The Workforce Turnover Problem - Coursework Example

RОBLЕM BАSЕD LЕАRNING ЕХЕRСISЕ 1 Name of Student Institution affiliation Date РRОBLЕM BАSЕD LЕАRNING ЕХЕRСISЕ 1 Introduction Workplace balance has been a major issue among the airline workforce. Evidently, a lot of complaints have been raised on the limited time allocated for family time and personal time. Among the Emirates Airline workforce, more so the pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers have been the workforce groups that have that have been vocal on the issue of workforce balance in this company. Turnover rates in the company have been a significant problem that has been blamed on the company’s reluctance in implementing workforce policies. Additionally, the workforce turnover problem has also been attributed to the company’s workforce dissatisfaction which might have led to employees seeking better employment opportunities in other companies offering similar services and better work-life balance policies like virgin Atlantic, Etihad and air Asia. Facts The concept of work-life balance has been an issue in many organizations in regards to the growing employee rewards relating to career and the quality personal life and family life offered by employers (van Barneveld, 2006). Through this Family Work Conflict has ever been in organizations and as a result most of them have been forced to come up with contingencies that can bring about work life balance among the employees. Work-life balance has therefore been a must-have organization policy which has fostered the productivity of this organization workforce by ensuring that they are able to handle the work life and family or personal life by striking a balance on the two (Gollan, 2009). In the airline industry, pilots and flight attendants have encountered major problems on work life balance having that some of these employees have been forced to turn down promotion opportunities since the new positions either interfere with the family life or will lead to them being overworked. It is claimed that even in the historical era men were known to work at home where their families were closer to them. For instance in the ancient Hindu family system men worked outside their homes. As men worked outside their homes women would be in charge of raising children (Wiß, 2016). However, as years passed people were drawn from their home in search of work opportunities and as these opportunities become scarce they were forced to move even further. This latter on led to the development of working hours where individuals would spend a majority number of hours in their work places (Isaacs, 2016). However, nowadays these hours seem quite inadequate an issue which has led to workers to sacrifice a significant amount of their rest hours or time that they are supposed to spend with their families thus a need for a higher emphasis on work-life balance to help increase productivity and motivation. Work life balance and work family conflict are claimed to be two concepts that are interrelating more sore among flight attendants and pilots in cases where flights are delayed, changes to routes of travel and the risks inherent in air transport. Work life balance calls for one to be aware of the time demands and energy and their ability to make choices on how these time energy can be equally channeled to work and family. The issue of work life balance is even considered to be more important among employees who have families or those who are newly mothers (Todd & Binns, 2011). In this case, this category of workers has to strike a balance among the family time and time allocated to work. Employees are therefore obliged to ensure that they provide work-life balance to their workforce to ensure productivity and efficiency. Ideas The noted issue in Emirates Airline has shown that there is problem relating with workplace balance. It is clear that majority of the company’s workforce are not happy about this issue and apart from some leaving the company due to this reason some are also contemplating to leave. It is therefore important that Emirate Airline should implement workplace balance in its workforce policies in order to maintain pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers who have been the biggest causalities. The company should consider implementing workplace balance policies. The first step will entail, seeking support to help implement work-life balance policies. To achieve this allow airline employees will be notified of the amended changes that would be implemented and bringing the workforce up to speed with the affected section roles and nature of work by these changes for instance the reduction in shifts for pilots and flight attendants as well as rotational shifts for baggage handlers. This is in line with the 2004 Australian Howard Government focus where it has directed its resources and efforts in promoting work and family in the Australia (Gollan, 2005). Secondly its prudent that Emirates Airline provides free advisory to its employees on child- and aged-care needs. This will help the employees to handle the some arising issues relating to their own family and children, therefore, ensuring that these commonly occurring issues are tackled completely, and they do not keep recurring. This particular recommendation is in line with the 27 model family friendly clauses for the Australian employing organizations (Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, 2017). In relation to the child care service Emirate Airline I could also recommended these other related services; Child access to the workplace, this allows the employees to bring their children to the workplace where they can be taken care for by a professional babysitter in case other options are impractical. This ensures that these parents are also able to concentrate without any disturbance from their babies and the thought of having no one to leave their baby with at home does not deter them from coming to work (Creighton, 2011). This will limit cases where baggage handlers keep on loosing customer luggage as well as flight attendants who worry about the safety of their children ignoring service delivery which leads to customer loss. Additionally, in order to improve productivity there should be reimbursement for after hour dependent care. In this case, the Airline should provide compensation for employees who work after hours and who have toddlers since this might have infringed in their quality time with their young ones (Abendroth & den Dulk, 2011). Leave is also essential in work-life balance situations, in addition to the ten-day personal leave which is inclusive of the career leave and the sick leave, it is imperative that the company provides annual leave in single days. This is in regards to the Australian Fair Pay and Conditions Standard (AFPCS), in regards to the mention standards the company is also recommended to provide antenatal leave; this ensures that the pregnant mothers, as well as their partners, are able to attend routine medical appointments (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017). On the other hand, the organization should as well provide the In vitro fertilisation (IVF) leave to the pregnant workers but in most cases we find our pilots working whereas their partners are attending those checkups alone. Emirates Airline is also should provide cultural leave, which can either be paid or unpaid depending on various factors. For this leave it allows its employees to attend some of their cultural celebration and events or take time away from work due to religious events. It is also recommended that this company should provide compassionate leave where it allows employees to take time from work in case of an employee’s family member or loved one passes on, pilots and flight attendants should have alternating shifts between weeks for them to recapitulate and rest (Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, 2017). The company should provide parental leave which entails both maternity and paternity leave as well as adoption leave which might be paid or not, but in most cases our baggage handlers and pilots do not get to enjoy this leave. Advice In order for Emirates Airlines to retain its customers it should put more emphasis on work-life balance policies as a dissatisfied employee tends to affect others negatively as well as offer substandard services. Therefore, the company should prioritise the implementation of work life balance policies in its overall human resource policies. This issue must be considered otherwise the affectivity of covered recommendations will not be impactful to the company. Thus, the Airline should therefore implement the workplace balance policy as a matter of urgency. However, the company should first enlighten its workforce on this policy, its impact and how it would affect their working hours, roles and the entire workforce structure. On the other hand, it is also advisable that Emirate Airline should adopt the work shift workforce strategy in order to ensure that the workforce working hours are used effectively as well as ensuring that the rest hours on non-working hours for its workforce do not clash. Moreover, the communication methods between the management and the working team should be enhanced in order to ensure that arising issue on the implementation and grievances are addressed by the pilots, flight attendants and baggage handler unions and the company’s human resource managers to strike a balance. In this case, the enhancement of communication could be carried out through team briefs, team training activities and training activities. In conclusion, by addressing these recommendations, the Airline Company will be able to incorporate some aspect of work- life balance among the pilots, flight attendants and baggage handlers and other organizational workforce policies. Moreover, this company will be able to reduce the rate of turnover in the company as well as turn around the unsatisfactory feeling that was noted in the majority of the company’s workforce. It’s expected that the implementation of these policies associated with work-life balance will enable the company to improve the levels of workforce retention, productivity as well as job satisfaction in the organization. References Abendroth, A. & den Dulk, L. (2011). Support for the work-life balance in Europe: the impact of state, workplace and family support on work-life balance satisfaction. Work, Employment & Society, 25(2), 234-256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0950017011398892 Australian Bureau of Statistics,. (2017). Managing Work Life Balance - Home. Worklifebalance.com.au. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.worklifebalance.com.au/ Creighton, B. (2011). A Retreat from Individualism? The Fair Work Act 2009 and Work-life balance. Industrial Law Journal, 40(2), 116-145. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/indlaw/dwr003 Department of Employment and Workplace Relations,. (2017). Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.workplace.gov.au/DEWRSB/WP/Content/Files/WP/WR/Publications/AgreementMakingInAustralia2000-2001.pdf Gollan, P. (2005). Australian Workplace Agreements: Work-place balance. Journal Of Industrial Relations, 46(1), 116-124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-1856.2004.00130.x Gollan, P. (2009). Australian industrial relations reform in perspective: Beyond Work Choices and future prospects under the Fair Work Act 2009. Asia Pacific Journal Of Human Resources, 47(3), 260-269. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1038411109106858 Isaacs, D. (2016). Work-life balance. Journal Of Paediatrics And Child Health, 52(1), 5-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.13110 Lee, B. & Kim, J. (2010). Is Family-friendly Management Good for Firms? The Diffusion and Performance of Family-friendly Workplaces in South Korea. 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