Conditions of employment

In many countries, controllers work in the public sector and are therefore subject to its conditions of employment and its characteristic management styles. Numerous aspects of the jobs and conditions of employment in air traffic control determine whether the work is likely to satisfy human needs and aspirations. Stress is held to be intrinsic to the nature of the work, caused by air traffic control rather than conditions of employment or shiftwork or management methods. In setting conditions of employment it is important to consider their occupational health implications and problems, or by changing the conditions of employment, features of the workspace, or aspects of the air traffic control itself. The need for active preparations for retirement to ensure a successful transition to it has been accepted as a desirable feature of air traffic control conditions of employment. Retirement plans must be based on realistic expectations, particularly about the prospects of further employment related or unrelated to air traffic control.