Heidi Heseltine
The majority of shore based employees across the shipping sector feel that they are lacking in training and development opportunities according to leading international maritime jobs specialist Halcyon Recruitment and online training provider Coracle which published their 7th Maritime Employee Survey today (4 December).
The 2015 report, based on nearly 3000 responses, found that half of the responders stated that their current employer does not provide, pay for or even encourage training. Against a backdrop of poor markets, lack of promotions and salary rises, the report’s authors warn that without good training and personal development opportunities, maritime employers will lose good staff.
Commenting on the results, Halcyon Recruitment Managing Director, Heidi Heseltine, said:
“Shipping industry employers need to focus on strategies to retain their best people. Whether this involves creating hierarchical structures, offering clear career progression or providing training, employers need to think outside of the box and offer more than just a salary. Shipping may still be an employer driven market, but more thought needs to be given to the stagnant conditions most employees feel they are in.”
She added:
“With a lack of salary increases, promotion potential and training and development opportunities, the likelihood of increased staff turnover is high. Now is the time for the industry to reassess this.”
Other key findings of the survey include:
• 53% of brokers, charterers and traders received a bonus in the last 12 months compared to 62% in 2014
• An ongoing shortage of technical personnel means that 69% of respondents received a bonus in the last 12 months vs 46% in 2013
• 47% of respondents saw an increase to their basic salary and 58% received a bonus in the last 12 months
• Asia continues to lead in terms of salary increases and bonus payments
• Singapore is the most attractive location from a work/life perspective with 23% of participants favouring this location, followed by England and Northern Europe
• When considering a career move, salary ranks highest in terms of importance, replacing work/life balance from last year
• In all sectors, excluding P&I, Legal and Insurance, over 25% (for executives and senior management as high as 38%) of participants would only anticipate staying in a job for up to one year before considering moving to another company.
Halcyon Recruitment recently celebrated its tenth anniversary by unveiling a new website and global identity. The new look logo has been designed to confirm Halcyon’s position as professional, personal and resourceful recruitment consultants. The Halcyon team is made up of recruiters with frontline shipping industry experience in a variety of commercial and operational roles.
A full copy of the 34 page report can be downloaded from www.maritimeemployeesurvey.com
Halcyon Recruitment specialises in providing tailored recruitment solutions to the international shore based maritime and shipping communities. Established in 2005, with offices in London and Singapore, Halcyon’s consultancy and senior management team has extensive prior experience on the front line of the industry spanning vessel operations, broking, engineering, human resource management, quality assurance, industrial relations, maritime software and seafarer training and development.
www.halcyonrecruitment.com
Coracle
Coracle is a Cambridge based e-learning specialist. Its heritage is borne from the maritime industry, where it has been supporting thousands of learners in over 70 countries since 2006. Technology has enabled great progress in the development of online learning in recent years and the company has been quick to adopt emerging technologies that enhance its work.
Coracle’s Learning Line platform is a successful and popular tool, acting like a digital wallet of learning to enable individuals to save, share and collaborate on content they have discovered. Perfect for co-working with fellow learners, as well as mentors, the Learning Line makes learning social and engaging.
www.mycoracle.com
