How To Change A ‘Culture Of Non-Compliance’

by Katrina Bedell Avers, Ph.D., Research Scientist, FAA
Created: October 29, 2012

This kind of change requires personal action and a commitment to safety.

FAA

Changing a culture requires a collective effort at all levels of the organization. As aviation professionals, each of us has a responsibility to lead change through our own actions.
Changing a culture requires a collective effort at all levels of the organization. As aviation professionals, each of us has a responsibility to lead change through our own actions.

Individual Actions

Report all detailed information about documentation issues that contributed to an error/event/accident.
Use voluntary reporting to describe when and why a job card or procedure was not used properly or at all.

To summarize, there are a number of ways to change a culture of noncompliance, and we’ve mentioned two that should take priority.

Programs and leadership commitment are necessary, but not enough. Change requires personal action and a commitment to safety. Programs and processes are only successful if followed.

Are you ready to change the culture in your organization? It begins with you, the aviation professional.

Dr. Katrina Avers is a Research Scientist at the Federal Aviation Administration in the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute Human Factors Research Lab. Dr. Avers takes a practical, science-based approach and has worked to develop applied solutions that can be used across the industry.