Story ID: 
NBAA Perception Survey Reveals Compensation Ambivalence
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: NBAA received largely neutral responses to perceptions on compensation, something that could represent a red-flag for long-term engagement.
Word Count: 368
A compensation perception survey recently undertaken by NBAA highlighted a general ambivalence toward salaries that the association warned could represent a red flag in terms of employee satisfaction.
The survey—which queried opinions on topics such as salary, bonus, pension, and medical benefits—involved 116 participants, 54 percent of which were bosses and 46 percent non-bosses, NBAA said. About two-thirds of the respondents were pilots, while the remaining held roles in maintenance, scheduling, and other industry positions. NBAA said the perception survey, augmenting its annual compensation survey, is the first of its kind in the industry and is designed to provide insights on how aviation departments can strengthen their approach to reward and payment.
According to AirComp Calculator founder and CEO and NBAA Business Aviation Management Committee member Christopher Broyhill, “This survey takes the traditional approach and turns it on its head. I deal with the receiving end of compensation in my work, but there’s never been any data collection on what people think about their compensation.”
Survey results revealed that 401(k) vesting periods were generally viewed poorly while stock options and deferred compensation were welcomed for long-term retention. However, Broyhill added that most responses related to compensation appeared neutral and “I find that lukewarm response surprising.”
That neutrality spanned most metrics from bonuses to base salaries and there was little difference between bosses and non-bosses. “For me, this ambivalence is a potential red flag. You want your people to be thrilled with how you compensate them, so you want a better reaction from your employees than ambivalence.” While that may not mean a mass exodus, it could place pressure on retention, he said.
There have been other factors playing into the survey such as timing and sample size. But one aviation director was quoted as noting there is much more to employment than compensation, and that consistency and stability could influence an employee’s loyalty, engagement, and satisfaction.
The survey, however, underscored a need for a deeper understanding of the topic, said Jo Damato, NBAA senior v-p of education, training, and workforce development.