Flying Between the Genders: Organizational Citizenship Behaviours and Turnover Intentions Among Turkish Airlines Pilots

Abstract

This research aims to examine the relationship between organizational commitment and intention to quit among male and female pilots working in the airline industry. Given the critical role pilots play in aviation, understanding whether gender has a significant impact on these dynamics is one of the objectives of this study. The study also aims to guide airlines in developing effective interview techniques when hiring pilots who exhibit organizational citizenship behaviours (OCB) and could potentially reduce future intentions to quit. These objectives were pursued through surveys measuring the five dimensions of OCB and intention to quit. These surveys were administered to pilot unions and airlines across Turkey, resulting in 484 responses, of which 3 were invalid. The findings indicate statistically significant relationships between gender, OCB, and intention to quit female pilots were found to have lower intentions to quit and displayed higher levels of citizenship behaviour compared to their male counterparts. Limitations of the study include the predominantly male sample, biases arising from self-reported data, a cross-sectional design, and the research’s focus on the Turkish airline culture. Despite these limitations, the findings offer important insights into HR strategies for developing OCB and creating gender-related strategies to reduce pilots’ intentions to quit. This study presents new perspectives on the gender dynamics of Turkish airline pilots, a rarely discussed topic in aviation literature. It highlights practical implications for HR practices in retaining pilots and deepens the discussion of OCB in male-dominated sectors and cultural contexts.

Keywords

• Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB)
• Gender Dynamics
• Aviation and Human Resources
• Quit Intentions
• Organizational Commitment

Cinsiyetler Arasında Uçmak: Türkiye' de ki Hava Yolları Pilotlarında Örgütsel Vatandaşlık Davranışları ve İşten Ayrılma Niyetleri

Abstract

Bu araştırma, havayolu sektöründe çalışan erkek ve kadın pilotların örgütsel bağlılıkları ile işten ayrılma niyetleri arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Pilotların havacılıkta kritik bir rol oynaması nedeniyle, cinsiyetin bu dinamiklerde önemli bir etkisi olup olmadığını anlamak bu çalışmanın hedeflerinden biridir. Çalışma ayrıca havayollarına, örgütsel vatandaşlık davranışları (ÖVD) sergileyen ve gelecekte işten ayrılma niyetini azaltabilecek pilotları işe alırken etkili mülakat teknikleri geliştirme konusunda rehberlik etmeyi hedeflemektedir. Bu amaçlara, ÖVD'nin beş boyutunu ve işten ayrılma niyetini ölçen anketler aracılığıyla ulaşılmıştır. Bu anketler, Türkiye genelindeki pilot sendikaları ve havayolu şirketlerine uygulanmış ve 484 geri dönüş alınmıştır; bunlardan 3'ü geçersiz sayılmıştır. Bulgular, cinsiyet, ÖVD ve işten ayrılma niyeti arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ilişkiler olduğunu göstermektedir: Kadın pilotların işten ayrılma niyetleri daha düşük ve erkek meslektaşlarına kıyasla daha yüksek vatandaşlık davranışları sergiledikleri görülmüştür. Sınırlılıklar arasında örneklemin büyük ölçüde erkek ağırlıklı olması, kendi beyanlarına dayalı verilerden kaynaklanan önyargılar, kesitsel bir tasarım ve araştırmanın Türk havayolu kültürüne özgü olması bulunmaktadır. Bu sınırlamalara rağmen, bulgular ÖVD'nin geliştirilmesine ve pilotların işten ayrılma niyetlerini azaltmak için cinsiyetle ilgili stratejilerin oluşturulmasına yönelik İK stratejileri açısından önemli sonuçlar ortaya koymaktadır. Bu çalışma, Türk havayolu pilotlarının cinsiyet dinamiklerine ilişkin, havacılık literatüründe nadiren ele alınan bir konuya yeni bakış açıları sunmaktadır. Pilotların elde tutulmasını sağlama açısından İK uygulamaları için pratik çıkarımları vurgulamakta ve erkek egemen sektörlerde ve kültürel bağlamlarda ÖVD tartışmasını derinleştirmektedir.

Keywords

• Örgütsel Bağlılık
• İşten Ayrılma Niyeti
• Örgütsel Vatandaşlık Davranışları (ÖVD)
• Cinsiyet Dinamikleri
• Havacılık ve İnsan Kaynakları

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