'Back to the shop floor' sessions have been designed to enable easyJet employees to get a better understanding of the business on the 'shop floor' and are specifically for those people within the organisation that need to see our operation in action in order to gain a better understanding of their own roles.

The experience normally involves spending a day flying as Cabin Crew. During the experience the individual is encouraged to ask questions of the Crew to gain a full picture of their role within the business and identify ways in which they can support them in their day-to-day activities. Whilst flying, they are to identify possible retail sales opportunities on board and ask - is our offering right? What would our customers like to see? What is life like for easyJet Cabin Crew? Our customers are important to us as so this experience provides an opportunity to ask them to relay their experiences of flying with easyJet. From these conversations we can then identify how to increase our customer's satisfaction.

"Deepa and Sarah experience the high life!"

Deepa Chauhan and Sarah Cooper are new to easyJet as Human Resources Business Partners, working with the Cabin Crew and Ground Operation communities respectively. Within weeks of starting their new roles, they were given the opportunity to go 'back to the shop floor' by spending a full day on-board with the Flight and Cabin Crew. easyJetCareers caught up with the pair to see how they found life at 35,000 feet ...

How did you feel when you first heard you were going to be spending the day in the air?

Sarah: I was so excited! As a new person to easyJet, this was the perfect opportunity to get to know about the product we offer.

Deepa: I was keen to get to see a normal day in the life of the Crew. It was a complete eye-opener, which was important for me as I will be working closely with Cabin Services.

Did you have a nice and easy roster day?

Sarah: Not at all! We both had the same sets of flights for the day. We did a Malaga and back followed by an Aberdeen and back.

Deepa: We didn't have an early start, but it was a long day. We checked in for our flights at 10am and didn't finish until 10pm.

What was the highlight of the day for you?

Sarah: For me, it was being able to sit in the flight deck for take off and landing. This was a one-off experience and one that I'll probably never have again. It was great to talk to the Pilots and to see the operation from their perspective. My friends and family were so jealous.

Deepa: I loved being in the cabin with the Crew. I got to talk to lots of passengers who were intrigued as to what I was doing. They thought it was a great idea. It amazed me how much the Crew worked together as a team throughout the day.

How did you feel when you got home at the end of your day?

Both: Shattered!

Sarah: It was only when I stopped and sat down at home that I realised how tired I was. My feet were killing me!

Deepa: Throughout the day, we were constantly busy, always on the go.

What is your lasting impression of this experience?

Sarah: It helped me to realise that working in the air is not as easy as it may look. There was so much to be done, from safety briefings, to on-board sales. The Crew were incredible on the turn-arounds. They worked like mad to get the aircraft turned around quickly, yet when the passengers boarded, they looked immaculate and were friendly and welcoming.

Deepa: For me, I was amazed at how many hats the Crew have to wear every day (not literally!). Their knowledge of the aircraft, procedures and first aid was vast. Another thing I realised is that for the Crew, when they have a challenging time on board, the buck stops with them. That is a lot of responsibility.

Finally, what one word describes your 'back to the shop floor' experience?

Sarah: Exhilarating.

Deepa: Entertaining.

Thanks to the Crew that supported Deepa and Sarah throughout their experience:

Deepa's Crew: Laura Kent (SCCM), Carrie Grimes (CC), Rebecca Davies (CC), David Hoare (Cpt) and Justin Bird (FO)

Sarah's Crew: Julie Haldron (SCCM), Tammy Cilesiz (CC), Samantha Stephens (CC), Andrew Sheridan (Cpt) and Sawas Fellas (FO)