Developing a Stigma Scale for the Workplace: Focus on an Airline Cabin Crew.

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Human Resources Management

Background:

• Workplace stigma negatively impacts employee well-being and organizational performance.
• Service industry workers, particularly airline cabin crew, face unique stigmatization challenges.
• Existing stigma measurement tools may not adequately capture factors relevant to specific occupational groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a stigma measurement scale tailored for service industry workers.
• To identify key stigma-producing factors among airline cabin crew.
• To provide a basis for developing interventions to mitigate workplace stigma.

Main Methods:

• A seven-step scale development procedure was employed.
• A survey was conducted among stigma-inflicting individuals (stigma perpetrators).
• The study focused on airline cabin crew members.

Main Results:

• A 28-item stigma scale was developed, comprising six distinct factors: work ability, conscientiousness, selfishness, work ethics, appearance, and neuroticism.
• These factors represent key dimensions contributing to the stigmatization of airline cabin crew.
• The scale provides a quantifiable measure of stigma-producing variables within this occupational group.

Conclusions:

• The developed stigma scale offers a valuable tool for assessing and understanding workplace stigma in the airline industry.
• Findings underscore the necessity of implementing organizational strategies to reduce employee stigmatization.
• Addressing stigma at both individual and organizational levels can enhance employee perception and organizational performance.