Aleen Rea A.

Martinez MBA-211A December 6, 2016

Airline Mechanic’s Job

1. Excluding any pay problems, how could the airline mechanic’s job be redesigned?

One approach for redesigning jobs for the Airline Mechanics is to simplify the job tasks and
responsibilities. The following could be used to redesign their jobs:

a. Job Rotation - the process of shifting a person from job to job. There are several advantages
to job rotation with one being that it develops an employee’s capabilities for doing several
different jobs. For Airline Mechanics,
b. Job Sharing - Another alternative used is job sharing, in which two employees perform the
work of one full-time job. For instance, an Airline can allow two Airline Mechanic to fill one
job or job order and everyone works every other week. Such arrangements are beneficial for
employees who may not want or can work full-time because of family, school, or other
reasons. The keys to successful job sharing are that both “job sharers” must work effectively
together and each must be competent in meeting the job requirements.
c. Using Worker Teams in Jobs – Jobs for an Airline Mechanic may be redesigned for teams
to take advantage of the increased productivity and commitment that can follow such a
change. The Airline can assign jobs to teams of employees instead of just individuals. Some
firms have gone as far as dropping such terms as workers and employees, replacing them
with teammates, crew members, associates, and other titles that emphasize teamwork. There
are several types of teams that function outside the scope of members’ normal jobs and meet
from time to time. The self-directed team is composed of individuals who are assigned a
cluster of tasks, duties, and responsibilities to be accomplished. Unlike special purpose teams,
self-directed work teams become entities that use regular internal decision-making processes.
Use of self-directed work teams must be planned well and fit the culture of the organization.
d. Work Schedule Alternatives – Airline Mechanics may work less or more than 8 hours at a
workplace. The work schedules associated with jobs vary. Some jobs must be performed
during “normal” daily work hours and on weekdays, while others require Airline Mechanics
to work nights, weekends, and extended hours.
e. Shift Work - A common work schedule design is shift work. Many organizations need 24-
hour coverage and therefore may schedule three 8-hour shifts per day. Most of these
employers provide some form of additional pay, called a shift differential, for working the
evening or night shifts. Some types of shift work have been known to cause difficulties for
some employees personally, such as weariness, irritability, lack of motivation, and illness.
Nevertheless, some employers must have 24-hour, 7-day coverage, so shift work is likely to
continue to be an option.

2. Considering both the task-based & competency approaches, identify several tasks & several
competencies to illustrate the differences in approaches.

Task-Based Job Analysis Competency-Based Job Analysis

Adjusts, aligns, and calibrates aircraft Technical and Functional Expertise
systems, using hand tools, gauges, and test
 equipment.
Examines and inspects engines or other Understanding the Business
components for cracks, breaks, or leaks.
Disassembles and inspects parts for wear, Achieving Results
warping, or other defects.
Assembles and installs electrical, Serving the Customer
plumbing, mechanical, hydraulic, and
structural components and accessories,
using hand tools and power tools.
Services and maintains aircraft systems by Teamwork
performing tasks, such as flushing
crankcase, cleaning screens, greasing
moving parts, and checking brakes.
Repairs, replaces, and rebuilds aircraft Interpersonal and Communication Skills
structures, functional components, and
parts, such as wings and fuselage, rigging,
and hydraulic units.

Case Analysis
1. Statement of the Main Problem

Even with higher salaries, the number of airline mechanics has been declining and airlines are having
a difficult time hiring enough mechanics due to poor job design.

2. SWOT
a. Strengths
i. None.
b. Weakness
i. Most of aircraft mechanic’s job takes place in less than ideal circumstances. The
individual works weekends, holidays and late night shifts, which is when most
airline maintenance is done.
ii. The agency does not even limit the number of hours a mechanic can work as it
does with airline pilots.
c. Opportunities
i. Since Airline Mechanics are in demand, there’s an opportunity of higher salaries
and benefits for them.
d. Threats
i. The number of mechanics licenses issued has dropped by 2/3 in nine years,
adding to the problem of large numbers of mid-career mechanics switching to
other jobs. Mechanics are leaving the airlines in record numbers for better
mechanic’s jobs as in power plants, electronics firms, the railroad and auto
industries.
ii. If this pressure/threat to the number of mechanics continue and more new
mechanics are not trained, the result will be more flight delays, late packages &
aircraft sitting on the ground, etc.
 3. Give your solution/alternative courses of action.
a. One recommendation for this case is redesigning Airline Mechanic’s jobs to simplify and
properly enriched the job tasks and responsibilities among them. It may include
simplification, enrichment, rotation, or sharing.
b. Another recommendation is the use of Worker Teams in Jobs. Typically, a job is thought
of as something done by one person. However, where appropriate, jobs may be designed
for teams to take advantage of the increased productivity and commitment that can follow
such a change.
c. Another alternative for Airline Mechanics might be the use of Work Schedule
Alternatives where Airline Mechanics can use many different work scheduling
arrangements, based on industry demands, workforce needs, and other organizational
factors. These different types include shift work and the compressed workweek. The shift
work need 24-hour coverage and therefore may schedule three 8-hour shifts per day.
Most of these employers provide some form of additional pay, called a shift differential,
for working the evening or night shifts.
d. Last alternative might be the use of Work Flexibility and Scheduling where flexible work
schedules allow Airline industries to make better use of Airline Mechanics by matching
work demands to work hours. One type of scheduling is flextime, in which mechanics
work a set number of hours a day but vary the starting and ending times. In some
industries, flextime allows more airline mechanics to be available at peak times when it is
time for more maintenance schedule of airplanes. The flexibility has aided in recruiting
and retaining key staff members.
4. State your recommendation based on ACA.
Based on the ACA above, I would recommend all the stated alternatives above. The Airline should
redesign the job characteristics of each mechanic to lessen fatigue and stress issues among the workers.
Redesigning jobs so that they incorporate skill variety, task identity and significance, autonomy, and
feedback is important for both the Airline Top Management and Airline Mechanics.
In a transition to work teams, efforts are necessary to define the areas of work, scope of authority, and
goals of the teams. Also, teams must recognize and address dissent, conflict, and other problems. The use
of work teams has been a popular form of job redesign in the last decade. Improved productivity,
increased employee involvement, greater coworker trust, more widespread employee learning, and greater
employee use of knowledge diversity are among the potential benefits.
Lastly, flexible scheduling allows organizational and HR managers to choose when, where, and how
workers will perform their jobs, while still covering workloads. With work flexibility and homework,
electronic monitoring of activities and performance may be necessary.

5. Conclusion and detailed action plan to implement recommendation using the guide below:

Managers play a significant role in job design because often they are the people who establish jobs and
their design components. They must make sure that job expectations are clear, that decision-making
responsibilities and the accountability of workers are clarified, and that interactions with other jobs
are integrated and appropriate.
 Specific Activity Person Responsible Time Frame Budgetary
Requirements
1. Job simplification, Job HR Managers, Top 1 to 2 months for None
Rotation and Job Sharing Management with the Job Simplification
participation of Airline
Mechanics
2. Use of Work Teams HR Managers, Top 1 to 3 months for None
Management with the planning and
participation of Airline evaluation on how to
Mechanics group the mechanics
3. Shift Work HR Managers, Top As needed Budget for Shift
Management with the Differential Pay
participation of Airline
Mechanics
4. Flextime HR Managers, Top As needed None
Management with the
participation of Airline
Mechanics
5. Electronic Monitoring HR Department As needed Budget for
software to
monitor activities
and performance
6. Accomplishment Reports, HR Department esp. HR After 6 months of None
Meeting Timelines and Managers implementation
Measurement of
Performance Results after
implementation of new
Work Sched and Job design