The role of internal communication in the effectiveness of hr strategies of air carriers

Abstract

The article examines the importance of internal communications in the implementation of HR strategies in aviation companies. Practical cases of leading air carriers and airports are analyzed, the results of modern research are presented, and the main factors of successful integration of communication practices into HR policy are identified. Recommendations are offered for aviation enterprises of Ukraine on improving internal communications in order to increase the efficiency of personnel management.

Introduction. The aviation industry is one of the most dynamic and complex sectors of the economy, where the human factor determines the quality of service, flight safety, and the level of competitiveness of the company. In such a situation, HR strategies should not only attract and retain talent, but also actively integrate effective internal communications systems.

Purpose and objectives of the article. The purpose of the article is to analyze the relationship between internal communications and the effectiveness of HR strategies of air carriers based on real practices and scientific research. The objectives of the article: to reveal the essence of internal communications as a component of HR strategy in the aviation industry; to analyze modern approaches to internal communication in airlines and airports; to assess the impact of internal communications on the effectiveness of implementing HR strategies; to identify problems and prospects for the development of internal communications in the context of the digital transformation of the aviation sector; to formulate recommendations for improving communication policy to increase the effectiveness of personnel management.

Method (methodology). The methodological basis of the study is a systematic approach to studying the relationship between internal communications and the effectiveness of HR strategies in aviation companies. The work uses a complex of general scientific and special methods that provide a deep and comprehensive study of the issue.

In particular, the following methods were used:

The method of analysis and synthesis - to study scientific literature, regulatory legal acts, corporate documents of airlines and airports in order to generalize approaches to internal communications in the field of personnel management.

Comparative analysis - to identify differences in communication practices between individual aviation enterprises (in particular, international airlines, regional carriers and airport operators).

Content analysis – for studying official reports, HR reviews, corporate portals, internal newsletters and publications related to internal communications policy in leading airlines (e.g. Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, UIA, Boryspil International Airport).

Expert survey method (in qualitative format) – for obtaining opinions of HR managers and heads of communication departments on the importance of internal communications in the implementation of HR strategies.

Elements of the case method – for analyzing individual examples of successful communication practices in international air carriers.

Such a methodological approach allowed not only to identify problematic aspects of communications management, but also to offer practical recommendations for their improvement, taking into account the specifics of the aviation industry.

Results. The study found that internal communications are one of the key elements of implementing HR strategies in modern air carriers. Based on an analysis of the practices of leading airlines and airports (in particular, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, KLM, Wizz Air, Qatar Airways, as well as Boryspil International Airport), several strategically important areas of internal communications have been identified that directly affect the effectiveness of personnel management, such as:

- forming a unified corporate culture. Regularly informing employees about the company's goals, mission, and values ​​contributes to increasing staff loyalty and reducing staff turnover. Airlines actively use internal portals, mobile applications, and internal social networks;

- supporting communication during crisis situations. During the COVID-19 pandemic and martial law in Ukraine, internal communications have become a critically important tool for ensuring the stability of companies' operations. Timely and clear information transfer to employees has reduced stress levels and supported motivation;

- involving employees in decision-making. The use of feedback, internal surveys and regular meetings with management (town hall meetings) helps to increase the level of trust in the team and improve the psychological climate;

- increasing the efficiency of HR processes. Thanks to a clearly built internal communication system, airlines optimize the processes of adapting new employees, managing talents, organizing training and improving the skills of personnel;

- integrating communication technologies into HR strategies. Automation of internal communications and the implementation of digital platforms allows you to reduce costs, increase the efficiency of communications and personalize messages for different categories of employees;

The generalization of the collected data shows that aviation companies that pay due attention to the development of internal communications achieve higher results in the implementation of HR strategies, in particular in increasing labor productivity, quality of passenger service, retention of key employees and increasing the staff satisfaction index.