The case for change: aviation worker wellbeing during the COVID 19 pandemic, and the need for an integrated health and safety culture

Abstract

The workplace is an important setting for health protection, health promotion and disease prevention. Currently, health and wellbeing approaches at an aviation organisational level are not addressing both human and safety needs. This issue has been intensified since the COVID 19 pandemic. This paper reports on the findings of a survey pertaining to aviation worker wellbeing and organisational approaches to managing wellbeing and mental health. The survey was administered at two different time periods during the COVID 19 pandemic (2020 and 2021). Collectively, feedback was obtained from over 3000 aviation workers. Survey feedback indicates that aviation workers are experiencing considerable challenges in relation to their health and wellbeing. These challenges are not being adequately addressed at an organisational level, which creates risk both from an individual and flight safety perspective. The descriptive findings of both surveys along with a regression analysis is used to make a principled case for augmenting the existing approach to managing aviation worker wellbeing (including mental health), at both an organisational and regulatory level. It is argued that aviation organisations, with the support of the regulator should implement a preventative, ethical and evidence-based strategy to managing wellbeing and mental health risk. Critically, aviation organisations need to advance and integrated health, wellbeing, and safety culture. This necessitates an alignment of human, business, and safety objectives, as articulated in concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and responsible work. Critically, this approach depends on trust and the specification of appropriate protections, so that aviation workers feel safe to routinely report wellbeing levels and challenges, and their impact on operational safety.

Sleep Quality and Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic in the Aviation Community in Greece

“…However, half of the participants in this study had lost their jobs because of COVID-19, and only 20% were confident about their future employment within the aviation sector. 15 Nonetheless, our study was mostly conducted during visits to the aeromedical examiner, meaning that our participants were the ones not faced with layoffs during the pandemic, a fact that could explain the lower anxiety rates.…”

“…30 Findings are not dissimilar across Europe because the female sex is often identified as a significant predictor of depression and anxiety due to the pandemic. 15…”

“…Government-mandated interventions to control the spread of the virus, and thus the disruption of mobility between destinations, brought the aviation sector to a halt. To sustain the aviation industry and related sector employees, the latter were faced with potential layoffs, 15 reduced working hours, suspensions with or without pay, and salary cuts. 16 Some airlines implemented further measures to contain their company expenses, such as changes to contracts and conditions of their remaining staff, to compete with their low-cost competitor carriers.…”

The Design of Mechanisms via Artificial Intelligence

“…This has the potential to cause confusion, disrupt operations, and undermine public trust in the air civil aviation sector. Additionally, the use of generative AI in the air civil aviation sector also raises questions about data privacy, data security, and job displacement (Cahill and et al, 2022). Therefore, it's important that regulatory and ethical frameworks are in place to ensure the safe and secure usage of generative AI in the air civil aviation sector.…”

Flying responsibly: effects of perceived corporate social responsibility on attitudes and behaviors of employees in the European aviation industry

“…Aviation constitutes one of the most seriously affected industries by the COVID-19 pandemic (Phan Thanh and Hoang Anh, 2023). Among the negative short-term effects of the pandemic on aviation workers are the loss of jobs and reduced earnings (Cahill et al, 2023). In the long-term, the pandemic led to an extensive socioeconomic impact; at the corporate level, this was expressed via the need to implement measures of corporate social responsibility (CSR).…”