TALK IT OUT, DON’T WRITE IT UP

What is Professional Standards About?

The Professional Standards component of the EAP exists to assist flight attendants in any area that affects professional conduct. We encourage sound and professional relationships with coworkers and with passengers. Since flight attendants are basically an unsupervised work force, it is important for everyone to take responsibility for creating a cooperative, rewarding, and pleasant work environment. If conflict does occur, take the initiative to deal with it.

The most common trouble areas seem to be:

1. Service-Related: Concerns or disagreements about communication and behavior on board the aircraft.

2. Personality-Related: Difficulty in working as a team caused by miscommunication or friction between crew members.

What we do is encourage the resolution of the conflict: that is, try to discuss the specific behavior or area of contention and find an acceptable solution. We recommend that flying partners approach each other and speak about the problem in a calm, non-threatening manner out of the view of passengers. Sometimes it is better to wait until after work, off the airplane, when both have had some time to think more clearly about the matter.

Above all, keep it professional. If a discussion does not seem to be productive, please call your EAP representative to discuss a Professional Standards matter. The AFA EAP is a voluntary and confidential service of your union. We can help to work it out and avoid “writing up” coworkers, when both parties may then be subject to disciplinary action.
 

AFA Professional Standards (A service of your AFA EAP)

What is Professional Standards?
Professional Standards is a voluntary, confidential service offering AFA members the opportunity to resolve conflicts with, and concerns about, coworkers without management involvement. Professional Standards is a part of your AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Professional Standards exists to help members resolve coworker conflicts/concerns involving or stemming from offensive conduct, work and/or personal habits, personality clashes, differences in communication and/or interaction style, physical and/or emotional health.

Why do we have an AFA Professional Standards Program?
The goal of Professional Standards is to protect and enhance the standing of the flight attendant profession as a whole, to support and promote the highest degree of professionalism among all AFA members, and to enhance the working relationship they share with other employees.

How does Professional Standards (PS) assist in the resolution of conflicts/concerns?
If you are involved in a coworker conflict, you are encouraged to discuss the matter with your coworker in a reasonable manner and in an appropriate location at the earliest opportunity. Sometimes you may find yourself wanting to talk about a conflict before making a decision to approach your coworker. Professional Standards is there to listen. Sometimes you may want to “think out” or “practice” your approach before you talk with your coworker. Again, PS is there to assist you. Other times, the situation may necessitate the active and direct involvement of professional standards, which might involve contacting the reported flying partner (or the PS rep for that organized workgroup) or coordinating a professional standards peer mediation session between conflicted parties. Before any action is taken, the caller will work with the PS rep to jointly develop an action plan based on the unique needs and circumstances of each individual situation.

Will my report be confidential?
Participants are guaranteed confidentiality but not necessarily anonymity. It must be recognized that the circumstances of a case may make anonymity difficult, in spite of adherence to confidentiality. Additionally, information provided by the reported party will not be released to the reporting party unless properly authorized. Both the reporter and the reported are encouraged to refrain from discussing the conflict with coworkers. The integrity and success of the PS process demands that all parties involved commit to “minimizing the circle of impact.” This means not engaging coworkers in the dispute. Such a commitment is requested as a part of the PS process.

What if the Company is involved?
Professional Standards representatives will not get involved in a matter in which the Company is formally involved. PS does not monitor or evaluate work performance. PS does not engage in supervisory functions. PS will not accept complaints involving training or skill deficiencies, contract issues, issues addressed by corporate policy, FARs or the inflight handbook.

If you are working with someone who does not follow Company policy, serving procedures, or FARs, it is up to you to discuss the matter with your coworker. Your inflight handbook can be used as a tool to point out procedures and policy. Discuss the matter calmly, in an appropriate location.

Remember that our collective goal is to maintain professionalism in the workplace. If this breaks down, our aim is to prevent conflicts from escalating, by resolving them without the need for management intervention.

Remember that you can manage conflict and maintain control over the outcome of those conflicts.