What Drives Pilot Job Satisfaction? A Look at Professionalism and Mindfulness

Öz

Purpose: This study examines the relationships between professionalism, mindfulness, and job satisfaction among airline pilots and explores the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between professionalism and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs a quantitative survey design. The sample consists of 171 airline pilots. Data were collected using the Professionalism Scale, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale–Revised. The hypothesized relationships were tested through statistical analyses including mediation analysis. Findings: Results indicate significant positive associations between professionalism and job satisfaction and between mindfulness and job satisfaction. A significant indirect association between professionalism and job satisfaction through mindfulness was identified, with the observed pattern being consistent with partial mediation. Originality: The study provides empirical evidence on how professional and psychological factors shape job satisfaction among airline pilots.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• aviation
• human factors
• job satisfaction
• mindfulness
• professionalism

Etik Beyan

The study was approved for ethical suitability by the Ethics Committee of the International Science and Technology University with decision number 202602-04, issued during the meeting held on February 5, 2025.

Havayolu Pilotlarının İş Tatminini Ne Belirler? Profesyonellik ve Bilinçli Farkındalık Üzerine Bir İnceleme

Öz

Amaç: Çalışma havayolu pilotları arasında profesyonellik, bilinçli farkındalık ve iş tatmini arasındaki ilişkileri incelemekte ve profesyonellik ile iş tatmini arasındaki ilişkide bilinçli farkındalığın aracılık rolünü araştırmaktadır. Yöntem: Araştırmada nicel tarama yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Örneklem 171 havayolu pilotundan oluşmaktadır. Veriler Profesyonellik Ölçeği, Minnesota İş Tatmini Ölçeği ve Bilişsel ve Duygusal Bilinçli Farkındalık Ölçeği–Revize Formu kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Araştırmada öne sürülen hipotezler aracılık analizi de dahil olmak üzere çeşitli istatistiksel analizler aracılığıyla test edilmiştir. Bulgular: Analiz sonuçları profesyonellik ile iş tatmini ve bilinçli farkındalık ile iş tatmini arasında anlamlı ve pozitif ilişkiler olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca profesyonelliğin iş tatmini ile ilişkisinde bilinçli farkındalık üzerinden anlamlı bir dolaylı ilişki tespit edilmiş ve bu ilişkinin kısmi aracılık modeliyle uyumlu olduğu görülmüştür. Özgün Katkı: Çalışma profesyonel ve psikolojik faktörlerin havayolu pilotlarının iş tatminiyle nasıl ilişkili olduğuna ilişkin ampirik kanıt sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• havacılık
• insan faktörleri
• iş tatmini
• bilinçli farkındalık
• profesyonellik

Etik Beyan

Çalışma, 5 Şubat 2025 tarihinde gerçekleştirilen toplantıda alınan 202602-04 sayılı karar doğrultusunda International Science and Technology University Etik Kurulu tarafından etik uygunluk açısından onaylanmıştır.

Kaynakça

1. Abbott, A. (1988). The system of professions: An essay on the division of expert labor. University of Chicago Press.
2. Airports Council International. (2025, January 28). Joint ACI World-ICAO passenger traffic report, trends, and outlook. Retrieved from https://aci.aero/2025/01/28/joint-aci-world-icao-passenger-traffic-report-trends-and-outlook/
3. Andrews, M., Kacmar, M., & Kacmar, C. (2014). The mediational effect of regulatory focus on the relationships between mindfulness and job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Career Development International, 19(5), 494–507. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-02-2014-0018
4. Asgaruddin, A. (2023). Work professionalism through work discipline on employee performance (a literature study human resource management). Dinasti International Journal of Management Science, 4(6), 1104-1114. https://doi.org/10.31933/dijms.v4i6.1943
5. Bakanoğlu, K. (2021). The effect of stress on job satisfaction: A study on pilots. Journal of Aviation, 5(2), 142–149. https://doi.org/10.30518/jav.985784
6. Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands–resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
7. Bland, J. M., & Altman, D. G. (1997). Statistics notes: Cronbach's alpha. BMJ, 314(7080), 572. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.314.7080.572
8. Brezonakova, A. (2017). Pilot burnout as a human factor limitation. Transportation Research Procedia, 28, 11–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2017.12.163

9. Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822–848. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822
10. Çeken, S., & Tuncal, A. (2025). The relationship between mindfulness and job performance among air traffic controllers: The role of decision-making. Istanbul Management Journal, 98, 76–91. https://doi.org/10.26650/imj.2025.98.1660726
11. Çelik, S., & Hisar, F. (2012). The influence of the professionalism behaviour of nurses working in health institutions on job satisfaction. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 18(2), 180–187. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-172X.2012.02019.x
12. Charoensukmongkol, P. (2014). The contributions of mindfulness meditation on burnout, coping strategy, and job satisfaction: Evidence from Thailand. Journal of Management & Organization, 19(5), 544–558. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2014.8
13. Check, J., & Schutt, R. K. (2012). Research methods in education. SAGE Publications.
14. Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02310555
15. Cullen, P., Cahill, J., & Gaynor, K. (2021). A qualitative study exploring well-being and the potential impact of work-related stress among commercial airline pilots. Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors, 11(1), 7–20. https://doi.org/10.1027/2192-0923/a000199
16. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum Press.
17. DeVellis, R. F., & Thorpe, C. T. (2021). Scale development: Theory and applications (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
18. Dinger, M., Thatcher, J. B., Treadway, D., Stepina, L., & Breland, J. (2015). Does professionalism matter in the IT workforce? An empirical examination of IT professionals. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 16(4), 281–313. https://doi.org/10.17705/1jais.00392
19. Efthymiou, M., Usher, D., O'Connell, J. F., Warnock-Smith, D., & Conyngham, G. (2021). The factors influencing entry level airline pilot retention: An empirical study of Ryanair. Journal of Air Transport Management, 91, 101997. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101997
20. Eker, D., & Aydın, A. (2021). The effect of mindful awareness and professionalism to the organizational outcomes. International Journal of Turkish Education Sciences, 2021(16), 114–137. https://doi.org/10.46778/goputeb.851233
21. Etikan, I., Alkassim, R., & Abubakar, S. (2016). Comparision of snowball sampling and sequential sampling technique. Biometrics & Biostatistics International Journal, 3(1), 00055. https://doi.org/10.15406/bbij.2016.03.00055
22. Evetts, J. (1999). Professionalisation and professionalism: Issues for interprofessional care. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 13(2), 119–128. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561829909025544
23. Evetts, J. (2003). The sociological analysis of professionalism: Occupational change in the modern world. International Sociology, 18(2), 395-415. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580903018002005
24. Feldman, G., Hayes, A., Kumar, S., Greeson, J., & Laurenceau, J. P. (2007). Mindfulness and emotion regulation: The development and initial validation of the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 29(3), 177–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-006-9035-8
25. Galant, M., Zawada, W., & Maciejewska, M. (2020). Analysis of pilot’s cognitive overload changes during the flight. Advances in Military Technology, 15(2), 329–342. https://doi.org/10.3849/aimt.01408
26. George, D., & Mallery, P. (2010). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference, 17.0 update (10th ed.). Pearson.
27. Glomb, T. M., Duffy, M. K., Bono, J. E., & Yang, T. (2011). Mindfulness at work. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 30, 115–157. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0742-7301(2011)0000030005
28. Golzar, J., Noor, S., & Tajik, O. (2022). Convenience sampling. International Journal of Education & Language Studies, 1(2), 72–77. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijels.2022.162981
29. Good, D. J., Lyddy, C. J., Glomb, T. M., Bono, J. E., Brown, K. W., Duffy, M. K., Baer, R. A., Brewer, J. A., Lazar, S. W., & Jones, H. A. (2016). Contemplating mindfulness at work: An integrative review. Journal of Management, 42(1), 114–142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206315617003
30. Goode, J. H. (2003). Are pilots at risk of accidents due to fatigue? Journal of Safety Research, 34(3), 309–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4375(03)00033-1
31. Guranda, M. (2024). The human factor in the aeronautical environment. Scientific Research and Education in the Air Force, 25. https://doi.org/10.19062/2247-3173.2024.25.15
32. Hall, R. H. (1968). Professionalization and bureaucratization. American Sociological Review, 33(1), 92–104. https://doi.org/10.2307/2092242
33. Hampton, G. M., & Hampton, D. L. (2004). Relationship of professionalism, rewards, market orientation and job satisfaction among medical professionals: The case of Certified Nurse–Midwives. Journal of Business Research, 57(9), 1042–1053. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(02)00356-9
34. Hayes, A. F. (2022). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press.
35. Helmreich, R. L., & Merritt, A. C. (1998). Culture at work in aviation and medicine: National, organizational, and professional influences. Ashgate.
36. Heo, J. W. (2015). The influence of professionalism to job satisfaction and job performance of the physical therapist. The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy, 27(4), 201–206. https://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2015.27.4.201
37. Herzberg, F. (2008). One more time: How do you motivate employees?. Harvard Business Review Press.
38. Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
39. Holtman, M. C. (2011). Paradoxes of professionalism and error in complex systems. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 44(3), 395–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2009.08.002
40. Hoole, C., & Vermeulen, L. P. (2003). Job satisfaction among South African aircraft pilots. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 29(1), 52–57. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v29i1.86
41. Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: The role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310–325. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031313
42. Hwang, J. I., Lou, F., Han, S. S., Cao, F., Kim, W. O., & Li, P. (2009). Professionalism: The major factor influencing job satisfaction among Korean and Chinese nurses. International Nursing Review, 56(3), 313–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2009.00710.x
43. International Air Transport Association. (2025). Interactive safety report. https://www.iata.org/en/publications/safety-report/interactive-safety-report/ Isnanto, S. H. (2021). Improving employee job satisfaction in aviation industry. Angkasa: Jurnal Ilmiah Bidang Teknologi, 13(2), 163–170. https://doi.org/10.28989/angkasa.v13i2.1093
44. Jackson, C. A., & Earl, L. (2006). Prevalence of fatigue among commercial pilots. Occupational Medicine, 56(4), 263–268. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kql021
45. Javaid, F., Malik, S., & Kazmi, U. E. R. (2023). The Mediating Role of Mindfulness in the Relationship between E-work Stress and Job Satisfaction among University Teachers. Pakistan Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 21(1), 11-19.
46. Ji, M., You, X., Lan, J., & Yang, S. (2011). The impact of risk tolerance, risk perception and hazardous attitude on safety operation among airline pilots in China. Safety Science, 49(10), 1412–1420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2011.06.007
47. Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Erez, A., & Locke, E. A. (2005). Core self-evaluations and job and life satisfaction: The role of self-concordance and goal attainment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(2), 257–268. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.90.2.257
48. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016
49. Kara Arseven, G., & Yurdakul, E. (2024). Commercial airline pilots’ psychosocial risk factors: Evaluating the mechanisms influencing job satisfaction. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace, 1(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.26650/hfaa.1471279
50. Kim, J. S., Jo, W., Oh, H., & Feng, Y. (2024). The effect of job stress on the quality of life of commercial pilots: Testing the mediating effects of mindfulness and job satisfaction. International Journal of Tourism Research, 26(1), e2638. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2638
51. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.
52. Lee, J. H., Hwang, J., & Lee, K. S. (2019). Job satisfaction and job-related stress among nurses: The moderating effect of mindfulness. Work, 62(1), 87–95. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-182843
53. Li, Y., Chen, H., Xin, X., & Ji, M. (2020). The influence of mindfulness on mental state with regard to safety among civil pilots. Journal of Air Transport Management, 84, 101768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101768
54. Locke, E. A. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4(4), 309–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(69)90013-0
55. Lu, H., While, A. E., & Barriball, K. L. (2005). Job satisfaction among nurses: A literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 42(2), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2004.09.003
56. MacKinnon, D. P., Lockwood, C. M., & Williams, J. (2004). Confidence limits for the indirect effect: Distribution of the product and resampling methods. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 39(1), 99–128. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr3901_4
57. Mansour, D., Bhardwaj, A. B., & Chopra, A. (2021). Relating OCEAN (Big Five) to job satisfaction in aviation. In 2021 International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Knowledge Economy (ICCIKE) (pp. 285–289). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCIKE51210.2021.9410720
58. Maxwell, G. A., & Grant, K. (2021). Commercial airline pilots’ declining professional standing and increasing precarious employment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(7), 1488–1510. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2018.1528473
59. Oster, C. V., Jr., Strong, J. S., & Zorn, C. K. (2013). Analyzing aviation safety: Problems, challenges, opportunities. Research in Transportation Economics, 43(1), 148–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2012.12.001
60. Park, S. K., & Heo, J. W. (2015). Correlation between professionalism, job satisfaction and job performance of the physical therapist. The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy, 27(1), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2015.27.1.12
61. Pasha, T., & Stokes, P. R. (2018). Reflecting on the Germanwings disaster: A systematic review of depression and suicide in commercial airline pilots. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, Article 86. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00086
62. Ramos Salazar, L. (2022). The mediating effect of mindfulness and self-compassion on leaders' communication competence and job satisfaction. Journal of Communication Management, 26(1), 39–57. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-07-2021-0074
63. Ratner, B. (2009). The correlation coefficient: Its values range between +1/−1, or do they? Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, 17(2), 139–142. https://doi.org/10.1057/jt.2009.5
64. Reb, J., Narayanan, J., & Ho, Z. W. (2015). Mindfulness at work: Antecedents and consequences of employee awareness and absent-mindedness. Mindfulness, 6(1), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-013-0236-4
65. Salas, E., Maurino, D., & Curtis, M. (2010). Human factors in aviation: An overview. In E. Salas & D. Maurino (Eds.), Human factors in aviation (2nd ed., pp. 3–19). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-374518-7.00001-8
66. Sexton, J. B., Thomas, E. J., & Helmreich, R. L. (2000). Error, stress, and teamwork in medicine and aviation: Cross sectional surveys. BMJ, 320(7237), 745–749. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7237.745
67. Shanker, M. (2019). Recruitment process and its impact on retention of commercial pilots in Indian aviation industry. Business Process Management Journal, 26(3), 736–751. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-12-2018-0376
68. Shapiro, S. L., Carlson, L. E., Astin, J. A., & Freedman, B. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(3), 373–386. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20237
69. Shen, Y., Xie, W., Wang, X., Qu, J., Zhou, T., Li, Y., Mao, X., Hou, P., & Liu, Y. (2021). Impact of innovative education on the professionalism of undergraduate nursing students in China. Nurse Education Today, 98, 104647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104647
70. Singleton, R. A., Jr., & Straits, B. C. (2009). Approaches to social research (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
71. Smith, D. B., & Shields, J. (2013). Factors related to social service workers' job satisfaction: Revisiting Herzberg's motivation to work. Administration in Social Work, 37(2), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/03643107.2012.673217
72. Snizek, W. E. (1972). Hall's professionalism scale: An empirical reassessment. American Sociological Review, 37(1), 109–114. https://doi.org/10.2307/2093498
73. Soucie, D. (2015). Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: Why It Disappeared? and Why It? s Only a Matter of Time Before This Happens Again. Simon and Schuster.
74. Sutcliffe, K. M., Vogus, T. J., & Dane, E. (2016). Mindfulness in organizations: A cross-level review. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 3, 55–81. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-041015-062531
75. Swailes, S. (2003). Professionalism: Evolution and measurement. The Service Industries Journal, 23(2), 130–149. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642060412331300922
76. Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson.
77. Taber, K. S. (2018). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48(6), 1273–1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2
78. Turgut, R. T. (2019). Aviation professionalism: Examining the concept of professionalism within and between major subgroups of the aviation industry [Doctoral dissertation, Florida Institute of Technology].
79. Vollmer, H. M., & Mills, D. L. (1966). Professionalization. Prentice-Hall.
80. Vulturius, S., Budd, L., Ison, S., & Quddus, M. (2024). Commercial airline pilots' job satisfaction before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparative study. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 53, 101108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2024.101108
81. Weinstein, N., Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(3), 374–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2008.12.008
82. Weiss, D. J., Dawis, R. V., England, G. W., & Lofquist, L. H. (1967). Manual for the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. University of Minnesota.
83. Weiss, H. M., & Cropanzano, R. (1996). Affective events theory: A theoretical discussion of the structure, causes and consequences of affective experiences at work. In B. M. Staw & L. L. Cummings (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 18, pp. 1–74). JAI Press.
84. Wickens, C. D., Stokes, A., Barnett, B., & Hyman, F. (2017). The effects of stress on pilot judgment in a MIDIS simulator. In D. Harris & W.-C. Li (Eds.), Decision making in aviation (pp. 387–408). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315095080-26
85. Wynd, C. A. (2003). Current factors contributing to professionalism in nursing. Journal of Professional Nursing, 19(5), 251–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/S8755-7223(03)00104-2
86. Zhao, Y., Wang, Y., Guo, W., Cheng, L., Tong, J., Ji, R., Zhou, Y., Liu, Z., & Wang, L. (2023). Studies on the relationship between occupational stress and mental health, performance, and job satisfaction of Chinese civil aviation pilots. Aerospace, 10(10), 896. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10100896