Unfavourable market conditions need not impact work relationships
The pandemic is gradually making the market more unforgiving towards the industry, and seafarers bear the most brunt. Nonetheless, this can be addressed if employers initiate a collaborative effort to cultivate camaraderie, if they are serious about remaining competitive.
Recognising key assets
All stakeholders in the industry seemed to have slanted towards revenue generating and neglected the team’s well-being. Substantial focus was placed on customers, visionary leaders and quality goods and services for success. However, the team plays an essential role in promoting a company’s reputation and success. Furthermore, it is also a big reason why employers interview to select the best talents for their companies.
Although the maritime industry is traditional, management mindset need not be. Dr Carolyn Graham, Cardiff University’s Associate Fellow at its Seafarers International Research Centre noted in an article, “Seafarers do not have adequate representation onboard for their welfare issues, as union support in their countries might be weak, and even where this might exist, it is not readily available at the shipboard level. Countries with any type of employee relations structure rely on employers to cooperate with unions to be recognised for shipboard involvement and this is at a minimum.”
Dr Graham stressed she observed governments are relied upon to honour the commitments made in officialising the international instruments to safeguard seafarers’ welfare. However, their responses to the pandemic have been unilateral and fickle rather than being a coordinated and sustained effort to bring relief to seafarers.
Taking it further, this provides a golden opportunity for employers to step up and treat their crew right, nurture their talents to ramp up chances of success. Most importantly, making them feel valued encourages initiative, improves productivity and promotes loyalty. As a public face for the organisation, a valuable team in all levels equate to an extension of quality service rendered to customers. They are closely linked to purchasing decisions and determine the coverage of positive reviews. During challenging times like now when business is scarce, a valuable team is akin to a company’s fighting chance in the competition.
Crewing Online News Team
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