TCM

ALM 3
Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited: Talent
Management

Introduction

The case study "Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited: Talent
Management" from Harvard Business School examines the challenges faced by Air
Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS), a South African air traffic
control organization, in managing its talent pipeline. ATNS struggled to attract,
develop, and retain sufficient numbers of qualified air traffic control officers (ATCOs),
particularly those with the expertise needed for more complex tasks and leadership
roles.

Background and Challenges

ATNS had a long-standing bursary program that trained and recruited disadvantaged
individuals to become ATCOs. However, this program had several limitations:

 Lengthy training: It took a minimum of eight years to become a fully qualified

ATCO, which discouraged some bursary recipients from continuing in the
program.
 Pay structure: The pay structure for ATCOs was relatively flat, meaning that
there was little financial incentive for individuals to advance to more senior
positions.
 Loss of talent: ATNS faced the risk of losing its highly skilled upper-level
ATCOs to international air traffic services that offered higher salaries and
better career prospects.

Dilemma and Strategic Options

In October 2019, ATNS's interim CEO faced a dilemma regarding the company's
talent management strategy. Should the company continue with the existing bursary
program, which had provided a reliable source of ATCOs, or should it redesign the
talent pipeline to address the challenges of attracting, developing, and retaining top
talent?

Several strategic options were considered:

  Maintain the bursary program: Continuing the bursary program would ensure
a steady supply of ATCOs, but it would not address the issues of lengthy
training and limited career progression.
 Revise the bursary program: Modifying the bursary program to focus on
attracting and retaining top talent could involve offering higher stipends,
providing more opportunities for mentorship and development, and creating
clearer career paths.
 Partner with external training providers: Collaborating with external training
providers could help ATNS access a wider pool of potential ATCOs and
provide more specialized training programs.
 Increase pay for senior ATCOs: Raising the salaries for senior ATCOs could
make ATNS more competitive with international air traffic services and
encourage internal talent retention.

Decision and Implementation

After careful consideration, ATNS decided to redesign its talent pipeline by

implementing a combination of strategies:

 Revise the bursary program: The company increased the stipends for bursary
recipients and introduced new initiatives to enhance mentorship,
development, and career planning.
 Partner with external training providers: ATNS established partnerships with
training institutions to access a broader pool of potential ATCOs and provide
specialized training programs.
 Increase pay for senior ATCOs: The company raised the salaries for senior
ATCOs to make ATNS more competitive with international air traffic services.

Key Takeaways

 ATNS faced challenges in attracting, developing, and retaining qualified air

traffic control officers (ATCOs).
 The company's bursary program, while providing a source of ATCOs, had
limitations, such as lengthy training and limited career progression.
 ATNS considered various strategic options, including maintaining the bursary
program, revising it, partnering with external training providers, and increasing
pay for senior ATCOs.
 The company decided to redesign its talent pipeline by implementing a
combination of these strategies.
 The case study highlights the importance of talent management in ensuring
the long-term success of organizations like ATNS.