How can shipping attract new talent to the industry and retain its current workforce?
Attracting new talent to the shipping industry and retaining the current workforce has never been so important. Most analysts agree that the industry is facing a huge deficit in its future workforce with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) predicting a shortfall of 90,000 trained officers by 2026.
Shipping needs to change its image and to do so will involve a combination of strategies that address the unique challenges and opportunities within the sector.
Millennials are digital natives and have grown up with 24/7 access to the internet. This has not always been possible for seafarers as connectivity can be patchy especially during stormy weather conditions or due to poor satellite coverage in certain geographic locations.
However, recently maritime connectivity suppliers have improved their services with cutting edge technology that offers a hybrid solution automatically switching between the best connectivity solutions to allow uninterrupted internet access wherever a vessel is location on the high seas.
Yet some ship operators have been slow to offer their crews access with options varying between no access at all to limited access or seafarers being expected to pay for time spent browsing during their leisure time. This is because data packages have been relatively expensive when compared to those offered on dry land but the recent introduction of Starlink’s maritime connectivity offering has certainly disrupted the market sufficiently enough to bring prices down across the board.
The introduction of AI and machine learning technology onboard is also a good way to attract a digitally enabled workforce as seafarers reap the benefits of using automatically generated data analysis results to help remove the more mundane tasks of manual data collection and numbering crunching allowing them to focus on more important tasks and decision-making using AI generated dashboards.
Seafarers have traditionally worked on a contract-to-contract basis working with one company for a specific period of time and then moving to a different operator via a manning agent depending on market demand.
However, some operators are now employing their crews as they realise keeping them loyal with benefits such as health insurance for their workforce and their families will help to retain the best and most experienced people.
Ship operators that identify clearly defined career paths for their employees will benefit from a higher retention rate as their employees will be more motivated and incentivised to do well and progress in their chosen careers. Aligned with this those employers that recognise the importance of a work life balance for their employees. Those that offer flexible working arrangements and a culture of inclusivity are more likely to win the race of employee retention and attracting new talent.
Historically, the maritime sector has predominantly employed males, yet this is thankfully changing with more women being attracted to the industry.
Although much more can be done to make women feel welcome by actively promoting gender diversity such as encouraging women to pursue training and education in the traditionally male dominated areas of navigation, engineering and ship management. It is only by breaking down these barriers that women will be able to break through the glass ceiling.
Improving onboard living conditions will help encourage more people to choose a life at sea and enhance the overall well-being of seafarers. More structured rest periods and better recreation facilities will also help to widen the scope of people attracted to the profession.
Finally, by implementing programs that acknowledge and reward exceptional employee performance will pay dividends by keeping staff loyal and motivated.
In conclusion, by adopting a holistic approach that combines technology, career development, work-life balance, and social responsibility the shipping industry can enhance its appeal to new talent and retain its existing workforce.
