Impact of COVID-19 on Job Satisfaction: The Case of Military and Airline Pilots

Abstract

Objective: To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the military and airline pilots’ Job Satisfaction (JS), and identify important contributory factors to support the development of future mitigating strategies. Background: The aviation industry has undergone a series of devastating changes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the implications of the pandemic on pilots’ JS are unknown. Methods: Quantitative JS measurements were taken from 203 European and Middle Eastern pilots, during the pandemic (March, 2021), using the shortened Job Descriptive Index and Job In General validated scales. Follow-up semi-structured interviews (April 2021) were conducted with 16 participants to establish pre-pandemic JS levels and identify the degree of change due to COVID-19. Results: Significant JS differences (p < .001) were observed between military and airline pilots; the former having higher levels. Qualitative findings revealed that airline pilots’ levels decreased due to factors such as job security, pay cuts, opportunities for promotion and skill-fade concerns. Military pilots experienced an increased JS, as state-funded organizations were not substantially affected by COVID-19, which led to a feeling of appreciation and thankfulness. Conclusion: COVID-19 has caused a major disruption to JS of military and airline pilots. Suggested mitigation measures for the civil aviation sector comprised effective communication between pilots and managers to reduce the pandemic-induced job uncertainty. Solutions such as extra flight simulator sorties were recommended to tackle the skill-fade effect.