Avionics News March 2016 - 32

RETAINING GREAT EMPLOYEES
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"There are no easy days in this business," Zollo said.
"Every day is a challenge to balance the needs and expectations of regulators, customers and employees. We all
work long, hard hours to make sure our customers' needs
are met. If an aircraft needs troubleshooting across town
on a Friday night, you better believe DFW will be there."
Is more money the answer?
Given all the challenges, how can companies keep employees happy, especially those as valuable as skilled avionics technicians? Is more money the answer? It could
be for some employees. A 2010 Princeton University
study showed that people need a certain amount of money
(roughly $82,000 in today's dollars) to comfortably cover
life's expenses, and anything above that has much less effect on their happiness with the job. Not surprisingly, experts believe those who make less than half of that amount
greatly value compensation over other factors.
In 2016, the majority of maintenance facilities intend to
raise salaries, according to AEA's Rate and Labor Survey.
For example, all of the Canadian shops surveyed plan to
raise employees' pay. Some 68 percent of U.S. shops in the
Midwest plan to pad paychecks, too, as do 66 percent of
shops in the West and 61 percent in the East. The average
expected salary increase for all shops is about 5 percent.
Also, the survey revealed that 47 percent of avionics
shops surveyed on the West Coast offer incentive pay
of some kind, typically about $1,821, as do many shops
throughout the U.S. However, while most Canadian shops
surveyed don't offer incentive pay (8 percent), those that
do tend to pay significantly more than shops in the U.S.
at $3,000.
"In Canada, we have a lot of people working on shop
floors who don't have their A&P qualifications," Gosselin
said. "They're working as apprentices. Here, technicians
can still work in the field and have someone else sign off
on their work. They don't end up going that extra step to
get the license. You don't see it that much in the U.S. We
give technicians an extra bonus when they earn the Canadian equivalent to an A&P license - their AME license.
We value people who are able to sign off on their work.
As soon as they get their license, we increase their salary
or hourly rate right away."
Other popular employee benefits in aviation include
family health insurance, retirement benefits, continuing
education and flight training. In 2015, significantly more
Canadian shops offered retirement benefits (58 percent)
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and life insurance (92 percent) than 10 years ago. More
South Pacific shops are offering retirement benefits and
life insurance, too. More Midwest shops in the U.S. (57
percent) now offer dental insurance.
What about training?
Could paying for training and continuing education earn
loyalty from an experienced technician? The answer is
likely yes, especially if it is accompanied with the opportunity for future promotions and leadership roles. While
compensation and benefits ranked fifth in importance to
employees, career opportunities came in second place, according to a June 2015 study by Glassdoor, a labor market
research company.
In the AEA survey, most shops in Canada and the South
Pacific said they do pay for an employee's continuing education or training.
"In Canada, depending on the size of the company, you
have to spend 1 percent of revenues on training, but we're
super lucky," Gosselin said. "The Canadian government
has great manpower training programs both at the federal and provincial levels. We participate in a variety of
training opportunities throughout the year, including taking key employees to trade shows and conventions. For
example, I flew my avionics manager to the AEA Convention in Dallas last year in my Cessna 210. I was able
to expose him to the aircraft's avionics and technology
while in flight. Of course, at the convention, we learned
about the latest trends in the avionics industry and participated in training. With the manpower programs in Canada, we've been able to get half the cost of attending the
AEA Convention paid for, including the cost of travel, the
hotel and other fees. You have to apply for it. Not many
people know about it."
Can more vacation time help?
In short, yes. Employees of all ages are looking for a better work-life balance, which ranked fourth in importance in
the Glassdoor survey. Given aviation's stressful, always-oncall nature, getting time away from work is critical.
In 2006, an Air New Zealand study showed that vacations improved employees' sleep, stress levels and overall health. From a business perspective, the employees not
only felt better, they worked better. Those who took vacations showed an 82 percent increase in productivity. More
rest also means fewer mistakes on the job and lower health
care costs.
Unlike many other countries that mandate 20 to 30 days
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2016