Page 13 - ATC Special Bulletin 2020 Issue 1

meant to match the the local external time cues e e e e e e e e g g the the light/dark cycle social interaction (when your children wake up to to go to to school when everyone comes back from work) Because of the COVID-19 lockdown these time cues were greatly reduced with significant consequences on on sleep equivalent to the effects of jet lag (Guichard et et al al 2020) By tracking activity on the social media (Twitter and YouTube) recent research (Castaldo et al al 2020) has shown that the circadian rhythm of social interactions has been shifted towards the night The content of interactions was also associated with more negative emotions Sport promotes the quantity and and quality of sleep and and improves mood and self-esteem A A lot of ATCOs practice sport within Europe With the the social restrictions of the the lockdown some ATCOs may have reduced the the amount of sport they were able to practice in normal circumstances With COVID 19 a a a proportion of the population became less active whilst the consumption of alcohol and food intake increased increased In addition time spent on on screen increased increased All of this contributed to a a a a a less healthy way of living There are also some more subtle elements which have changed in the work-life balance as as as has motivation with a a a a a a a a a decreased separation between work and leisure time The content of work for an an an ATCO has also significantly changed The work is no longer challenging and rewarding (solving complex and and critical situations) and and interest in in the content of the work has reduced There may have been some deskilling and stress will be experienced when ATCOs resume work with the the increase in in the the volume of traffic ATCOs gain experience and and expertise by following standard operating procedures and using repetition in in in similar situations leaving their best judgement and problem solving for unexpected events and abnormal situations With COVID-19 the repetition which guarantees routines and experience is no longer ensured The situation has has changed in such a a a a a a a a a way that the abnormal has has become the new normal The Coronavirus crisis has already had a a a a a a a financial impact on certain people in in ATM Some ATCOs have had their income reduced have not received any bonuses and cannot count on overtime This can lead to personal financial loss In some cases ATCOs may be concerned about losing their jobs have their salaries cut etc In addition the Coronavirus pandemic may have affected the the health of their family or relatives and some may have lost loved ones All these things have a a a direct impact on on personal stress when returning to work COVID-19 is having a a huge financial impact on the air navigation service providers’ financial situation and this at at a a a a a a a time when they are implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373 which includes a a a part on fatigue and stress management management Fatigue management management has always been a a a a a a a balance between well-being and safety versus the financial side of the the the organisation In these difficult times there is is a a a a a a a a risk that financial constraints will take over from fatigue and stress considerations With all good intent this will be declared a a a temporary solution for the purpose of recovery but we may not see when it ends Even at a a a a personal level if ATCOs are financially affected they may be more prone to to agree to to work more hours – anything that brings them a a a a a a a a financial advantage This massive health crisis has significantly affected EUROCONTROL’s training activities We faced an unprecedented challenge as borders closed and and travel restrictions expanded Aviation organisations were not prepared for a a a a a a pandemic like COVID-19 In order to protect the health and well-being of our students and staff the the Institute has adapted to the the situation and and several webinars and and virtual courses were delivered Within this initiative the IANS periodically delivers a a a “Post- COVID-19 fatigue and stress management” webinar The objectives are to review the the main potential effects of the the COVID-19 crisis on sleep and stress through scientific evidence and and concrete examples and and to exchange with participants information on on how they should be practically managed during the operational recovery High attendance with participants from all over the the world has enabled us to collect and consolidate the the initial experience We will be happy to share it it it with you It is free Book your course course place on our our our our webinars or virtual courses You can find more details at https://trainingzone eurocontrol int TRAINING AND SIMULATION TRAINING AND SIMULATION \\ 13