b'T here are many factors that Passenger Vessel Association memberswhat it takes to accomplish the job better than they do? The creation use to define a successful year of business including low numberof incentives to recruit new coworkers changes the conversation from of safety incidents, accidents, or lost operation days; guest/cus- asking help us find a crew to rewarding someone for taking the time tomer satisfaction; level or increased ridership; and operational profits.to participate in the solution. Across our industry, incentives have been Over the past two years the element that has led the list in defining suc- awarded for getting someone to apply to specifically crafted programs cess is the ability to properly staff an operation so that a vessel can leavethat only apply if the person is hired and stays on the job for a designated the dock, or for our associates that a service or product can be provided. length of time. Recruitment incentives do not always have to be in the form of money, we have seen some businesses award an additional day of The majority of our PVA members, no matter where they are located,leave, allow a schedule request, or provide gift cards for local restaurants.have had to retool their approach to workforce development to ensure that they can recruit and retain quality coworkers. Although there is noPartner with learning institutions: high schools, trade schools, perfect equation, the following are some ideas we have heard over theor colleges. This approach is a long-term investment of time for you past two years from members and a few that our company has had suc- or your team, but one that can be worth it both professionally and per-cess in orchestrating. sonally. The possible partnerships are completely dependent on the type of educational facility and their policies/procedures. You will not know WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT what is possible until you take the first step to schedule a meeting. Our Recruit earlier and change your hiring cycle. The time spent tocompany has met with both our high school and our local branch of the evaluate, interview and onboard a coworker has increased. Some mem- University of Alaska. Though our programs are not finalized, we will bers have reported having tobe supporting these schools with set up ten times more inter- job interview training programs, views to fill one position thanpossibleinternships,participat-theyhadtotwoyearsago.The creation of incentives to ingintheirleadershiptraining Forourcompany,weusedprograms,andworkingwith tohaveastart/endtoourrecruit new coworkers changesany students who have a specif-recruitmenttimeframe.Weicmarineinterest.Inaddition, are now gathering applicantsthe conversation from askingweareconsideringcreatinga year-round for positions thathelp us find a crew to rewardingscholarship program that is only are summer seasonal. availabletocoworkers,creating someone for taking the time totheincentivetoworkwithus Considerflexibleschedul- whenschoolisnotinsession. ing and part-time schedules.participate in the solution. During MariTrends last year, we Oneoftheongoingtrendsheard from companies that have that businesses are finding isworked to create a small academy that coworkers are looking fortrainingprogramwithschools more flexibility in their work week.It may mean having two team mem- where they can expose potential team members to the aspects of vessel bers equal one full-time position and result in more training time andwork and create a knowledgeable base to recruit from.expenses, but this approach has allowed us to maintain consistent and dedicated crews.WORKFORCE RETENTIONChange in pay rates, signing incentives, and completion bonuses. As the workforce evolves, workers are not simply looking for em-Not all business models can afford to take this step, however if you canployment to assist them in paying bills. Coworkers are looking for show financial gains for your employees, it can help immensely in re- employment opportunities that support their personal values and help cruitment and retention. Over the past two years, many members havedefine their quality of life and lifestyle. Therefore, as employers we need reported up to a 20 percent increase in wages for licensed and unlicensedto, whether it is in our current DNA or not, look to modify how we positions.Signingorcompletion-of-contractbonuseshavebeenin- communicate with, support, and involve our team members.creased or implemented. For example, the Alaska Marine Highway has offered up to a $5,000 hiring bonus for qualifying unlicensed staff. OurCoworkers not employees. It is a very challenging thing to navigate, company has always offered our seasonal coworkers a bonus if they com- but changing the culture of your business from having employees who plete or exceed their agreed upon dates of employment, this year thatwork for management, to having coworkers who work together for a bonus increased fivefold. common goal will help create an inclusive and participatory workplace. Each person will still have specific responsibilities, titles, and job de-PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPE MAY-LEWES FERRYShiftofcustomermarketingdollarsintorecruitmentdollars.scriptions, but the difference is how you link those together for a coop-Without reliable coworkers, none of our member businesses can func- erative success.tion. Over the past few years, both associate and vessel members, as well as large and small operators, have chosen to shift some of their marketingInclude coworkers in your planning, development, and trainings. dollars typically spent on gaining customers to outreach programs de- Todays workforce wants to know that they are valued, that their in-signed to recruit team members. This spending shift was justified duringput is desired, and that they have a path to positively effect change. many discussions, and with the statement that we first need to have theThe bottom line is that they have ideas, often good ones, and they will workforce to leave the dock and provide exceptional experiences. make a choice as to where they work based on how their input is val-ued. For example, I asked a group of our deckhands to meet during Incentives for current staff to recruit new coworkers. The best pro- the off season to evaluate our past safety and customer service train-moters of your company are current, happy team members. Who knowsing programs. Initially the thought was that they would be guiding 9 OCTOBER 2022'