Do they trust you as a Leader? – A Guide for Executives in 2024

In this latest Executive Bulletin, we put the spotlight on the critical issue of trust within the workplace, particularly between employees and their leaders. Shockingly, a recent HR Magazine report revealed that a quarter of employees do not trust their CEO. Additionally, almost one-third of employees lack the opportunity to share feedback with top-level executives, while over half feel their concerns fall on deaf ears.

As someone who engages with CEOs, CFOs, and COOs daily, these findings not only surprised me but prompted me to consider how the C-suite can better connect with and understand their workforce. While some CEOs boast an ‘open-door’ policy, it’s evident that more proactive measures are needed to truly engage employees and address their concerns.

One effective solution is to implement channels for feedback, such as suggestion boxes or employee engagement surveys. Conducted by HR departments, these surveys can provide valuable insights which can then be shared with senior management during board meetings. It’s crucial to emphasise that surveys such as these should not take place only annually, or merely as checkbox exercises, rather, they should be an ongoing, integral part of an organisations HR strategy.

I feel it’s important to recognise that perspectives differ across various career stages and collecting regular feedback will help organisations in understanding the evolving perceptions of the company’s culture. Key survey questions could revolve around employee value, understanding of the organisational mission, and identification of skill development needs.

As well as creating a forum for collecting feedback, this is pointless if the company fails to give employees feedback on their suggestions, whether positive or negative. Some companies I speak to opt for quarterly town hall sessions, where employees gain deeper insights into company goals and culture, and having a sense of purpose – this is more important now than ever before, so how are your employee’s adding value to the world? These sessions also provide an opportunity for employees to voice opinions on company operations, what changes can and should be made to how things are done and how things are run.

If led by the CEO, these town hall sessions should prioritise employee interaction, allowing ample time for questions and honest answers and not just an opportunity for the CEO to hold court. Ultimately, the key is for employees to feel heard, valued, and fulfilled, creating a workplace where trust is built and sustained.

There are several companies out there that offer survey platforms and services which can help provide support for organisations keen on fostering a feedback-driven culture – you’re not in this alone!

Article written by Teresa Peacock, Managing Director of Spinnaker’s Executive Search division.

Vote for Teresa Peacock – Top 100 Women in Shipping

On Monday 19th February, Allaboutshipping.co.uk will run its annual list of the Top 100 women working in the maritime industry.

Spinnaker’s Managing Director Teresa Peacock has made the list every year since its launch in 2019.

“I was absolutely delighted to feature amongst such amazing women, and I am thrilled to have appeared each year since (launch). We have a workforce of extremely talented women in the maritime industry, each and every woman working in shipping is making a contribution to keeping the world turning and should feel very proud. I would like to thank Allaboutshipping for continuing to raise awareness of the importance of equity in maritime sector!”
~ Teresa Peacock, 2022

This year, there is a new voting system, where each person gets ONE vote for ONE woman for who YOUR Top Woman in Shipping is!

So, why should you vote for Teresa?

  • Teresa has worked with Spinnaker since 2008, solidifying her place as a key member and figure within the maritime industry.
  • Teresa is a Board Member of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) as well as a committee member of Maritime UK – Diversity & Inclusion in Maritime Taskforce.
  • Teresa is part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (UK Government), Women in Work and attends various parliamentary meetings, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the global maritime community in the diversity space.
  • Teresa is also involved with promoting careers within shipping, with the ‘Inspiring the Future’ project, which connects schools and colleges with employers and people from the world of work.
  • Teresa contributes meaningfully to the discussions and initiatives undertaken by the IMO.
  • Teresa is an active networker, recently attending a WISTA UK fundraising event with the view of raising money to sponsor a female cadet.

All you need to do is email ‘Teresa Peacock and Spinnaker’ along with your reason for voting in a maximum of 50 words.

Vote Now!

The Marine Society’s Coming Ashore Programme

Launched in 2020, the Coming Ashore programme is now in its 4th year, with over 500 seafarers expressing an interest and registering with the programme to transition to maritime roles ashore. It is the only comprehensive and structured mentoring initiative of its kind, helping seafarers plan their move ashore effectively.

Recognising the value of seafarers’ skills, the programme onboards maritime professionals as mentors, many of whom are former seafarers, offering their expertise in maritime law, insurance, broking, surveying, regulation and much more, in addition to the practicalities of working ashore which is often overlooked This ensures a high success rate for those completing the programme.

Project Ulysses identified the sea-to-shore transition issue in the UK, leading to the creation of the programme in collaboration with Maritime London, Nautilus International, Trinity House, Merchant Navy Training Board and Marine Society. Open to seafarers of all nationalities and ranks, the programme is particularly beneficial for UK-based individuals.

Whilst traditional advice encourages officers to gain experience at sea, employers are increasingly considering candidates without command experience. On the programme we offer the Sea to Shore Industry Placements Scheme (SSIPS), allowing seafarers to gain valuable experience with participating employers.

Additionally, the Coming Ashore Programme provides free or subsidised resources, including personality profiling, psychometric testing, CV writing, interview preparation, and free access to soft skills study courses (Learn@Sea & Learn@Shore). It addresses challenges such as adapting from a ‘command and control’ management style at sea to a team-working ethos ashore.

Successful mentees have found roles with companies such as Carnival UK, Ocean Technologies Group, Maritime & Coastguard Agency, P&I Clubs, and the Port of London Authority. Our revamped Coming Ashore Podcast now features interviews, tips and insights from stakeholders across the maritime industry.

Seafarers interested in the programme can visit the Marine Society website to register. The duration of the programme, typically 6-9 months, is tailored to the individual’s needs.

Generously funded by the Maritime Educational Foundation and ITF Seafarers Trust to get it up and running, the Marine Society now welcomes sponsorship from maritime employers and stakeholders to support the programme as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.

For further information, contact Meg Pawsey at [email protected] or visit their website.

Tips to alleviate interview stress

There can be very few people who claim to not find interviews stressful. Whether it’s an internal move or with a new organisation, the anticipation of, and the actual interview itself can be some of the most stressful situations an individual will experience.

As a recruitment business, Spinnaker has put thousands of candidates forward for interview and we’d like to think that we can offer some good advice when it comes to alleviating those nerves. The old adage ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ is apt when it comes to interviews. If you don’t do your homework, you’ll not only feel more nervous but are more likely to be asked a question that you do not know the answer to – prompting even more stress!

Director of Recruitment Matt Cornelius tells us “Often in tightly contested hires our clients will be torn between 2 candidates who both possess the same credentials on paper. I’ve seen many examples where someone with slightly less experience has landed the position over a better qualified candidate due to being more impressive in the interview.”

Feeling relaxed on the day of the interview will help you answer the questions in a more measured way. Don’t forget, the interviewer may also be nervous and will want you to do well. Interviewers are human at the end of the day and do not want to see people fail.

David Tubb, Director of Recruitment suggests there are several things you can do prior to the interview to help get the interviewer to get the best out of you. “If you can, see if a friend or family member can role play the interview with you. This will give you the opportunity to practice questions and answers. Have a think about certain real-life examples to use. It’s fine to write things down and take them in to the interview, including questions you want to ask. The interviewer will see that you well prepared.”

Some other things to consider are not underestimating the importance of a good night’s sleep before the interview. You might also want to limit your caffeine intake before the interview itself. Plan your route so you are not late, and some people might like to try positive self-talk.

Once in the interview room when the nerves reappear don’t be afraid to take your time to answer the question or repeat the question back to the interviewer or ask for clarification on what they mean.

If you find yourself stumbling over words, then don’t be afraid to say that you are nervous. The interviewer themselves may also be a little nervous – showing humility is not a bad thing. Most people will not fault you for your nerves and will appreciate your honesty.

If you stick to the question asked, are honest, and do your research you’re sure to do well. Good luck with that interview and get in touch if you are looking for your next role in the maritime industry.

Leave Benefits in the Maritime Industry

Over the past few years that has been a seismic shift in what employees look for in employers. Whether this be new or existing employees, instead of the focus being solely on the salary and bonuses, policies on leave benefits, environmental policies, flexible working, and diversity have become more important for candidates when choosing a new employer or whether to stay. This coupled with the skills shortage in the maritime industry has led companies to re-evaluate their policies and packages.

Although salary and bonuses must be competitive, paying the highest will no longer secure or retain that ‘needle in the haystack’ employee.

The Maritime HR Association membership is made up of over 100 maritime companies across the industry so when change happens, HR professionals in these organisations can connect and get an accurate picture of what is happening in the market to ensure their policies are still competitive.

In January we released a report to participating members on leave benefits. This covered, annual leave, maternity and paternity leave, time off to care for dependants, compassionate leave, and time off in lieu.

The Association had initially run this questionnaire and published a report in 2014 which allows us to track trends in these policies.

One stark change was in maternity, paternity, and parental leave and pay. An increased number of members are offering above the statutory minimum when compared to 2014 and the statutory minimum for maternity leave has also improved, particularly in Denmark and Hong Kong.

Having up-to-date information on what is happening in the market is a crucial tool for any HR professional to benchmark against.

The Maritime HR Association will shortly be producing another report focused on pensions, death in service, medical benefits etc.

To be part of the Maritime HR Association and to access benchmarking information across the industry please contact: [email protected] for further information on how to join.

Article written by Lucy McQuillan, HRC Manager, Spinnaker.

Members of Spinnaker’s Maritime HR Association are entitled to receive detailed analysis, such as this, as part of their membership package.

Find out more about joining the association on the website.

Technical employees enjoy higher base salaries than their marine counterparts at most levels

Technical vs. Marine – who earns more?
Spinnaker’s Maritime HR Association released its market analysis research earlier this month for the technical & marine job family. The report looks at the comparison of salaries by location and seniority of roles such as technical superintendent and HSEQ officers.

The Maritime HR Association reports are made up of data from over 100 shipping companies and over 55,000 individual salaries.

Compensation
Our data shows that around 8% of technical and marine roles are based in Hong Kong which is the fourth largest percentage worldwide with the highest median base salaries paid to technical employees. Only at Junior / Trainee (SM00) level is Hong Kong overtaken by Norway. In 2023, Norway-based technical juniors received the highest median base salaries.

By contrast, marine Professionals (SM01(A)) and Senior Professionals (SM02(A)) enjoy the highest median base salaries in the USA.

Although technical base salaries outperform marine, the opposite is true for bonuses at Professional (SM01), Senior Professional (SM02), and Manager (SM03) level where marine bonuses are higher.

Technical Managers (SM03(B)) working in the container industry received the highest bonuses when compared to other vessel types.

At all reportable levels, Oil Major / Commodity and Mining groups pay the highest base salaries and total compensation packages.

Technical vs. Marine – the face of the industry
According to this year’s demographical and gender analysis, the typical 2023 technical and marine employee is more likely to be Indian male.

Indian nationals make up 31% of incumbents overall which is not surprising given 17% of all technical and marine roles are located in India.

Almost identical to last year, 86% of incumbents working in the technical and marine job family are male, compared to 14% female. This is definitely one of the most male-dominated job families we have reported this year.

On the bright side, however, we can account for just over the half (51%) of junior employees being females which gives the chance in the future for more women to progress into senior technical and marine roles.

A positive shift has already been made this year with 2% more women in Head of / Director (SM04) positions compared to 2022 – although the overall female presence in this role is still 5% against 95% male.

Article written by Daryna Rozum, Reward Consultant, Spinnaker.

Members of Spinnaker’s Maritime HR Association are entitled to receive detailed analysis, such as this, as part of their membership package.

Find out more about joining the association on the website.

A candidate’s story – where are they now? Spotlight on Mike Powell

shipping jobs

Over the last 26 years, Spinnaker has placed hundreds of people in shore-based shipping jobs and we are proud that many of our candidates have then become clients, some we have even placed multiple times throughout their career.

One of our earliest placements, and a candidate that sticks out, is Mike Powell. These days Mike works as an independent contractor and is currently working as the Chief Business Officer for StratumFive, a British tech company, and is an Associate with the global energy and research consultancy, Wood Mackenzie. 

We have placed Mike in no fewer than 4 roles during his 40-plus-year maritime career.  

Having achieved command, Mike’s seagoing career ended in 1994 and he first appeared on our radar soon after he joined Stephenson Harwood as a Marine Manager in 1998. We placed him a couple of years later with Enterprise Oil as a Marine Operations Advisor.

When asked about this role Mike says, “I was pretty much making it up as I went along at this point, and had completed a four-year stint in Singapore before embarking on qualifying as a solicitor with SH.  Maritime recruiters were rare, and Spinnaker was among the first to really start matching candidates with opportunities that would appeal to them and develop their careers.  With Enterprise Oil they nailed it and I’m pretty sure, if the company had not been bought by Shell in 2002, I’d still be there!”

Mike went on to become the first Director (Maritime) of the UK Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Program, better known as CHIRP, and launched the safety initiative in 2003. 

We kept in touch with him during this time after the success of the program was endorsed by the UK government, and placed Mike in his second role as Manager Ports and Terminals Assurance with BP Shipping in 2007.

Mike said, “I really appreciated Spinnaker checking in as CHIRP developed, and when the time came to move on there was a role lined up.  BP Shipping was a great place to work, but challenging times were ahead and when a round of restructuring began, I would come to rely on Spinnaker’s insight into the market to again identify options.”

We then placed Mike in his third role as Global Head of Tanker Operations at ST Shipping and Transport, the shipping arm of Glencore in 2010, but as the financial crisis of the time continued to impact shipping, restructuring was widespread and unfortunately redundancy followed in 2011.  Mike decided to work independently and set up Cardinal Point Marine Ltd, but we kept in contact and placed him for the fourth time with Maersk Tankers as Global Head of Tanker Operations in 2013. Of this volatile period Mike comments: “It is difficult to know what’s best and make good decisions during times of uncertainty, so having Spinnaker available was always helpful.  Not everything worked out as planned, but Spinnaker always had options.  Ironically the experiences gained during this period of almost constant change probably helped secure the role with Maersk Tankers where I was responsible for a restructure!”

We asked Mike to draw on his extensive experience in the industry and asked him some challenging questions.

What do you think have been the biggest positive changes in the maritime industry over the last 20+ years?

“There are many things worthy of mention, but a few highlights over this period are the implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code in 1998 which introduced the novel, and belated, requirement for a shore-based organisation to be certificated as competent in ship operation.  The Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 contributed a great deal to the conditions under which seafarers are employed, although demonstrably there is more work to do. Finally, the increase in the number of voices we can hear in maritime through improved connectivity of all kinds is leading to greater diversity which will be essential if we are to solve the problems the future holds.”  

What challenges do you think maritime face over the next 20+ years?

“I think it’s pretty clear decarbonisation and technology transformation will provide the greatest challenges to the industry as it is today, but we should also be hugely excited about the opportunities those challenges will provide to innovate and define the shipping industry of tomorrow.”

What jobs do you think will exist in the next 20+ years which don’t today? Or in which sectors?

“There will be new roles in shipping to address the complexity of GHG reduction, accounting and management.  Systems development and remote asset operation also look like growth areas, even if the latter is some time away for the international fleet.  There will be new roles and new ways of working across shipping which I hope will attract talent from an increasingly diverse employee base.”

You can get in touch with Mike on LinkedIn and you might see him at the annual OSCAR Dragon Boat race raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children rowing with the ‘Spinnaker Strokes’!

The changing face of Maritime HR

We reached out to several HR professionals who have been working in the maritime sector for many years and asked their opinion on how the role of HR has changed and any predictions for how this will evolve over the next 20+ years. Read what they had to say below.

Dawn Robinson is the Director of Merger Transition for NorthStandard & was previously North’s Global People Director

How has the role of HR changed in the maritime industry since you started out in your career?

Even over just six years, we’ve had the drama of covid & ongoing requests from our people for more freedom in how and where they work; consequently, this results in changing skills for leaders. An agile approach, empathy, technical & virtual abilities, reward & retention and diversity are key.

What benefits do you feel formal HR departments bring to the sector?

These departments add support & a wider context around true inclusive behaviour. They also offer guidance for leaders on dealing with our people from many different angles & perspectives.

How do you see HR evolving over the next 25 years in the maritime industry?

AI in particular is on the radar for more ‘live data’ processes to aid leaders with people decisions.

The ‘work from home’ (wfh) we have now, will evolve even more to ‘work from anywhere’ (wfa).

It will continue to be an employee-driven market, requiring employers to be competitive, flexible & culturally understand the true needs of people in order to motivate and retain them where possible.

How has Spinnaker helped support the industry with HR services?

Spinnaker has provided a great recruitment specialist arm for us & they even recruited me into this industry!

The salary benchmarking provided has really helped our Clubs to be able to assure our people we’re constantly aware of the market & responding with our reward strategies appropriately.

Donna Price is the Global HR Business Partner at Stolt-Nielsen and has worked in the industry for 17 years

How has the role of HR changed in the maritime industry since you started out in your career?

HR is now a more strategic partner within the industry.

What benefits do you feel formal HR departments bring to the sector?

HR supports the sector in being more well-rounded and indeed ensures that wellbeing, DEI and other topics have more focus.

How do you see HR evolving over the next 25 years in the maritime industry?

Yes, I do see an increase in HR, but I also see HR becoming a more strategic part of business in general.

How has Spinnaker helped support the industry with HR services?

I feel that Spinnaker has been a big support in changing the conversation around HR services in the industry. The Maritime Conference has grown (enormously), and supports bringing HR and maritime leaders together.

Pål Egeland is the Director of HR for Saga Welco and has been working in the industry since 2009

How has the role of HR changed in the maritime industry since you started out in your career?

There has been a clear change from HR as an administration function to having a more strategic focus working alongside senior management.

What benefits do you feel formal HR departments bring to the sector?

 Diversity, transparency and the human factor.

How do you see HR evolving over the next 25 years in the maritime industry?

The use of AI and other tools that we have not yet seen. There will still be a need for competent HR staff to facilitate and work strategically.

How has Spinnaker helped support the industry with HR services?

Spinnaker helps support the industry with the Maritime Conference and a very valuable salary benchmark report.

The history of Spinnaker since it was established in 1997

Spinnaker was the brainchild of current Chairman Phil Parry, who graduated from Plymouth University in 1991 with a degree in Maritime Business and Law. Whilst working as a Maritime Lawyer, he found himself placing graduates within the sector as there were no specialist maritime recruitment agencies. With this in mind, he decided to set up Spinnaker with his long-term friend and current CEO Steve Cox, and as they say, the rest is history.
Here we take a look at the key events in the Spinnaker calendar over the last 26 years.

1997 Spinnaker Global was founded (now known as Spinnaker).

1998 The company moved into its first office in Leigh on Sea, Essex, UK. The company is still based in this seaside town.

2005 Launch of the Maritime HR Association (or the Tanker HR Forum as it was known then) with 8 founding Tanker companies. Its purpose was to provide independent salary and bonus information for shore-based shipping jobs. The membership now boasts 105 members and provides data for 35 locations!

2006 The company grew to a point where new offices were required, and Spinnaker moved to their 2nd office in Leigh on Sea.

2006 The first Maritime HR Conference takes place in London.

2008 Spinnaker MD, Teresa Peacock joined the company and in her 15 years within the business has made a big impact on the industry. She is consistently voted one of the top women in shipping by all about shipping and is an active member of WISTA.

2011 Launch of the OSCAR campaign, the inspiration of Phil Parry, whose son received life-saving care at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and to date has raised £2.7 million for the charity.

2013 Move to a 3rd office in Leigh on Sea to accommodate growing staff numbers.

2014 The first OSCAR Dragon Boat Race takes place and with the exception of the covid years has taken place every year since.

2015 ShippingJobs.com (now spinnaker-global.com) wins award for Best Website.

2016 Launch of the Leadership Development programme for industry professionals.

2017 Launch of Seafarer Employers’ Association which provides wage cost benchmarking for crew.

2019 Spinnaker wins Diversity in Maritime award from Maritime UK.

2021 Spinnaker are awarded Best Executive Search Partner by the Global Ports Council.

2023 The biggest ever Maritime HR Conference takes place in London which marks the 15th time this event has taken place.

Look out for more birthday content over the coming days.