View Full Version : Problems at home
Edgar Jessop
15th May 2006, 15:31
A company I knew of had a problem because a member of staff had personal problems at home which could have affected his concentration at work. The individual kept his problems to himself and nobody realised until mistakes were found, then it came out in discussions.
Classic HF issue of course, and I'd be interested to hear how people would address this sort of 'hidden' issue.
ABird747
15th May 2006, 20:35
On a recent trip down to oz, it was a normal sector to the far east... got to the bar in the hotel and got chatting to the pilots and other crew.
Arrived in SYD and the FO was a little quiet. As we'd been chatting previously I sat next to him on the bus and asked him if he was OK. Turns out he'd been having problems with the missus and it was weighing heavily on his mind. He didn't feel able to talk to his colleagues in the cockpit as he was afraid they'd think he was 'weak'.
When we got back on the plane to start our trek home I asked the guy how he was and he was again a bit quiet and seemed sad.
On arrival on the far east I offered him a quiet drink and a chat in my room before we all went out for dinner. Suffice it to say that we didn't make it out to dinner as he spent 2 hours in floods of tears in my arms in my room.
We went for a walk the next day and he admitted to me that he didn't feel able to tell the company about the problems he'd been having in case they suspended his flying licence.
Such a shame to hear a really nice guy was having such a hard time with so little contemporary support...
Classic HF issue of course, and I'd be interested to hear how people would address this sort of 'hidden' issue.
I'm not sure it is a hidden issue. Confidential staff counselling services are provided to airlines at no cost to staff. Peer support programs may also be available.
Capt Claret
16th May 2006, 05:26
From my personal experience, there's never been an issue. When I went through it the company was most accommodating in most areas, and from my observations since, no one going through personal problems, be they relationship or illness related, has been abandoned.
Edgar Jessop
16th May 2006, 09:34
To be fair I know the company this chap works for and I know they would be good about it. However I was more thinking along the lines that if someone bottles up their problems for whatever reason, and that affects their work, how can their employer know about it and take appropriate action / make allowances before mistakes at work highlight the issue? After all in our industry mistakes at work can have consequences.
Oh that's super!
17th May 2006, 14:13
Well, it would be difficult for the employer to know that there is a problem unless the person in question is prepared to say something to them - they don't have to say much, but they just might like to mention that there is an issue that MAY affect their ability to perform to their best.
But some people are very private and reluctant to talk about their personal problems at work (especially to their employer) regardless of whether they feel 'safe' to tell their employer or not. In that case, if someone notices the person to be uncharacteristically quiet, for instance, that person should ask him/her if everything's OK. It might just open up a communication path that would eventually encourage the person from saying that he/she is having a problem.
I think mutual 'looking out for each other' and 'support' is important in this type of situation.
AerocatS2A
20th May 2006, 13:34
From my own experience I found the company I work with to be very accomodating.
The problem is they wouldn't have known anything about it unless I said something. You don't have to say anything more than "I'm having some personal problems and am not fit to fly tomorrow", embarrasing details are not necessary.
I guess what the company did do, is make it clear that if you don't feel mentally fit to fly, then it is ok to say so. So when the time came that I had too much on my mind, I had the confidence that my problem would be received in the right way.
That is probably the best a company can do about problems like these that can be hidden so easily, try to provide an environment in which the employees feel comfortable grounding themselves when necessary.