Fatigue Among Cabin Crew and Work-Life Balance: A Qualitative Study in the Turkish Context

Year 2024, , 146 - 152, 27.06.2024

Seçil Ulufer Kansoy , Özge Erduran Tekin

https://doi.org/10.30518/jav.1456810

Abstract

In the context of literature review, it can be observed that information regarding the fatigue levels of cabin crew generally relies on quantitative data obtained from the flight crew. Considering that cabin crew members also have their own personal lives, it is believed that managing work fatigue and achieving work-life balance are crucial for them to sustain their lives in a healthy manner. However, it is rarely investigated in the literature what the views of cabin crew members are regarding fatigue and what strategies can be employed to reduce fatigue. Therefore, in order to better understand the causes and consequences of cabin crew fatigue, participants' experiences related to fatigue and how fatigue affects work-life balance were examined through semi-structured interviews using phenomenological analysis. Twenty cabin crew employees participated in the study. The analysis revealed three main themes titled "Perception of fatigue in cabin crew members, The impact of fatigue on work-life balance and Strategies for coping with fatigue" along with eight sub-themes that elucidate these themes. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided at the individual and organizational levels to reduce fatigue in cabin crew members, ensure work-life balance, and enhance productivity.

Keywords

Fatigue, Work-life balance, Aviation psychology, Psychological counselling, Cabin crew

References

• Allen, T. D., Herst, D. E., Bruck, C. S., & Sutton, M. (2000). Consequences associated with work-to-family conflict: A review and agenda for future research. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(2), 278-308.
• Avers, K. E., Nei, D., King, S. J., Thomas, S., Roberts, C., Banks, J., & Nesthus, T. E. (2011). Flight attendant fatigue: A quantitative review of flight attendant comments (DOT/FAA/AM-11/16). Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/data_research/ research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201116.pdf
• Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285.
• Beauregard, T. A., & Henry, L. C. (2009). Making the link between work-life balance practices and organizational performance. Human Resource Management Review, 19(1), 9-22.
• Byron, K. (2005). A meta-analytic review of work–family conflict and its antecedents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67(2), 169-198.
• Carlson, D. S., & Grzywacz, J. G. (2008). Reflections and future directions on measurement in work-family research. In K. Korabik, D. S. Lero, & D. L. Whitehead (Eds.). Handbook of work-family integration: Research, theory, and best practices (pp. 57-73).
• Caldwell, J. A., Mallis, M. M., Caldwell, J. L., Paul, M. A., Miller, J. C., & Neri, D. F. (2009). Fatigue countermeasures in aviation. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 80(1), 29-59.
• Clark, S. C. (2000). Work/family border theory: A new theory of work/family balance. Human Relations, 53(6), 747–770.
• Chung, C. T., & Chung, U. L. (2009). An exploration of quality of life and related factors among female flight attendants. The Journal of Nursing Research: JNR, 17(3), 212–220.
• Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Pearson.
• Cresswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2015). Mixed methods research: Design and Implementation (Y. Dede & S.B. Demir, Trans. Ed.). Anı Publishing.
• Crooker, K. J., Smith, F. L., & Tabak, F. (2002). Creating work-life balance: A model of pluralism across life domains. Human Resource Development Review, 1(4), 387- 419.
• Federal Aviation Administration. (2022). Flight attendant duty period limitations and rest requirements. Federal Register, 61452-61465.
• Gajendran, R. S., & Harrison, D. A. (2007). The good, the bad, and the unknown about telecommuting: Meta- analysis of psychological mediators and individual consequences. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(6), 1524-1541.
• Gander, P. (2011). Fatigue management in air traffic control: The New Zealand approach. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 4(1), 49–62.
• Greenhaus, J. H., & Allen, T. D. (2011). Work–family balance: A review and extension of the literature. Handbook of Occupational Health Psychology, 2, 165-183.
• Greenhaus, J. H., Collins, K. M. & Shaw J. D. (2003). The relation between work-family balance and quality of life. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63(3), 510-531.
• Grzywacz, J. G., & Carlson, D. S. (2007). Conceptualizing work–family balance: Implications for practice and research. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9(4), 455-471.
• Hill, E. J., Hawkins, A. J., Ferris, M., & Weitzman, M. (2001). Finding an extra day, a week: The positive influence of perceived job flexibility on work and family life balance. Family Relations: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies 50(1), 49-58.
• International Civil Aviation Organization (2016) Manual for the oversight of fatigue management approaches. ICAO, Montréal, Canada, https://www.icao.int/safety/ fatiguemanagement/FRMS%20Tools/Doc%209966.FRMS.2016%20Edition.en.pdfAccessed January 15, 2024.
• Kalliath, T., & Brough, P. (2008). Work–life balance: A review of the meaning of the balance construct. Journal of Management & Organization, 14(3), 323-327.
• Kerin, A., & Aguirre, A. (2005). Improving health, safety, and profits in extended hours operations (shiftwork). Industrial Health, 43(1), 201–208.
• Kossek, E. E., Lautsch, B. A., & Eaton, S. C. (2006). Telecommuting, control, and boundary management: Correlates of policy use and practice, job control, and work–family effectiveness. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(2), 347-367
• Kim, J., Yu, M., & Hyun, S.S. (2022). Study on factors that ınfluence human errors: Focused on cabin crew. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19, 5696.
• Kumari, P., & Aithal, P. S. (2022). Impact of Emotional Labour, Work-life Balance, and Job Satisfaction on Cabin Crews’ Job Performance. International Journal of Management, Technology, and Social Sciences (IJMTS), 7(2), 225-240.
• Larkin, M., Watts, S., & Clifton, E. (2006). Giving voice and making sense in interpretative phenomenological analysis. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 102–120.
• Lockwood, R.N. (2003). Work/Life Balance Challenges and Solutions. society For Human Resource Management. 2-10.
• McNeely, E., Gale, S., Tager, I., Kincl, L., Bradley, J., Coull, B., & Hecker, S. (2014). The self-reported health of U.S. flight attendants compared to the general population. Environmental Health, 13(1). h
• MacDonald, L. A., Deddens, J. A., Grajewski, B. A., Whelan, E. A., & Hurrell, J. J. (2003). Job stress among female flight attendants. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 45(7), 703–714.
• Morrow, S. L. (2005). Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 250–260.
• Nelson, T. M. (1997). Fatigue, mindset and ecology in the hazard dominant environment. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 29(4), 409–415.
• Nesthus, T. E., Schroeder, D. J., Connors, M. M., Rentmeister-Bryant, H. K., & DeRoshia, C. W. (2007). Flight attendant fatigue (DOT/FAA/AM-07/21). Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/ fulltext/u2/ a471470.pdf
• Nippert-Eng, C. (1996). Calendars and keys: The classification of “home” and “work” Sociological Forum, 11(4), 563-582.
• Noy, Y. I., Horrey, W. J., Popkin, S. M., Folkard, S., Howarth, H. D., & Courtney, T. K. (2011). Future directions in fatigue and safety research. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 43(2), 495–497.
• Pichler, F. (2009). Determinants of work-life balance: Shortcomings in the contemporary measurement of WLB in large-scale surveys. Social Indicators Research, 92(3), 449-469.
• Rosekind, M. R., Smith, R. M., Miller, D. L., Co, E. L., Gregory, K. B., Webbon, L. L., & Gander, P. H., Lebacqz, V. (1995). Alertness management: Strategic naps in operational settings. Journal of Sleep Research, 4(2), 62-66.
• Smith, J. D., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. SAGE Publications.
• Van den Berg, M. J., Signal, T. L., & Gander, P. H. (2019). Perceived Workload Is Associated with Cabin Crew Fatigue on Ultra-Long-Range Flights. The International Journal of Aerospace Psychology, 1–12.
• Van den Berg, M. J., Signal, T. L., & Gander, P. H. (2020). Fatigue risk management for cabin crew: the importance of company support and sufficient rest for work-life balance-a qualitative study. Industrial Health, 58(1), 2–14.
• Wen, C. C. Y., Nicholas, C. L., Clarke-Errey, S., Howard, M. E., Trinder, J., & Jordan, A. S. (2021). Health Risks and Potential Predictors of Fatigue and Sleepiness in Airline Cabin Crew. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1), 13.