Just like offshore employment, a shipowner’s good reputation drives employee retention
Regardless of industry, a company’s reputation equates to its corporate branding. It is also a major differentiator in the competition. Its critical point of appeal to different stakeholders, known personality and social esteem are important assets and leveraging tools to attract the best talent.
Brand = promise + commitment
For ships and cargo owners, the brand translates to the ways these enterprises operate. A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S for instance, had a touching history contributing to today’s glory. It is said A.P. Møller’s father, Captain Peter Mærsk Møller, wrote that the seven-pointed star logo came into existence in 1886 when his wife, Anna Møller, accompanied him on a vessel and became seriously ill. While praying for his wife’s well-being, Captain Mærsk Møller saw one star on that cloudy night and was filled with hope.
The white star was retained as the funnel emblem for the company’s vessels ever since. Today’s Maersk logo and typeface was designed by the Danish architect Acton Bjørn in 1973. Subsequently, the company invested substantial effort and funds to create the Maersk brand to control its public image.
Reputation affects talent acquisition
Statistics reveal a company’s brand also describes its standing as an employer. It constructs the jobseeker’s impression of the company as either a good place to work in or otherwise. Mærsk ranked at 172 in 2014’s Fortune 500 companies. Thereafter, no shipping companies were listed within Fortune 500.
In the aspect of talent acquisition, employees’ negative reviews will turn away top talent, forcing the company to spend more resources on recruitment. Employees’ negative reviews may also be referenced to leadership. If employees feel important and contented to be a part of the organisation, word will spread. Blue Funnel Line, a defunct UK company founded by Alfred Holt in 1866 had a legacy: Holt’s dying wish was that his company would look after his crew. That mission sustained the Blue Funnel Line for 122 years.
Source:
Crewtoo
