Determinants of Job Performance of Cabin Crew on Customer Service of an Aircraft: A Conceptual and Empirical Study in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Little research has been done with regard to determinants of job performance of Cabin Crew working in an airline. Further it revealed that a contextual gap and an intellectual curiosity exist with regard to the determinants of job performance of these employees from the perception of relevant stakeholders. A systematic desk study was carried out to find answers for two conceptual research questions and interviews with 20 stakeholders, observations of three critical incidents, and administration of an interview evaluation sheet to ten resource personnel were done to find answers for three empirical research questions. The empirical findings revealed that job performance of the Cabin Crew on customer service of an airplane in an airline is very important as the work is pivotal and core; there are a variety of common and specific factors which may affect job performance of the Cabin Crew on customer service of an airplane, 14 factors were finalized as per the perception of different stakeholders; 8 factors were identified as major determinants; and the most important three factors from the finalized 14 factors were attitude about customers, agreeableness, and competencies according to the prioritization of the resource personnel. It is implied that attitude about customers, agreeableness, and competencies are built through right training; measured and improved through right performance evaluation; and reinforced through right reward management. As a proactive strategy, to have recruitment and selection to ensure that right people enter the organization in terms of these three factors needs to be done. Key Words: Airline, Cabin Crew, Determinants, Job Performance