During the 2025 SAFETY4SEA Limassol Forum, Capt. Alexandros Gerokounas, LMZ SHIPPING, emphasized the vital role of Human Resource Management (HRM) strategies in workforce retention and performance for both shipboard and shore-based employees.
International maritime shipping organizations face significant challenges in workforce retention and performance, largely due to the industry’s diverse and global nature. To address these challenges, HRM practices must be adaptable, focusing on effective communication, cultural sensitivity and providing strong support systems for employees.
Challenges
Key issues in the shipping industry include the varying cultural expectations, differing labor laws across regions, and the demanding nature of maritime work, which often involves long periods at sea.
A significant challenge that the maritime industry faces today is not only maintaining a work-life balance which is an ongoing concern but also addressing the cultural differences between the workforce onboard and onshore.
Challenges in workforce retention and performance:
- Demanding and complex regulatory work environment
- Continuous compliance burdens
- Work-life balance
- Cultural and interpersonal
- Aging workforce
- Skill shortages and training gaps
- Career development opportunities
- Economic pressures
- Emerging technological demands
Informed workforce
As part of an initiative to engage the younger generation, I’ve been speaking to students about the maritime industry. The first question they often ask is, “How much money can I make?” This highlights a lack of understanding about the realities of working at sea.
Furthermore, while some are aware of the potential financial benefits of maritime work, others are more familiar with the hardships involved. This misunderstanding is primarily due to a lack of detailed, accurate information about what the industry truly entails.
Until this gap in communication is addressed, future generations will continue to have a distorted perception of maritime careers. Properly educating the workforce can help bridge gaps and ensure that employees understand the true nature of their work, rather than only focusing on the surface-level aspects.
Human-focused systems
Emerging technologies, while promising, are not yet sufficiently helping both onshore operations and onboard crews to meet these challenges. To address these issues, systems should be adapted to be more human-focused. While some may argue that investing in people is costly, I believe it’s one of the best investments we can make.
Though planning and implementing such strategies is essential, the most important step is sparking interest in management and finding ways to make these changes a reality.
Communication is key
The real challenge lies in building a competent workforce and ensuring they align with the organization’s goals. Effective communication is critical.
We need to be transparent with our workforce about the company’s objectives, making them feel involved in its growth and direction.
The first step is to educate ourselves. In addition, management must be educated before we can develop a strategy to educate our workforce. While training is one form of education, there are other ways to convey the message. Both the company and the workforce must make sacrifices, and it’s important that they understand this is a two-way process, with both sides contributing to the solution.
What I advise crews to do is to step back, reflect on what needs to be communicated, find the best way to communicate it, and see what happens.
Implementation process
Diversity and inclusion programs in maritime shipping organizations can be enhanced through various strategies. Cultural competency training can help foster understanding and respect for different cultures, religions, and work styles, while language support, such as language training or translation tools, can improve communication across multicultural teams.
Additionally, implementing equitable policies ensures fairness in pay, promotions, and working conditions for all crew members, regardless of nationality or background, creating a more inclusive and harmonious work environment.
The implementation process can involve the following:
- Diversity and inclusion programs
- Effective recruitment and selection
- Comprehensive onboarding and training
- Flexible workforce management
- Employee well-being initiatives
- Career development and succession planning
- Equitable compensation and benefits
- Strong employee relations
- Technology integration
- Adaptation to regulatory and environmental changes
The role of the shipping company isn’t just about demanding performance and retention rates.
We need to understand that if we want to demand something from our workforce, we must offer something in return. This requires a shift in thinking.
Finding the right balance between the mentality of the workforce onboard and the organization onshore is essential. The most important goal is to ensure the sustainability and long-term growth of both the organization and its workforce, both onboard and onshore.
The views presented are only those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
Above article has been edited from Capt. Alexandros Gerokounas’ presentation during the 2025 SAFETY4SEA Limassol Forum.
Explore more by watching his video presentation here below
