Attracting and retaining workers is a growing challenge throughout the economy, and that goes doubly for the waterways workforce—but that doesn’t mean employee turnover must be a constant challenge for your business. It’s true: Workers are increasingly likely to leave jobs these days, and the talent pool for the marine transport industry is pretty shallow to begin with. Workers simply are not queuing up to get jobs within the industry.
The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. By understanding the underlying causes behind maritime workforce turnover and making simple business changes, operators can stem employee turnover, increase recruitment success, and reap the dividends of a happy and committed workforce.
Challenges in the Maritime Workforce
Despite the maritime industry’s robust performance, it faces significant challenges in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. This predicament isn’t unique to the barge transport sector but reflects a broader trend affecting various industries worldwide.
At the core of the workforce dilemma are two intertwined issues: The overarching economic landscape and the evolving lifestyle expectations of the modern workforce. Economic factors, such as fluctuating market demands and competition for talent across sectors, set a challenging backdrop. However, lifestyle expectations bring a unique dimension to recruitment and retention in the barge industry.
Today’s workforce, especially the younger generation entering the job market, holds distinct expectations for their work environment. They seek roles that provide financial stability and align with their lifestyle preferences and values. This includes a desire for workplaces that leverage technology to enhance efficiency and job satisfaction. For an industry traditionally reliant on manual processes and offline communication, this shift in workforce expectations presents a formidable challenge for maritime operators. And, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting that the workforce will grow by only about 2% through 2032, it’s unlikely that the tight labor market will change soon, even as the market itself is growing.
Improving Maritime Employee Retention and Recruiting
Given the tight labor market, companies need to work harder than ever to improve their success with retention and recruiting. With a few strategic changes, companies can help ensure prospective and long-time employees feel valued, engaged, and motivated to stay.
Investing in Workforce Advancement: Continuous learning and professional development opportunities can significantly enhance employee satisfaction and loyalty. For example, a company that operates boats and barges might implement a comprehensive training program for deckhands, offering them clear advancement paths to become captains. This initiative would equip employees with valuable skills and demonstrate the company’s investment in their career growth. By offering training programs, workforce advancement paths, and educational resources, companies can boost morale and ensure that their workforces are skilled and able to execute their tasks according to the latest industry practices.
Enhancing Communication and Feedback: Open and effective communication channels between employees and management are vital for a healthy work environment. Regular feedback sessions, open-door policies, and platforms for employee voices to be heard can foster a sense of belonging and respect. Employees who feel that their opinions matter and their contributions are recognized are more likely to remain committed to the company. And this doesn’t have to be a considerable burden; a single monthly feedback and engagement session that allows crew members to communicate their concerns and suggestions directly can help employees feel heard and valued and unlock opportunities to improve operational efficiency.
Leveraging Technology: Integrating technology can streamline operations, reduce manual workload, and create a more engaging and efficient workplace. Investing in a digital platform that automates several manual processes, such as logging and reporting, can eliminate many traditionally time-consuming tasks for the crew. This shift reduces the likelihood of errors and allows employees to focus on more critical and engaging aspects of their jobs. The introduction of technology can make the workplace more attractive and in line with modern expectations, enhancing employee satisfaction and retention.
Improving Work-Life Balance: Recognizing the importance of work-life balance is crucial, especially in an industry known for its demanding schedules. Implementing flexible working arrangements, ensuring adequate time off, and supporting personal commitments can help employees maintain a healthy balance, reducing burnout and turnover. Of course, most barge operators won’t be able to offer unlimited time off… but making time off standardized and predictable, if not overly long, can help employees better integrate their personal and family lives with their work, which is sure to be appreciated.
Creating a Positive Work Culture: A supportive and inclusive company culture is essential for employee retention. Encouraging teamwork, recognizing achievements, and fostering a safe and welcoming work environment can significantly influence employees’ desire to stay with the company. For example, a company might introduce a recognition program that celebrates employees’ milestones and achievements, possibly in combination with a training program, as outlined above.
How BargeOps Helps with Employee Retention
Maritime companies that want to optimize employee retention must avoid being on the wrong side of “no-brainer” situations. If two jobs pay the same, but one requires less drudge work, employees will flock to the company that seemingly values their time more. In fact, they might even take less pay for the privilege, as reducing drudgery frees up time to work on more engaging, challenging work. If your company is on the wrong side of that equation, it will be hard to recruit and retain employees, no matter how generous your benefits and strong your culture.
Outdated processes can also create challenges with recruitment. Candidates likely expect modern tools as part of any job. For example, there’s little reason for construction workers to dig holes with shovels, when an excavator could do the job in a fraction of the time, with a fraction of the effort. Workers likely wouldn’t want to work for a company that was that wasteful of their time and energy. The same dynamic is at play in shipping. Those who come to the barge industry and find themselves faced with the prospect of filling out paper forms by hand may reject the industry altogether, even if it otherwise would have been a good fit.
In the quest to modernize the barge industry and align it with the expectations of today’s workforce, BargeOps emerges as a transformative solution. This innovative software and automation platform is specifically designed to revolutionize barge operations, transitioning from traditional, manual processes to a streamlined, digital approach.
BargeOps offers tools that automate and digitize tasks previously reliant on paper and manual input, such as cargo tracking, crew scheduling, and maintenance reporting. By integrating these digital solutions, barge operators can significantly enhance operational efficiency, reduce the risk of human error, and provide a more engaging work environment for their employees. The platform’s user-friendly interface and real-time data access mean employees can work more effectively, make informed decisions, and communicate more efficiently.
Getting Started with BargeOps
Handling the maritime workforce isn’t easy, and no magic pill can cure all your problems in this area. However, if you want to increase your employee retention, you have to start somewhere. Modernizing the tools your employees use daily is a great place to begin. Not only can this increase the attractiveness of their jobs, but it can also increase your operational insight and effectiveness. Win-wins like this are a great way to get the ball rolling. To learn more about what BargeOps can do for your business, schedule a demo today.
