Strategies to Improve Work Attitude and Mental Health of Problem Employees: Focusing on Airline Cabin Crew

This study examines strategies for improving the work attitude and mental health of airlines’ “problem employees”. Based on a review of previous studies, five different handling methods for problem employees were derived: (1) duty assignment according to ability, (2) confidence beliefs, (3) managerial coaching, (4) human understanding, and (5) mentor system. The study hypothesized that these five approaches influence employees’ work attitudes, mental health, and job performance. To verify these hypotheses, empirical data were collected from 200 airline crew members. The analysis found that only three of the “five different handling methods of problem employees” positively influence job attitudes, mental health, and job performance: (1) duty assignment according to ability, (2) confidence beliefs, and (3) mentor system. In contrast, managerial coaching negatively impacted outcome variables. The study also found that the current handling approaches implemented in the industry have positive and negative outcomes on problem employees. Therefore, airline companies need to manage problem staff based on the findings of this study. Particularly, when conducting managerial coaching, supervisors should check employees’ work attitude change status. Research implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.