Steven Slater is now a celebrity for opening the exit door and escaping from the tin tube of an airplane. This serves as a wake up call for all companies - do you know what your employees are truly dealing with on the front lines everyday? Jet Blue is certainly having a quick wake up to the realities and the front line of a media frenzy.
As a 12 year veteran of the travel industry I can sense the frustration of Steven Slater in dealing with a rude public that is allowed to go into tight cramped quarters all for the purchase price of a low fare admission ticket. Many people that go out in public react less than politely in different environments. This passenger was not a happy camper and took their frustration out on the employee with a huge audience now learning what a jackass they were for treating another human being with little respect.
The job of flight attendant is one that I did for a brief stint at Apple Vacations working for a charter airline. The job is more about safety and emergency preparedness. I am sure as he looked out the window by the emergency door he was able to deploy the chute quickly with no likelihood of injury to any crew on the ground. Most people do not know this, but any passenger that interferes with a flight operation can receive federal charges and a hefty legal bill. The two arguing over the flight bin at the front end of this horrible flight from hell should have both been removed from the plane and charged. However no airline wants the Tweet backlash and time delays for their equipment. PUT UP and shut up is most likely the message to all employees. Where and when will the line be drawn?
This Steven Cobert video is a humourous reminder of the seriousness of the bigger issue here. People are stressed, employees are stressed and many corporations are sitting on record breaking profits after letting go of workers to increase their bottom line. The ones that are still employed are getting squeezed with time, requests for increased productivity and less and less financial incentives.
Seventy percent (70%) of our economy is generated by consumer spending; without jobs and with prolonged financial uncertainty, no one seems comfortable with discretionary spending. While you may or may not agree with material acquistion as a goal, it has a direct impact on all of us.
A so called expert in another interview I watched felt that anyone perceived as a disgruntled employee should be reported to management…so we avoid similar or worse situations. Harrassment, bullying and shootings are all 20/20 in hindsight after the fact post-snap. But don’t most corporate cultures allow these situations to be magnified (perhaps unconsciously) with loads of stress being added to an already quite volatile cocktail of human emotions?
Food for thought to HR, OD and leaders in management: get your employees stress reducing strategies NOW and REDUCE the stress where and when you can.
I have a solution that innovative, forward thinking companies are installing with a clearly proven track record of success in reducing stress and increasing life management /work balance skills.
Contact me today to learn more on how you can support 5 - 5000+ employees, increase effectiveness and employee satisfaction without impacting your bottom line to install a solution that works.
To Your Success!
Coach Jennifer Weggeman, M.A.
