If you read the Wall Street Journal article, “Air France Panel Cites Wide Safety Deficiencies,” you probably won’t rush to fly on an Air France plane. As the article states:
An independent study of Air France-KLM SA’s operations found a lack of “strong safety leadership at all levels of management” that has resulted in lax cockpit discipline, ineffective pilot training and “an unhealthy relationship” with unions.
The article says that management gives the message that safety is a priority. But the value of safety is obviously not woven into the fabric of their culture. For that matter, if you go to their website, it’s hard to find any reference to safety. Buried in the massive content under sustainable development, you can finally see the word “safety.”
So what airlines do you fly? And what do they value? Take the time to see what they say matters to the company and its employees and of course, see if the experience matches their claims.
For example, Southwest Airlines is very clear about their values. It’s easy to find that service and value are their focus. Start by looking on their website: there’s a link on each page for “The Southwest Difference.” Just listen to a video and you’ll hear a customer service story that will make you cry. You can also read about their Mission and customer service commitment as well as their safety commitment. It’s so easy to find the values that matter to this company and its employees.
Next time you plan on flying or buying any products or services, take a moment to check out the values important to the company you are planning to use. If it’s not obvious what is valued, then there’s a good chance employees will not have a shared set of principles to guide what they do. Maybe it’s time to rethink where you take your business. Maybe it’s time to do business with companies that share your values.
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