외국 항공사 객실승무원의 문화적응이 웰빙에 미치는 영향 분석 - 과거 해외 체류 기간과 직무열의 역할 -

Abstract

This study examines the cultural adaptation of migrant workers, focusing specifically on Korean flight attendants employed by Middle Eastern airlines. The objectives of this study are to (1) examine the effect of length of prior overseas stay before their employment on cultural adaptation, including psychological and sociocultural adaptation; (2) test whether psychological and sociocultural adaptation influence work engagement; and (3) examine the effect of work engagement on well-being. The conceptual model was developed based on the existing literature. Data were collected from 242 Korean flight attendants who had worked for Middle Eastern airlines and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that length of prior overseas stay overseas positively influenced psychological adaptation but not sociocultural adaptation. Both psychological and sociocultural adaptation significantly enhanced work engagement, which in turn strongly predicted the well-being of Korean flight attendants working in the Middle Eastern region. Theoretically, this study contributes to the cultural adaptation literature by empirically demonstrating the role of pre-migration international experience in the aviation industry. Managerially, the findings provide valuable insights for developing effective human resource management strategies to support expatriate airline employees’ cultural adaptation and enhance their overall well-being.