Jet Airways Crisis – Reality Check for Private Sector Employees April 28, 2019

Jet Airways, once the pioneer to usher new era of Indian air travel, is almost done and dusted unless final attempts for its revival are heeded by any investors willing to bet on dead horse to revive it again.

By this time almost all interested parties involved, including the general public, are mostly aware of the basic fact that the debt burden was too much for air carrier to carry on it’s shoulder. Ultimately, leading it to crumble under its massive debt. Many analysts and industry experts have disected the issue with most probable reasons for the downfall of Jet Airways and possible ways, if any, to resurrect it.

Jet Airways took to skies just few years after liberalization of economy and showed the world that India too can have world class air carrier. Jet employees were brand ambassadors of the airlines and ensured the success of it. And today all of them, who stood their ground resiliently backing their employer, are left high and dry.

In all the chaos around Jet crisis, the voices of employees (approx. 16000 in number), are somewhere lost. Understandably, employees are seeking Government intervention to help Jet prop up on it’s feet again. Jet employees are sincerely hoping that by some Government action, direct or indirect, can save their jobs.

This begs a question as employees, whether Government should bear burden of wrong business decisions of a corporate entity or we should accept the fact that companies do run their course over period of time and move on?

“Love your job but NEVER fall in love with your company”- APJ Abdul Kalam

Love of company blindsided the Jet Airways employees. In today’s world, taking cognizance of field we are working and the competition present around is primary prerogative of every working individual.

Companies rise fast and fall faster leaving heaps of employees lives in a dump. Jet Airways employees either ignored the changing market dynamics in Indian Air space or were least interested to question the management regarding the eroding market share over the years as the competing airlines wrestled their way in the market.

As an employee, it is always good to look out for how your employing company is doing. Working in listed companies makes this task easier as all company related information is in public domain. It would be interesting to see how many of Jet Airways employees really paid any heed to worsening debt scenario and losing market share going hand in hand over past few years.

Below are some things which we can learn from this crisis :

1. Be informed about your company’s health within and outside company.
2. Have good rapport with HR department, hiring or retrenching news is always disclosed to them first.
3. Try to have friendly acquaintances in different departments so you can keep tab on pulse of what is happening around.
4. Try to link the happenings around you with any information that may be available on internet.
5. Improve your skills relentlessly and try to work some more beyond your KRA’s. It would be positive addition to your resume.
6. Finally, keep eye out and let your resume float around for two reasons:

              A) To know if you are still employable.

              B) What is your market value as per your current skill set.

Once you keep above pointers while still being employed, you would be in lot better position that the set of Jet Airways employees of today.

Learn from the crisis and arm yourself in this unpredictable world for survival. Your family would surely thank you for it.