps in the implementation of the strategies that are fruitful for the company and the career
growth on individual basis of the employee. Now after the implementation of such system it
showed that the advancement in technologies is basically helping the employees to get
themselves motivated for work which would ultimately result in the better performance as well
as the functioning of company on global basis.
Conclusion
Workplace safety and health must not be overlooked when it comes to service delivery.
Employees' health and well-being are crucial factors in their job satisfaction and job
performance, both of which affect productivity and retention. Etihad airways takes care of their
cabin crew safety because the safety of health-care workers has an impact on the quality of care
provided; therefore, caregiver care should be a top priority for the health-care system.
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References
https://www.etihad.com/en
•https://www.abacademies.org/articles/analysis-of-etihad-airlines-human-resources-management-
practices--factors-that-lead-to-employees-motivation-8972.html
Asumeng, M., Asamani, L., Afful, J., & Agyemang, C. B. (2015). Occupational safety and health issues
in Ghana: strategies for improving employee safety and health at workplace. International Journal of
Business and Management Review, 3(9), 60-79.
Caskey, J., & Ozel, N. B. (2017). Earnings expectations and employee safety. Journal of accounting and
economics, 63(1), 121-141.
Jermsittiparsert, K., Sriyakul, T., Sutduean, J., & Singsa, A. (2019). Determinants of supply chain
employee’s safety behaviours. Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience, 16(7), 2959-2966.
Liu, S., Yang, X., & Mei, Q. (2020). The effect of perceived organizational support for safety and
organizational commitment on employee safety behaviour: a meta-analysis. International journal of
occupational safety and ergonomics, 1-12.
Tanha, M., Michelson, G., Chowdhury, M., & Castka, P. (2021). Organisational responses and varieties
of employee safety in the shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh. Journal of Safety Research.
Solanki, K. (2020). ANALYSIS OF ETIHAD AIRLINES HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES & FACTORS THAT LEAD TO EMPLOYEE'S MOTIVATION. International Journal of
Entrepreneurship, 24(1), 1-14.
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