For a resilient workforce in aviation 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the aviation industry, which has impacted stakeholders at airports. The Airports Council International (ACI), which is the global trade union for airports, consequently, released a White Paper titled “Building a Resilient Aviation Workforce” with the objective of enhancing working conditions for employees and fostering a competitive and attractive environment.

Airports and, indeed, aviation stakeholders, are operating in a challenging environment. Economic pressures such as foreign exchange fluctuations, inflation, high unemployment, fiscal debt, and infrastructure deficits are significantly impacting talent management strategies. These factors, along with the disruptive influence of digitisation and artificial intelligence, are reshaping the way industry stakeholders run their businesses and consume products and services especially in Africa. Certain challenges predating the pandemic — evolving demographics, tough work conditions, high turnover, and low pay for certain roles, will now need to be addressed. Workers at airports, essential for an airport’s competitive positioning and future aspirations as an “airport of the future,” face compound challenges, underscoring the industry’s need for comprehensive solutions, says ACI. These obstacles make attracting and retaining talent increasingly difficult, say the ACI report and Phillips Consulting in their 2024 Talent Management Report respectively.

Indeed, Airports and their service providers, offering global hubs for travel and logistics, who play a crucial role in connecting communities and driving economic opportunities, face challenges such as labour shortages, limited career advancement, transportation issues, the need for specialised training, and other unique factors in the aviation industry. As industry stakeholders strive to overcome these unprecedented challenges and seize emerging opportunities; attracting, developing, and retaining top talent in spite of financial constraints has become a crucial pillar of competitive advantage and customer experience.

There are further constraints by the inability of stakeholders to significantly increase wages year on year, such that organisations are seeking innovative ways to attract and retain talent, with a particular focus on non-financial rewards, flexible working, and employee well-being, says a current report by Phillips Consulting in its 2024 Talent Management Report. For aviation and airports, the industry has had to contend with the challenge of sustaining its appeal as a career choice, especially due to industry unpredictability and ongoing environmental debates. External events and cost-reduction efforts have made this uncertainty more intense, drawing attention to the importance of long term employment policies in preserving expertise for a sustainable aviation future, says ACI.

The recommendations by ACI cut across various stakeholders and functions. 

States are advised to: Support the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) initiative and other industry or State-level efforts to attract and retain aviation workers; collaborate with industry and global entities to increase awareness of the benefits of aviation among the general public, highlighting its significance and contributions to global connectivity and economic development; and, among other collaborative efforts, engage with unions and labour organisations through social dialogue.

With respect to communication and promotion of aviation, stakeholders are advised to: Increase awareness about the aviation sector among the general public, highlighting its significance and contributions to global connectivity; and, among others, engage with educational institutions, schools, and universities to raise aviation awareness and showcase industry opportunities.

Key recommendations related to the work environment are: Create environments that promote diversity and inclusion, ensuring all employees feel valued and respected; provide adequate and well maintained facilities for employees, ensuring their comfort and productivity, and, among others, facilitate easy access to the airport for employees by offering reliable transportation options, especially for those working night shifts, by designing work schedules and facilities to accommodate shift workers, ensuring their convenience and well-being.

Key recommendations related to employer engagement are: Ensure equal opportunities for all, but recognise essential barriers, particularly related to security backgrounds and convictions. This maintains necessary safeguards while fostering inclusivity in the hiring process; promote diverse leadership at all levels, fostering an environment where various perspectives contribute to decision-making; and, among others, cultivate an organisational culture that promotes engagement, establishing a framework encouraging meaningful interactions and collaboration among employees.

With respect to employee opportunity: Foster opportunities for employees to explore various roles and departments, enabling career growth and skill development across the organisation; cultivate a work environment that encourages active participation, open communication, and collaboration, promoting a sense of belonging and purpose with employees; Implement flexible work arrangements that empower employees to balance their professional and personal commitments effectively.

Pertaining to reward and remuneration: Employers should seek to ensure that compensation for their employees aligns with the skills and responsibilities of their work. Competitive wages and equitable benefits are needed to attract and retain talent, ensuring the long term viability of the aviation industry; and, among others, organisations should endeavour to prevent the underpayment of their employees, which can lead to job dissatisfaction, high turnover, and increased costs for training and potentially disrupted operations. By ensuring that employees are compensated fairly, the industry can enhance workforce stability and operational continuity.

Key recommendations pertaining to training: foster mobility across the airport community, enabling employees to explore diverse roles and departments; clear career pathways, focused employee development, and succession planning.

The ACI White Paper concludes by saying: “Through collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives, the aspiration is to create a more resilient and adaptable aviation ecosystem that can thrive in the face of evolving demands.”

business a.m. commits to publishing a diversity of views, opinions and comments. It, therefore, welcomes your reaction to this and any of our articles via email: comment@businessamlive.com