Occupational Health Implication of Covid-19 Layoffs on Airline
Ground Staff: Study on Mental Health Effects
Winda Putri Diah Restya
a
and Sri Nurhayati Selian
Psychology Faculty, Muhammadiyah Aceh University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Keywords: Airlines Industry, Covid-19, Ground Staff, Layoff, Mental Health.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic forced numerous businesses to temporarily shut down and lay off their employees,
triggering profound mental health repercussions. Sudden job loss can result in anger, stress, anxiety, and
frustration, potentially leading to post-traumatic stress symptoms, substance abuse, and societal harm. This
study explores the impact of COVID-19-related layoffs on workers' mental health, aiming to
comprehensively assess their emotional experiences and coping strategies. The research employed qualitative
methods, including semi-structured interviews and document analysis, to collect and analyze data
thematically. Nine former aviation employees who had been laid off during the pandemic participated in the
study. The findings reveal that, despite the challenging circumstances, these individuals exhibited positive
mental health and psychological well-being following their job terminations. They predominantly employed
problem-focused coping mechanisms to navigate this crisis. What sets COVID-19-induced layoffs apart from
regular ones is the exceptional difficulty faced by these workers in securing new employment, given the
widespread industry disruptions. Ground staff at airports, with their specialized technical skills, encountered
even greater obstacles in finding alternative employment. This research underscores the unique challenges
and resilience exhibited by workers affected by pandemic-induced layoffs, shedding light on the importance
of mental health support and reemployment strategies in such extraordinary circumstances.
1 INTRODUCTION
The topic of mental health in the workplace has been
a subject of interest and discussion for a significant
period of time. In the past, the combination of
medicine, public health, and psychology was believed
to be a potential factor for preventing mental health
problems in the workplace (LaMontagne et al. 2014).
Job insecurity and conditions lead to diminished
productivity at work for workers with poor mental
health (Bubonya et al., 2016). Although many studies
have discussed mental health in the workplace, the
current Covid – 19 pandemic situations has made it
very different. A knowledge gap exists between
workers' mental health in normal and current
situations. The growing recognition of how the Covid-
19 pandemic affects workers' mental health in the
workplace has made research on this topic crucial.
One of the collateral damages of the Covid–19
pandemic is the progressive spread of stigma, as
evidenced by extensive research (Bruns et al., 2020;
a
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2179-5589
Logie & Turan, 2020). An employee who has been
sick, quarantined, and wants to return to work will
face problems during this time. The stigma toward the
workers who have experienced the Covid–19
increases the risk of psychopathology while
experiencing stigma in the workplace could lead to a
loss of productivity (Li, Yang, Zhang, Cheung,
Xiang, 2019). These situations highlight how work
conditions are crucial for workers' well-being during
the Covid–19 pandemic. The pandemic has altered
both the social and working environments in many
ways. Factors such as social distancing policies,
anxiety about the possibility of getting infected,
government policies about lockdown and isolation,
cessation of productive activity, decreasing income,
and fear of the future will somehow impact workers'
mental health. Therefore, the workplace is essential
for moderating or worsening employees' mental
health (Giorgi et al., 2020).
The COVID–19 pandemic has affected almost
every country worldwide. Consequently, it has far-
Restya, W. P. D. and Selian, S. N.
Occupational Health Implication of Covid-19 Layoffs on Airline Ground Staff: Study on Mental Health Effects.
DOI: 10.5220/0012901600004564
Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Social Determinants of Health (ICSDH 2023), pages 115-123
ISBN: 978-989-758-727-6; ISSN: 2975-8297
Proceedings Copyright © 2025 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda.
115

reaching global economic and business consequences.
For example, the pandemic has caused the most
prominent global recession in history. Some of the
economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
include a significant income decrease, transportation,
manufacturing, tourism, service disruptions, and,
finally, a rise in unemployment. The pandemic has
forced many industries to shut down and some are
permanently closed. One of the industries that was
affected the most by the pandemic was aviation. After
some countries announced travel bans and isolation
requirements, almost all airlines were forced to
severely limit their flights. This has led to a massive
layoff of airline employees (pilots, flight attendants,
groundling staff, etc.) in almost every country.
Corporate downsizing has resulted in job losses.
Many employees had experienced layoffs, while
others believed that they might soon lose their jobs.
Losing a job abruptly can be mentally disturbing and
potentially cause problems in workers’ mental health.
This opinion is strengthened through the research
findings of Sullivan and Von Watcher (2006) in
Mendolia (2009) that the death rate appears to have
increased significantly in the years after mass layoffs.
According to the Canadian Mental Health
Association, the impact of job loss is far greater than
just a matter of income loss. Beyond the direct
financial losses brought about by unemployment,
unemployment's often-overlooked yet more profound
impact during COVID-19 is on employees' mental
health (Fan & Nie et al., 2020).
Job loss sometimes leads to anger, stress, anxiety,
grief, and frustration (Rajkumar, 2020), which could
also lead to long-term post-traumatic stress
symptoms, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and
suicide, which could harm individuals and society.
Given its enormous impact on individuals, it is
unsurprising that in 2015, the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) included mental health
as a priority for global development. Ensuring healthy
lives and promoting well-being for everyone at any
level and age have made research on this topic
crucial. Some believe that mental health refers only to
depression, schizophrenia, and PTSD. Mental health
is an individual's overall condition (emotional,
psychological, and social well-being)
(mental.health.gov). Some studies have found a
profound negative correlation between COVID-19
and mental health; those existing studies only test the
general correlation between COVID-19 and mental
health, not giving enough attention to the specific
stressors from different perspectives and various
business sectors.
The airline industry, characterized by its unique
work environment, stringent regulations, and
unpredictable operational conditions, may present
distinctive factors that contribute to the impact of
layoffs on mental health. It is crucial to bridge this
gap by conducting empirical research in this specific
context. While previous research in the airline
industry has extensively examined the impact of
layoffs on the mental health of pilots (Olaganathan &
Amihan, 2021) and cabin crews (Görlich &
Stadelmann, 2020), there appears to be a significant
research gap in the investigation of layoffs’ effects on
the mental health of ground staff within the airline
industry. The ground staff, including mechanics,
engineers, and support personnel, play a critical role
in ensuring the safety and efficiency of airlines.
Nevertheless, their experiences and well-being during
layoffs have received limited attention in the existing
literature.
The ground staff in the airline industry have
distinct job responsibilities, work environments, and
career trajectories compared to pilots and flight
attendants. Thus, the effects of layoffs on the mental
health of ground staff may differ because of job-
specific factors, such as the nature of their work, level
of job security, and extent of interaction with
passengers and flight crews.
Hence, addressing this research gap in the
literature by conducting empirical studies on the
impact of layoffs on the mental health of ground staff
in the airline industry can enhance our understanding
of the unique challenges faced by this occupational
group. In addition, such research has the potential to
contribute to the development of evidence-based
interventions and strategies that support the well-
being of ground staff during periods of organizational
change and workforce reduction.
Therefore, this study explores the impact of
layoffs on the mental health of ground staff in the
airline industry. In addition, this research aims to
investigate the psychological consequences of such
layoffs on ground staff members, focusing on their
coping strategies and the responses that individuals
may exhibit following a layoff in the airline industry.
2 METHODS
This study was conducted on former Gapura Angkasa
outsourcing employees (Banda Aceh Branch Office,
Indonesia). Gapura has been one of the largest
ground-handling companies in Indonesia since 1998.
As an independent ground service provider, Gapura
offers services in passenger and baggage handling,
flight operations, hospitality, lounge, cargo, and
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warehousing. The process was started by requesting
data from the HR department regarding the number of
terminated employees, then carefully selecting the
eligible participants, giving them informed consent (a
consent sheet was used to determine their willingness
to participate in this study), and finally interviewing
the HR about the criteria used in termination.
2.1 Research Design
The data were collected from terminated employees
of PT. Gapura Angkasa (one of the leading companies
in ground handling services and other business
activities that support the aviation business at the
airport) in the Banda Aceh branch office. This study
aims to describe a phenomenon involving rich data
collection from various sources to gain a deeper
understanding of individual participants, including
their perspectives, attitudes, and opinions.
2.2 Population and Samples
This observation employed a purposive sampling
methodology with two specified criteria: (1)
Terminated during the early COVID-19 pandemic in
Indonesia, which occurred between March and May
2020, and (2) Has worked for the airline's company
for at least ten years. These criteria were used to
choose the participants. The criteria listed above were
chosen based on various factors, including the fact
that not all employees were laid off as a result of the
covid 19 epidemic; some were laid off due to a lack
of commitment regardless of business regulations.
The period from March to May was chosen
considering that it was the moment when the airline
company had a massive termination owing to the
reduction in aircraft operational hours.
Considerations regarding work experience were
considered based on the statement of Estherina,
Puspitarini, and Rachmawati (2019), who mentioned
that employees with a ten-year service period are
considered to have a strong attachment and loyalty
toward the organization; hence, getting laid off must
be considered a betrayal and affect their mental
health. In March 2020, the company initiated the first
stage of employee dismissal, resulting in the
termination of twenty-three employees. This decision
was made for employees with less than two years of
work. Following the initial round of dismissals, the
company implemented a second stage in April 2020.
During this phase, an additional 17 employees were
allowed to go, bringing the total number of terminated
employees to 40.
Therefore, this study focuses on employees who
were terminated in the second stage. The 17th
employees who were dismissed in the second stage
are listed in Table 2. According to the sample criteria
mentioned above, nine participants were eligible to
participate in this research, namely (by initials): ES,
UM, TRA, MJ, ZI, AS, TQ, AB, and IW.
Table 1: Samples of Terminated Employees (M = marriage,
S = Single).
Name Position Age Years Status
1 ES GSE Op 38 11+ M
2 UM Ramp Handling 30 10+ M
3 IB Loading Master 32 9+ M
4 FO Baggage Handling 26 6+ M
5 NA Baggage Handling 21 2+ S
6 TRA Baggage Handling 38 10+ M
7 MJ Baggage Handling 31 10+ M
8 RF Baggage Handling 24 2+ S
9 NZ Baggage Handling 21 2+ S
10 ZI Baggage Handling 40 12 + M
11 IS Baggage Handling 30 8+ M
12 RJ AVSEC 26 5+ M
13 AS AVSEC 36 12+ M
14 TQ Greeting service 40 17+ M
15 AB Operation 38 14+ M
16 DM Ground handling 29 8+ S
17 IW Ground handling 35 11+ M
2.3 Data Collecting
The data were collected through semi-structured
interviews, non-participant observations, and
document studies, as elaborated below:
2.3.1 Semi-Structured Interview
The researcher used semi–structured interviews with
open–ended questions; therefore, the interviewer
could delve deeply into personal matters and
sometimes sensitive issues. The interview guide was
drawn based on six characteristics of mental health
from Jahoda (1958): attitude toward the self, personal
growth, integration, autonomy, an accurate perception
of reality, and environmental mastery.
Table 2. Summary of Interview Guide.
Indicato
r
Questions Summar
y
Dimension: Autonomy
The individual can see himself
as an independent person and
at the same time able to work
with others cooperativel
y
How do you bounce
back after getting laid
off?
Dimension: Personal Growth
Occupational Health Implication of Covid-19 Layoffs on Airline Ground Staff: Study on Mental Health Effects
117

Desire to use all the abilities to
achieve something, & having
a reasonable life goal, making
a certain effort to achieve it
What do you think
about equipping
yourself with new
skills?
Dimension: Perceive
d
Self Efficacy
The thoughts, feelings, and
ideas that a person has about
himself
How satisfied are you
with your life these
days?
Positive Attitude Towar
d
the Self
Able to evaluate or assess their
own ability, and capacity
How do you treat
yourself lately?
Environmental Mastery
Facing life’s uncertainty with
positive affirmation, an
individual’s feeling toward the
family, work, social life
Do you think you
could always rely on
your family or friends
in case you need
support?
Perception of Realit
y
Ability to learn & interpret
external phenomena in
relation to the norms and have
a realistic view of the world
Have you felt isolated
lately?
2.3.2 Non – Participant Observation
Observations are usually used to gain insight into a
specific setting and actual behavior (Hak, 2007).
Observations can be classified into two types:
participant observation and non-participant
observation. The type of observation used in this
research is a non-participant observation, which
means that the observer is not part of the observation
and tries not to influence the setting by their presence.
During the observation, the observer took notes on
everything that was significantly shown by the
participants, for example, their expression when they
talked about the layoff, their emotions, their gestures,
etc.
2.3.3 Document Analysis
This study analyzed documents through non–
personal documents, such as company policies,
regardless of termination procedures. To manage the
validity and reliability of the data research, method
triangulation was also used to assess the consistency
of our findings by combining multiple data sources.
To gain a better understanding of the phenomenon,
various approaches were taken to analyze the data
from different perspectives.
2.4 Data Analysis
To assess the mental health of workers who have been
terminated, a thematic analysis was conducted.
Thematic analysis is a qualitative method that is
usually applied to a set of texts, such as interview
transcripts. We closely examined the data to identify
the themes, ideas, and patterns of meaning that
emerged repeatedly. Analyzing data through thematic
analysis consisted of six steps: familiarization,
coding, generating themes, reviewing themes,
defining and naming themes, and writing the
conclusion or result.
3 RESULTS
According to the collected data, the company
terminated 40 employees in early 2020. This
termination of employment was carried out in two
stages: in the first stage, the company laid off 23
employees, while in the second stage, another 17
employees were dismissed. The participants admitted
that the termination of employment was carried out
by telephone and WhatsApp applications due to
social distancing. This action made them feel
unappreciated and thought they could be easily
replaced. Even though, in the end, the company called
back to provide an official letter, the feeling
remained.
“…. One afternoon, I was called and informed
that I had been temporarily laid off. I was very shocked
and the fact that they gave me such important news on
the phone made me feel disrespected… You know… I
mean…I have been working for the company for 10
years or more now. Didn’t I at least deserve a better
way?” (Verbatim of subject UM – line 0017)
During the pandemic, employer considerations for
employee termination included factors such as the
current situation, flight operating hours, employee
performance test results, and period of employment.
Researchers have pointed out that layoffs during the
pandemic were different from those in regular times
in several significant ways. First, employees were
often terminated with short notice, leaving little time
to prepare or seek alternative options. Second, there
was a possibility that they might need to receive
severance pay, which adds to the financial burden of
losing their jobs.
Finally, finding new employment opportunities
has become increasingly challenging owing to the
widespread impact of the pandemic on various
industries. These findings highlight the distinct
challenges that employees encounter when going
through layoffs caused by the pandemic. Additionally,
the complexity of their job roles and advanced
technical abilities pose a challenge in securing
alternative employment opportunities.
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3.1 Terminated Worker’s Mental
Health
As previously stated, there were nine eligible
participants who were willing to partake in this
research. Once the participants were presented with
the informed consent form and had their rights and
responsibilities explained to them for the research, a
semi-structured interview was conducted. The
researcher compiled an interview guide based on
Jahoda’s (1958) theory. A summary of the interview
guidelines is provided in Table 3. Overall, the results
showed that participants' mental health was positive.
This can be seen through the participant's verbatim
transcript, which showed their ability to cope with
unpleasant situations such as termination. Even the
individuals had anticipated that a situation like this
would arise, given the current state of the Covid-19
pandemic. Nevertheless, they were taken aback upon
hearing about the layoff for the first time.
Furthermore, it was observed that the research
participants were able to quickly adjust to their
situations and maintain a positive mindset. They were
able to gain valuable insights, make informed
decisions, and reorganize their lives accordingly. It is
worth noting that five of the subjects who were laid
off were able to secure new employment within 1-1.5
months. This serves as evidence that their perceived
self-efficacy, positive self-image, and realistic
perception of reality were strong, as suggested by the
theory.
It has been found that out of the six dimensions of
mental health, most of the subjects scored low in the
category of personal growth. The subjects
acknowledged that they did not actively seek out
opportunities to acquire new skills or knowledge
because they were more focused on finding a new job
as quickly as possible. They believed that improving
themselves with specific skills was a waste of time. A
more in-depth discussion regarding the six indicators
of mental health that were evaluated will be provided
through the following points: autonomy, personal
growth, perceived self-efficacy, positive attitude
towards oneself, perception of reality, and
environmental mastery.
3.1.1 Autonomy
Many participants who have been laid off could take
control of their lives. This is evident in their ability to
independently plan and reorganize their lives after
experiencing job loss. As expressed by one subject:
"During the first month, I did not want to think about
work at all. I just wanted to enjoy my life. I had not
taken time off in 10 years, so I decided to relax. But
now, after a month has passed, I'm focused on finding
a new job or starting a new venture." (From the
transcript of Subject TRA - Line 0081)
Regarding the other subjects, AB and IW reported
that it took them only one week to recover and refocus
on their life goals. AB stated: "All I wanted at the time
was another job, regardless of whether I liked it or
not. I had to support my family, so finding a new job
was crucial. I even considered taking odd jobs as long
as they were halal, as the priority was to secure a new
job immediately" (verbatim, line 0008).
Differences in gender and marital status may
influence one's perspective. For instance, TRA,
whose financial stability is supported by her husband,
feels less urgency in seeking a new job and can take
her time deciding when to return to work. However,
for the other subjects, who are the heads of their
households with children and a spouse to support,
immediately setting new life goals after being laid off
is imperative.
3.1.2 Personal Growth
Among the nine subjects, only MJ believed that
acquiring new skills would improve his career. MJ
stated that: “Yes, I am considering taking some
training either from the government or independently.
I am not good in a foreign language; thus, I might
consider learning the English language for instance”
(Verbatim Subject MJ – line 0087)
Subject ES believes that they don't require any
particular training to enhance their skills for
securing a better job. "I didn't undergo any training.
I don't think it's essential. Moreover, I quickly
landed a new job, so I didn't feel the need for it"
(verbatim Subject ES - line 0093).
UM, the subject, believed that his ten years of
experience at Gapura Angkasa company was
sufficient for obtaining a new job. Therefore, he did
not see the need to attend any training sessions to
acquire additional skills. "I didn't participate in any
particular training. I have over 10 years of experience
from my previous job, so I felt that was sufficient. It's
just a shame that I was deemed too old to participate
in any training." (Exact quote from UM subject, line
0077)
3.1.3 Perceived Self Efficacy
In this study, nine individuals initially experienced
shock, sadness, and feelings of rejection upon
learning that their company had laid them off. They
had never considered the possibility of being laid off
before, as they had been employed by the company
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119

for an average of over ten years, as reported by three
of the participants.
One participant stated, "I was extremely
surprised. I did not want to believe it at first. When
I was told
during the day, I was confused. But at
night, I felt very
sad and had trouble sleeping."
(Direct quote from Subject TRA line 0063)
"At the time, I believed that the layoff was only
intended for new employees. I couldn't understand
why I was on the list too, given that I had been with
the company for over 10 years." (Direct quote from
TRA line 0059)
“We were all devastated at that time,
particularly since it occurred so near to Eid Idul
Fitri. (Direct quote from Subject TQ, line 0068).”
"I didn't anticipate getting laid off although I
knew that the pandemic would greatly reduce
flights and potentially affect my job, I didn't expect
to be let go so quickly." (Original quote - AS line
0060)”
That emotion, however, did not stay long. In general,
the individuals in this study understood the
company's circumstances. The subjects confessed
that it only took them a moment to comprehend the
information of the layoff and immediately accepted
the truth, although they were dissatisfied that they
would not receive any severance compensation as a
result of the layoff.
"We understand the situation; it's not like the
company voluntarily laid us off; it was due to the
pandemic, and we truly understand that!" The only
thing that makes us really upset with the company is
that it did not compensate us when we were let off.
All allowances are immediately terminated. My
BPJS has been canceled, and all of my
authorizations have been removed." (Original quote
– ZI line 00072)
3.1.4 Positivity Towards Oneself
Concerning positive relationships with themselves
and others, the interviewees confessed that after being
laid off, they regained self-love and self-worth,
becoming more appreciative of jobs and family.
Subjects reported that the presence of their closest
friends and family helped them cope with the layoff
scenario throughout the epidemic. These subjects felt
completely supported by their families, allowing
them to embrace themselves without feeling
overwhelmed. The family's reaction to the layoff has
been mostly positive, with direct support such as
assisting with a job search or simply providing
incentives. According to the research subject, this
type of deed has become a good reinforcement for
them to proceed forward.
"When the company laid me off, I began to fully love
myself and my family." Being laid off after more
than ten years with the company made me realize
that the company did not need me as much as I
needed them. They might easily replace me with
someone else. As a result, I began to love myself
more, to do things that I enjoy, and to abandon
activities that are detrimental to myself and my
family." (Subject UM line 0081 in Verbatim)
3.1.5 Environmental Expertise
Almost identical to the explanation above, the
participants have been able to master the
environment, take advantage of chances, and regulate
the environment according to their needs. Subject
AB, for example, was instantly looking for a new job
opportunity in order to meet his daily basic demands.
The individual eagerly explores every possibility, for
example, by contacting close friends or family to
inquire about career chances.
"It's extremely difficult to find a new job because
I no longer meet the age requirement." People are
terrified when they learn about my 10 years of job
experience; they are concerned about a proper
salary for someone at my level. Furthermore, my
extensive technical background in the aircraft
industry has made it difficult for me to find a job that
matches my former skills." (Line 0089 of Verbatim
Subject II - AB)
Subject TRA, in contrast to the previous subject, does
not rely on family or close connections to get new
employment. Instead, the subject TRA likes to
leverage the complexity of modern technology to
identify existing career chances.
"I'm looking for a new job on my own."
Everything is digital nowadays, so it should be
simple, right? Instagram provided me with some job
posting information. I'm not the picky sort, so I
applied to any firm and position that was available
because I did not mind becoming a waiter, a cashier,
or anything else. I will just take whatever
opportunity comes my way! (Line 0085 of Verbatim
Subject 1- TRA)
3.1.6 A Realistic Perception of Reality
In terms of reality perception, the nine research
subjects have acknowledged that they have been laid
off by the company. They are, however, ready to go
on with their lives and are confident that they will
reach their objectives shortly. They feel that their past
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experiences will give worth to their lives in the future.
The subject TRA believes that her experience as a
front liner at PT Gapura Angkasa is comparable to her
new position as a cashier at PT MT, where both
occupations require similar customer service skills.
3.2 Dealing with Job Loss
The three subjects' emotional stages of processing job
loss are quite comparable. Shock, disappointment,
and denial were followed by an attempt to make peace
with oneself (bargaining), and finally coping with the
situation (acceptance). See Figure 1 for further
information.
Shock
Disappointment
Denial
Bargaining
ACCEPTANCE
Figure 1: Stage of Procession Job Loss.
To bolster this point, psychiatrists point out that
losing a job is sometimes equated with the sadness of
losing a loved one. Any stage of grieving can be
included in the emotional trajectory, which ranges
from shock and denial to rage and bargaining, and
finally to acceptance and hope. As stated by the
subject:
"I was stunned at the time. I'm unable to accept
the fact that I no longer have a job. Later that night,
I felt both sad and angry... (full transcript of Subject
IM Line 0063)
Furthermore, because the subjects are all married, the
sudden job loss prompted them to return to work as
quickly as possible in order to meet their
commitments to their families. It serves as a
tremendous motivator for all three topics.
3.3 Coping Techniques
According to Lazarus and Folkman (1966), coping
methods can be divided into two types: problem-
focused coping and emotion-focused coping.
Problem-focused coping entails dealing with stress
while actively addressing the issue. Emotion-focused
coping, on the other hand, is associated with efforts to
change or minimize stress-related negative feelings.
To cope with job loss, all three subjects in this
study
employed problem-focused coping mechanisms,
such as immediately seeking new possibilities even if
the job opportunities were radically different from
past work experience. To summarize, families are
regarded as the finest support mechanism for the three
subjects dealing with layoffs during the COVID-19
pandemic. Acceptance from a loved one can be quite
beneficial in getting through difficult circumstances.
Meanwhile, in order to protect workers' mental
health, the corporation planning the mass dismissal
should examine whether it is necessary, and if so,
please do so with compassion (Knight, 2020).
4 DISCUSSIONS
The findings revealed that the three participants'
mental health was in good shape after being laid off
during the pandemic. It is possible because all of the
subjects chosen for this study were employees of the
airline. As we all know, the airline industry has
dramatically cut operation hours due to government
rules, independent of travel constraints. As a result,
many other industries in the aviation industry have
temporarily laid off some employees. Workers have
predicted that they will be laid off shortly as a result
of this circumstance.
As a result, the research participants braced
themselves for the worst-case scenario of being laid
off by the corporation during the COVID-19
epidemic. Workers were more inclined to take
preventive action after acknowledging the
uncomfortable situation, as predicted. Workers were
more inclined to take preventive action after
acknowledging the uncomfortable circumstance, as
predicted. embracing reality is not always easy, but
according to the research subjects, embracing the
current circumstance will help them overcome the
problem and lead to higher self-acceptance and a
brighter future. They think that, even if the situation is
dire, the first step toward improvement is admitting it
for what it is.
Even if the layoff occurred during the epidemic, it
had no significant impact on their mental health
stability. Many psychological research has found that
self-love, self-compassion, and self-acceptance are
essential for mental health and well-being (Germer &
Neff, 2013). According to research, having more self-
compassion and self-acceptance increases resilience
in the face of adversity, allowing people to recover
more rapidly from unpleasant experiences (Germer &
Neff, 2013).
It also assists people in dealing with failure or
Occupational Health Implication of Covid-19 Layoffs on Airline Ground Staff: Study on Mental Health Effects
121

embarrassment (Ferrari et al., 2018). Almost identical
to the findings of this study, other studies have found
that thankfulness mediates the association between
layoffs, salary reductions, and employee mental
health. Gratitude, defined as a strong sense of
appreciation for something or a sense of being
grateful, can be used to promote employee mental
health (Parianti, Sofianti, Rosid, 2020).
Another line of research, however, reveals that
work uncertainty, wage cuts, layoffs, and reduced
benefits all contribute to job insecurity and, in the
long run, negatively affect mental health. These and
additional concerns may occur or worsen as a result
of COVID-19 (Lund et al., 2018). This statement is
supported by research on "Unemployment and
Mental Health" conducted by Wilson and Finch
(2021), who stated that rates of both unemployment
and poor mental health have increased during the
pandemic, as statistics show that in January 2021,
43% of unemployed people and 34% of people on
furlough had poor mental health. This study shows
that furloughing has offered some mental health
protection.
Workers with pre-existing mental health
problems, according to Yao et al. (2020), are
generally less able to manage because of the many
pressures caused by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Additionally, workers who previously had a mental
health illness may see their condition deteriorate. As
a result, new employment initiatives should be
created to mitigate the impact on workers' mental
health and well-being. It is also vital to provide
intensive support that provides stability for the laid-off
employee.
In general, after experiencing layoffs, all
participants
undergo some changes in themselves; this is
the result of a combination of positive and bad
feelings
from the circumstances they encounter. As can be
observed from the numerous discussions on mental
health indicators above, the three research subjects
have good sentiments about the events, therefore
layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic did not
immediately cause their mental health to deteriorate.
Individuals do not need to feel good all the time
to have
sustainable mental health; on the contrary,
feeling bad
emotions from life is a natural part of
existence; what is required is the ability to manage
these negative emotions, which is essential for
individuals' long-term well-being.
5 CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the findings of this study imply that
workers who were laid off during the pandemic had
excellent mental health outcomes that were impacted
by a variety of factors. Most of the participants had
anticipated the potential of being laid off, which
helped them cope with the first shock and navigate
the difficult situation. They demonstrated resilience
by restructuring their lives, especially their
occupations, and demonstrating their adaptability.
The findings also confirmed that individuals
maintained a positive self-perception and an accurate
knowledge of reality.
Notably, critical contrasts were made between
layoffs during a pandemic and those that occur under
normal conditions. To begin with, pandemic-related
layoffs frequently occurred on short notice, giving
employees little time to prepare.
Furthermore, as a result of the pandemic's poor
circumstances, afflicted persons frequently faced
obstacles such as a lack of severance pay and limited
career options. Participants went through a variety of
emotional phases when dealing with job loss,
including shock, disappointment, denial, bargaining,
and acceptance. The individuals' coping mechanisms
were predominantly problem-focused coping, as
evidenced by a proactive attitude to addressing their
issues.
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