labour market

Isavia operates in the general labour market, endeavours to maintain a good relationship with unions and follows general collective wage agreements negotiated by the Confederation of Icelandic Employers with numerous unions on behalf of the company. Special collective wage agreements have been made with the following unions: Landssamband slökkviliðsmanna (LSS) (firefighters), Sameyki (SFR) and Félag íslenskra flugumferðarstjóra (FÍF) (air traffic controllers).

The notice of termination of employees is in accordance with the applicable collective wage agreement but varies according to length of service and age. The right to terminate employment is mutual, and all information is in writing. Isavia complies with laws and regulations on the labour market and human rights and does not employ persons who have not reached the age of 18.

Recruitment

Isavia focuses on recruiting the most skilled employees available, and all recruitments are based on capability, education and work experience. The equal rights policy and equal rights programme of Isavia are followed when recruiting employees and enabling their professional advancement. New employees are given a warm welcome and provided with training and opportunity to adapt. As a result, it is important that everyone take part in minimising the time that it takes to make new employees active and satisfied. This involves e.g. new recruit courses, clear job descriptions and introductions to colleagues, the workplace, etc. Isavia places great importance on punctuality and employee faithfulness.

A total of 250 employees were recruited to work for Isavia in 2019, whereof around 180 were summer employees. Staff turnover over the year was 14%. This rate varies across jobs and professional fields.

End of employment is considered to occur at the end of the month in which the employee reaches the age of seventy. Members of the Icelandic Air Traffic Controller Association, however, retire at the age of 63. The company offers an end-of-employment training course for those nearing retirement age, and their spouses are also invited. The course covers useful information and deals with this important career milestone. Twenty-five employees participated in such a course in 2019.

Staff turneover by age and gender GRI 401-1

Staffið - The staff association 

The staff association of Isavia and its subsidiaries, Staffið (the Staff), is responsible for a diverse and dynamic social life and organises numerous events for its members, such a family outing during the summer, a Christmas buffet, trips to the cinema and bowling. In addition, the association has negotiated discounts with various companies for its members. All employees are eligible for membership in Staffið. The company focuses on providing a good and family friendly working environment, effective education and training and positive morale.

Parental leave

Isavia places importance on trying to fulfil the requests of employees as regards parental leave and to meet their need with flexibility as regards returning to work once such leave has been completed. A total of 78 employees took parental leave in 2019, 43 women and 35 men. Women choose to spend more time on parental leave and utilise the shared rights of parents. In 2018, 91 employees took parental leave and 74 of these had returned to work 12 months later.

Parental leave GRI 401-3

Education and training

Isavia strives to ensure that all employees receive the requisite training and that employees have the skills necessary to achieve success in their work. In addition, employees bear considerable responsibility for maintaining their own education and competence. At the beginning of employment, all new recruits receive an electronic new recruit introduction and receive an introductory pamphlet. This is followed by training according to the training regimen of the group in question.

The training of airport security staff, airport staff and air traffic controllers follows a training schedule approved by the Transport Authority. Other smaller groups follow training schedules that take account of their work and competency requirements for each job. As a rule, the training schedule of employees is based on pre-education containing digital courses, basic education which is a blend of theoretical and practical courses and job training which is conducted in the workplace. Regular training and refresher courses are a part of the daily work of the majority of employees.

At the end of new recruit training, most employees who work in frontline positions undergo a competency assessment. In addition, a formal academic assessment is conducted at the end of courses in the form of written examinations and multiple-choice exams. The quality of the teaching is evaluated on a regular basis through course assessments.

The company enjoys a special position in education and training because most of the employees receive their basic training at Isavia and are trained and taught by Isavia employees. Those responsible for education within the company receive special training to do so. In recent years, the trend has increasingly been to offer a blend of study techniques where the coursework is through Isavia’s learning site and the practical training is at the place of work. The focus is on providing a variety of teaching methods, and IT is used extensively. Numerous courses that were previously taught in a classroom setting are now digital and stored in the company’s education management system. All education and training that Isavia employees attend is registered in the human resources system Kjarni, both training provided in-house and courses that staff attend outside Isavia.

In addition to undertaking training that is subject to legislation, the company continually seeks to provide education that strengthens employees both professionally and personally. A large range of such courses are available each year. When selecting courses, account is taken of the company’s policies, values and ongoing projects. In addition, the result of workplace analyses influences the content of the education.

Management training

A wide range of courses specifically intended for management is on offer each year. The goal of Isavia is to ensure that all employees who have management responsibilities receive basic management training. Training schedules for managers are being prepared and are divided into stages depending on the position of the manager. Focus areas in management training have moved more to other aspects such as communications, trust and adaptability. Attention has also been paid to project management, time management and competencies to handle difficult human resources issues.

Discussion on the figures

2019 saw a total of 52,666 hours of learning activities, corresponding to 46 hours per employee over the year. Some 90% of these learning hours involved basic training, refresher courses and vocational and professional training required by staff to retain the necessary certification and skills for the jobs that they do, such as air navigation, airport security services and airport operations. The staff of other divisions and departments also attend courses and lectures both in Iceland and overseas.

While 2018 was a record-breaking year as regards the average number of hours of education per employee, the number decreased significantly in 2019. The main reason for such decrease are fewer new recruits and fewer summer employees. In addition, there was a training ban in effect in the Flight Navigation Division for half the year, which meant that students had to postpone their practical training and all training decreased. In 2018, refresher courses were held for commercial drivers, education on new personal protection was provided and presentations of social environment were held, which called for numerous lectures. Such education was much lesser in scope in 2019, which also contributed to the difference.

Average hours of training per year per employee and field of work GRI 404-1

A part of the recruit education touches on the social environment, where, among other things, the company’s equal rights plan and response plans against bullying and other psychological harassment are presented. The response plan contains information on what assistance is on offer from the company and the unions. Importance is placed on maintaining notification pathways, employees must know who to contact and communication channels must be clear for the victim and the perpetrator. In 2019, seven reports of bullying or sexual and/or gender-based harassment were received. These reports were processed according to company procedure.

All frontline employees in Keflavík Airport are provided with electronic educational material on the indications of human trafficking. The course is intended to strengthen the awareness of frontline employees, providing information on the nature of human trafficking, main types, how it can be detected and whom to notify of suspected human trafficking. The course is for all employees who work in frontline positions but is also available to various stakeholders both in Iceland and overseas.