Dnata’s New Beginning

The Problem

John F. Kennedy is one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. Millions of travelers visit JFK from all over the world. The airport is home to thousands of employees, such as myself. I am an aircraft mechanic at Terminal One, where I commonly work alongside the ramp agent subculture. The ramp subculture is vast, and different from airport to airport and even terminal to terminal. The ramp subculture I am interested is, the Dnata ramp agents at Terminal One. Ramp agents are in charge of many tasks such as marshaling the aircraft, loading and off-loading cargo, baggage handling, and much more. Task such as these requires experience or a form of on-job training. Aside from getting the job done safely, the job must be completed on time, as delayed flights caused by ramp agents are fined to their company. While observing the ramp agent subculture at work, and on my field observations, I took quick notice of the influx of new hires. There were new employees everywhere. You can spot a new hire, typically by the cleanliness of their safety vest, and the lack of experience when performing job-related task. Then, for my interview, the ramp agent I spoke to, had quit just a few days after. There is something wrong and I need to know why. Why are so many of the ramp agents constantly quitting? Why is the turnover rate at Dnata in Terminal One so high? This issue eventually leads to bigger problems, in which the company can’t supply new employees fast enough, and the new hires then also need training in order for the job to be completely properly. The ramp agents are vital for airport operation, so why don’t they want to stay?

Background

The ramp subculture is vast. At JFK, the ramp subculture exists at every terminal. All variant share similarities and differences. Similarities include the common duties performed by a ramp agent, such as loading and off-loading luggage and cargo. However, depending on the company one works for, the work environment can be entirely different. Typically, if one works for a domestic carrier, such as Delta, American Airlines, JetBlue, or United Airlines, they’re often rewarded with higher pay and better benefits, such as free travel. On the other hand, if one works for a contracting company such as Dnata, Swissport, Triangle Cargo, or AGI, the employee benefits and pay aren’t the same (PANYNJ.gov). Being a contract company, Dnata employees at Terminal One provide services such marshaling, moving aircraft, toilet services, loading and unloading cargo, and baggage handling (Dnata.com). The services are commonly performed for foreign carriers, who rely on contracting companies to provide the services for them when away from their home bases. The job of the ramp agents is critical for the operation and flow of the airport. Anytime an aircraft lands, the ramp agents tow the aircraft to the gates, and begin their job of preparing it for departure. With a decreasing number of ramp agents, the future of air travel is in jeopardy.

During my observations, I earned the opportunity to gain insight on the ramp subculture itself, particularly of Dnata ramp agents at Terminal One. Being an aircraft mechanic at the same terminal, I’ve worked closely with the ramp agents. The ramp subculture is much different than the mechanics subculture, and I put aside my biases and recognized my privileges in order to obtain the most relevant and trustworthy information about the culture. A ramp crew is made up of a supervisor and four or five other members. The supervisor is the most experienced in the crew. They often wear an orange safety vest to differentiate from the rest of the crew, which wear a neon green safety vest. The supervisor is in charge of overseeing his crew, and jobs that require more experience, such as driving the tug, which moves the aircraft. Depending on the performance of the ramp agent, and the condition of their work attire, you can make good assumptions as to how long they’ve been employed as ramp agents. The rest of the crew is normally in charge of loading and off-loading cargo, driving dollies, and handling baggage. The machines are large and expensive and require training to operate correctly. If a ramp agent lacks the experience to operate the equipment properly, damage to the operating equipment, the aircraft, and injury are common. Aside from that, at times, the ramp agents must work through rough weather conditions, such as heavy rain, snow, and heat. All task then also must be completed within a required timeframe. So, ramp agents usually have to deal with heavy labor, weather, and stressful requirements.

The Dnata ramp agent subculture is mostly made up of, young male adults. The supervisors are usually older male adults. During my observations and my times at work, the first most obvious pattern I took notice of, was the constant influx of new hires. It feels like every week there are new agents on the job. That became my outstanding interest in the subculture. The turnover rate at Dnata is high, and I want to understand why. With a high turnover rate, Dnata struggles with a short number of staff, which can lead to even more issues down the line. One evident issue is what I often observe at work when the ramp crew is short of people. The jobs take much longer to complete, and usually the employees available must put in more work and effort to pick up the slack of missing members. As a result, the ramp agents are overworked, flights are delayed, and Dnata gets fined for the delay, fueling the already existing problem. Another issue is having to constantly train the new hires. The job requires a certain level of on-job experience, which is critical for getting the job done on time and safely. New hires often lack the experience, since it is expensive to train employees, especially if there are new employees every week. Then, when ill-trained employees are placed in a fast-paced work environment, it often leads to work being completed improperly, eventually leading to flight delays. At times, lack of safety training can lead to immediate bodily injury or chronic injury such as, tennis elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome. It is important for companies such as Dnata to educate their employees on the importance of lifting heavy objects correctly, operating equipment properly, and avoiding dangerous situations (eleylawfirm.com). Lack of training can also cause ground damage, which has been an increasingly growing issue on the ramp. Ground damage occurs when ramp personnel are servicing an aircraft. Usually, the cause of ground damage is linked to human errors and lack of training. Ground damage incidents are a huge financial burden to the airlines. Aside from the cost of repairing the damage, keeping an aircraft out of service also cost the airlines huge loss of potential revenue (Wenner 183). It is evident, that ramp agents are necessary for airport operation. Dnata is facing a problem, they can’t seem to solve. Ramp agents shouldn’t be quitting after just a few weeks of work. There must be a solution to this outstanding problem, in which I aim to resolve.

Literature Review

Article 1

The cargo industry continues to grow every year. What once was a dying industry, the flow of cargo through air travel is seeing a huge growth in the recent years. Worldwide Freight Services, a cargo handling and baggage handling company that provides service to airliners all over the world, has acquired new building and lease renewals at London Heathrow Cargo Terminal. The cargo business is growing, and with that comes the need for more ramp agents. The ramp subculture continues to grow worldwide and the demand for employees is higher than ever. The importance of ramp agents cannot be stressed enough, and the demand for them must be met, as the travel industry foresees record future growth. (Source: Watson, Stuart. “Cargo handlers stack up steadily at Heathrow.” Property Week, 25 July 2014, p. 43. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A380066439/ITOF?u=cuny_ccny&sid=ITOF&xid=7f0095c4. Accessed 8 Dec. 2018.)

Article 2

ICHCA International and LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Association) have partnered up to publish “Organization of Gear Stores”, a guide to safe management when operating lifting equipment in cargo handling operations. Safety is of utmost importance when dealing with heavy objects and the movement of large equipment especially around aircraft. Small damages on aircraft structure can lead to much larger issues in the future, such as airplane accidents. Aside from that, avoidance of injury to the operating personnel must always be exercised. Following the guide published by ICHCA and LEEA, employers can rest assure that the environment of their staff is much safer to work in. The guide provides step-by-step instructions for equipment operation, handling loose gear, equipment examination and inspections, securing cargo, and proper disposal and repair of loose gear. By ensuring the safety of employees and providing a safer environment, the job because much more desirable for ramp agents and cargo handlers. Eventually leading to long term employment for employees such as ramp agents. (Source: “Safe overhead lifting for cargo-handlers.” The Safety & Health Practitioner, Aug. 2011, p. 59. Academic OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A264922554/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=AONE&xid=2069e9b2. Accessed 8 Dec. 2018.)

Article 3

Ramp agents from the company Midway Airlines have made claims against the company that they were improperly fired due to attendance records. Employee records were kept in form of paper and pen, and clock-in system was never incorporated. Senior ramp agent William Allen questioned the accuracy of the attendance records, in which erasure and white-out marks can be seen, leading him to believe that mistakes are very possible. Forty-nine employees called out sick before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after the holiday. Many employees are also being accused of calling out sick, when not having any illness. Many other employees believe the agents are not showing up to work as a form of protest due to the lack of progress with IAMW union contract negations about better pay. Midway has about 300 ramp agents and is having trouble replacing the 15 fired employees. The average training time for an employee is eight days, which Allen believes is not enough to handle the rush of passengers and luggage during the holiday traveling season. Then, the issues extend into other employees being overworked, having to work long hours, eventually leading to more employees calling out from being too strained to work. Similar conditions are present with Dnata ramp agents at Terminal One. Ramp agent conditions lead to lack of attendance of employees, which further enhances the issue. With the shortage and having to train employees, handling the large amounts of baggage and cargo becomes a much more strenuous task. As a result, the turnover right continues to grow, until a solution can be found. (Source: Jones, Sabrina. “Former Ramp Agents of North Carolina Airline Dispute Reason They Were Fired.” Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News 7 Dec. 2000: ITEM003430B7. Business Insights: Global. Web. 5 Dec. 2018.)

Article 4

The turnover rate of ramp agents varies widely due to several factors. Two of the most important factors are location and wage. The turnover rate for ground handling crews can range from 5% to 90%. Regardless, the importance of employees entering and exiting the market has a huge impact on the ground handling industry. The turnover issue has been investigated during the IATA Ground Handling Conference. The industry employs approximately 1 million people, worldwide.  When a ramp agent quits, another must replace their position. The new hire must first be recruited and then properly trained for the job. So, when the turnover rate is high, like at Dnata, the cost of training increases as the turnover rate increase. Aside from cost, the company puts safety in jeopardy, as some skills are obtained on the job and not from formal training. Many companies globally, have begun initiatives in efforts to become an employer of choice. Aside from aiming to improve wages, companies are looking to improve employment landscape, by improving work conditions and employee benefits. Companies are also looking to retain more agents by selecting quality applicants during the hiring process. By informing potential agents of the pros and cons of the ramp agent field, employers can single out for longer term employees. Companies have also begun administering retention surveys to gain insight on the employee retention. Aside from wages, some employees may be unhappy with managers, co-workers, the environment, or several other things, which can all be brought to light with surveys. The ramp agent subculture is an evolving culture, as the air travel business changes. The culture grows, shrinks, adapts, and it is vital that employers keep up with the supply of the industry. Dnata should be on the same path as many of the other industry leading companies are, to be the outlook of the ramp agents. (Source: Smith, Josh. “Retention on the Ramp.” AviationPros.com, 22 Dec. 2017, www.aviationpros.com/article/12384311/retention-on-the-ramp.)

Objectives

            The air travel industry is growing remarkably every year. As the industry grows, the need for employees also grows. There’s a direct correlation. More passengers equal more flights, and more flights means more employees. Employees such as ramp agents are vital for the growth, and the retention of such employees cannot be overlooked. Dnata is suffering from high turnover rates and will continue to suffer unless changes are made.

In the early steps of my research, I sought solutions to what I assumed to be a simple problem. Pay the ramp agents more, I thought. However, that is not the case. Dnata’s high turnover rate is much more complex. Through my field observations and interview, I learned a great deal about the ramp agent subculture itself. I got to see what type of work is done, how the ramp agents interact with one another, and the conditions a typical ramp agent at Terminal One must deal with. The observations made the issue apparent, but it nowhere solved the problem. Certainly, it was not enough to solve the question, as to why Dnata ramp agents continue to quit at an alarming rate. The resolution is far sought, but through extensive research on the ramp subculture, there are changes that Dnata can make which will move them in the right direction. Changes in which similar companies are making which have had a positive impact on the company’s retention rate.

The first change begins at the hiring process. According to Dnata’s ramp agent application, prior experience is not required. At an entry-level position, there are many potential employees who lack an idea of the job requirements and conditions. There are also many potential employees who view the job as a short-term method of making money, especially during the summer months. Although I didn’t get the opportunity to observe an interview at Dnata, I believe the informing the interviewees about the true nature of the job is important. Aside from just telling them that “heavy lifting” is required, informing them about the weather conditions, and the actual task they will be performing is important. It may create some difficulty in hiring employees who may refuse the job because of this, but it will allow for high retention for employees who are actually hired. By also seeking employees who are not working elsewhere, or are students, Dnata can hire employees who seek long-term employment, and can help reduce its turnover rate.

The second change would be to provide better attire for new employees. During my second observation, I noticed new hires were not properly dressed for the weather. It was cold that evening, and there were some agents in sweaters and shorts. The weather at JFK is much colder than the neighboring areas, because it is alongside the Long Island Sound. By providing employees with coats, gloves, and rain gear, it makes the environment easier to cope with. With proper work attire, employee satisfaction will increase, and in turn lead to less quitting.

The final change which one would normally believe to increase retention, is better pay. Through research, I learned that many ramp agents do complain about low pay for the work they do. However, many companies can’t afford to pay more. Especially with jobs that require low levels of education, higher pay is difficult to achieve. Through further research of other ramp companies and other locations, I can observe the employee behavior and gather information on retention rates, to see the effects of higher or lower pay.

Methods

There are several methods to which I can approach the issue of the high ramp agent turnover rate. Hopefully, also bring positive guidance to which the issue can be resolved. The first step to solving the problem, is by becoming better informed on how high the turnover rate is. It may have possibly been a false observation, and confirming the issue creates a stronger drive to fixing it. Then, understanding the cause of the high turnover rate would certainly help in seeking methods to reduce it. Finally, introducing possible solutions, observing the ramp agents and gathering data on the turnover rate after the new implementations, would answer my question to why Dnata’s turnover rate is so high.

As a large company, where employees are required to work in high security areas, Dnata must keep records of all employees, both new and old. In order to become better informed on the turnover rate, collecting data on employee hiring and resignation dates, would provide the most accurate information. Such data is beneficial to understand just how large the issue truly is. Also, by observing such records, conclusions can be drawn on how long it typically takes for Dnata to replace the employee. By understanding the true nature of Dnata’s ramp agent turnover issue, and making it more apparent, the company can take more strategic steps to solving it.

To research the reason for why employees left would be an onerous task. If enough resources are provided, emails can be sent to ex-employees consisting of an online anonymous survey. The survey would include questions such as the following. “Why did you apply to Dnata? How much time did you spend at Dnata? Where are you working now? What would you like to see different at Dnata? Why did you quit at Dnata?” By keeping the survey short, and straight to the point, would increase responses. Also, keeping the survey anonymous would make ex-employees more comfortable in responding, as they would not fear the consequences of their responses. Finally, asking questions such as where they are working now, and what they would like to see different, could possibly provide a solution and better insight as to a simple straight forward answer to why they have quit.

Finally, using the new research from the surveys, minor changes that can be achieved can be implemented. Small changes such as better work attire for new hires can be introduced. Then, after a waiting or reaction period, data can be collected to see the response to the new implementations. Data such as new hiring dates and the period they have spent at Dnata. Whether there’s a positive effect or no effect, it is progress in solving the turnover rate problem Dnata faces.

Conclusion

As the ramp agent subculture continues to grow, so does the turnover rate at Dnata. During my observation of the ramp agents at Terminal One I quickly noticed the constant influx of new hires. With new hires, the company struggles with less trained staff and sometimes not enough. The issue eventually leads to even more employees quitting and continues to grow from there. Through more research, a better understanding of why Dnata faces such an issue can be obtained. By anonymously surveying ex-employees and implementing the feedback, Dnata can take the first steps into better retention rates. Of course, this process is much more complex then it may seem, but the issue is also larger than it may seem. Through the research I have completed and have yet to complete, it has become obvious to me that the ramp subculture at Terminal One needs to be saved, and this is the first step to that outcome.