Do superyachts offer job satisfaction?
From data gathered by Faststream and Yotspot, we share insight into crew views on employment issues…
Throughout July and August 2017, superyacht recruiter Faststream and industry job board Yotspot surveyed over 1200 superyacht crew to gain a unique insight into the views, thoughts and feelings they have about the industry they work in. As part of a series of articles looking at each of the areas of the survey, below SuperyachtNews looks at the results regarding job satisfaction and engagement.
Primarily, the survey asked crew how satisfied they are in their current role, with 68 per cent responding that they were either satisfied or very satisfied in their current role. “The results show that, although the majority of crew have job satisfaction to some extent, the 32 per cent that are not are likely to be considering changing their job and will be more active as a jobseeker,” considers Mark Charman, CEO of the Faststream Group. “You would not be wrong to assume that these crew will be disengaged within their current position.”
Respondents were then asked whether they feel motivated in their current role, to which only 58 per cent replied that they do. Due to the unique and personal nature of the superyacht industry, motivation of the crew is essential to providing the best experience on board. At the same time, however, there are also inherent challenges to staying motivated, due to long and intense working hours and time away from friends and family, as well as many other pressures unique to the superyacht environment.
“The superyacht industry is perhaps the most intimate place to work throughout the entire maritime sector, and is unlike most other jobs no matter what your field of expertise,” explains Charman. “The close proximity of your work colleagues and the responsibility to the owners and guests are just some of the many factors, often over-looked, that contribute to crew wellbeing, happiness, job satisfaction and engagement.”
Charman continues to explain that while a crewmember may love their job, they may not like the yacht, the living conditions, the rotation they are on, the owners they work for or the itinerary. “All the factors, large and small, will potential lead to a crewmember leaving the yacht,” he adds. “It may be the captain or it may be the purser; the point is that all crew are active as jobseekers and can and will leave if offered something better.”
With regards to crew job satisfaction and engagement, the survey results indicate that there is much room for improvement in the industry. Charman suggests that the industry should look at other areas of the maritime sector and adopt the tools and techniques used to keep people happy, to recognise development opportunities and to ultimately ensure that staff turnover is not at an unsustainable level.
“The cruise sector is a good example of how to do things properly,” he advices. “Due to the growing size of superyachts, many captains from the cruise sector are entering the superyacht market. However, they are used to a much more structured approach to their career and wellbeing, so it’s likely that we will see these captains returning to cruise ships because they are not getting the ‘softer touch’ that they are used to.”
Charman resolves that, while there are many positives to take away from this report, there are an equal amount of areas for development and yachting must act quickly to ensure that it continues to be the career of choice for both green and experienced crew. “When all is said and done, it is the crew who are the lifeblood of the industry,” he concludes.
Visit the 'related news' tab to read about the survey's other findings, which look closely at the other key areas of analysis. To read the full report, please click here.
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