An Inventory of Wellbeing for Controllers and Assistants

Preview Question

Why do we need an inventory of wellbeing?

What is wellbeing? The first 4 posts of this blog discussed wellbeing in the context of Atc. There is a definition of wellbeing in the sidebar. Do you agree with this definition? Do you think that wellbeing in the Atc unit is important? 

What is wellbeing?

Wellbeing affects worker performance and worker performance affect organizational productivity. Reiterating from previous blogs, economists prefer to say that the relationship is monotonic. For example, increased wellbeing leads to increased performance and this leads to increased productivity. The converse happens if wellbeing is decreased. 

When an organization is inefficient or not making the best use of its resources, the wellbeing of its workers is diminished. In the Atc scenario, if a controller is dissatisfied, her wellbeing is affected and in turn, her performance is affected. Researchers of organizational policy associate organizational inefficiency with disorder in the organization. There are telltale signs. Absenteeism is one of them. Presenteeism is another. These and other forms of deviant worker behavior  indicate the presence of detractors to wellbeing. What do the annals of organizational development say?

The annals of organization declare that management is culpable. Deficient methodologies of managing the Atc unit and administrative ambition fosters the pervasive influence of narcissism and emotional dissonance in the Atc unit. These detractors to wellbeing in Atc will thrive if fatigue is not properly treated. Fatigue has been a front burner issue and continues to merit the attention of secondary and tertiary ICAO-affiliated bodies like IFATCA, NTSB and others.

What are the levels of wellbeing among the human factors in aviation? Much time and effort has been devoted to pilots but they are not the only factors worth considering. We need to know what is happening in the Atc units. The theme for next year's IFATCA's conference describes it aptly: satisfied controller = safe sky. 

It is not enough to talk about following ICAO's SARPs without examining the psychoeconomic factors. Atcos and their assistants are ignorant to some issues that dwell in their Atc units and which detract from employee wellbeing. Narcissism and emotional dissonance are prime examples. 

The inventory will serve to help us measure wellbeing in the Atc units, identify possible threats and aid in finding solutions. Past and present atcos and assistants can help in filling the inventory by simply clicking on the blue link atthe top of the blog or by clicking HERE which will take them to a survey that has been carefully researched. Over the next 2 weeks, I will explain the need for data evaluations in Atc by posting highlights from other pertinent surveys. Bon weekend à tous!

What role does humour play in the Atc unit?

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