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HR STRATEGY

This is about training our seafarers in having robust conversations, addressing performance issues, and addressing our system. Within this open approach, we are not afraid to openly discuss challenges, and we have systems in place that can address training needs.

– Simon Frank, Vice President,

Head of Torm Global Marine HR

TORM, the process instead involves creating history for each

Leveraging the Diverse & seafarer with a smaller pool of vessels. He explains, “Profes-

Multi-Cultural Workplace sionally, we wouldn’t have a problem to send people from big- With of? ces located in Houston, Manila, Mumbai and Sin- ger to smaller vessels and back again. From a professional, gapore, the TORM company culture is quite diverse. Beyond technical and educational perspective, our people are appro- looking at quali? cations and establishing a track record for priate for all sizes of vessels within our ? eet. More important, mariners in smaller pools, TORM also looks carefully at the for planning purposes in the Philippines and in India, where cultural makeup of each vessel, both in terms of nationalities we have the majority of our seafarers, we are in the process of and which roles are ? lled by a particular mariner, and why. trying to connect individuals to one or two particular vessels Frank explains, “We have a large number of seafarers from of the same type, that they will share their time on.” India and the Philippines. And, we have several vessels where

The goal, says Frank, is to develop situations where there we have full Indian crews and some that have full Filipino is history, more responsibility taken, and ultimately, more ac- crew. Some have Indian of? cers and Filipino ratings. We countability taken. That, he said, translates into leadership. do have a formula and we stick to it. Additionally, we have “We want to create smaller pools of seafarers for a smaller a smaller number of Danish and Croatian of? cers. Our pool number of vessels. So, this is what we’re trying to plan this then contains only four different nationalities. It’s just right year, while also at the same time reaching out to our seafarers, for the size of ? eet that we have.

selling it as a ‘win-win’ situation. It brings people closer to Frank further emphasizes the need for managing the sea- the vessels, creates more job satisfaction, but it also bene? ts farer mix on board multi-national vessels, adding, “I formerly

TORM in how we operate our ships.” worked in a big ship management company where the nation- 42 | Maritime Professional | 2Q 2016 34-49 Q2 MP2016.indd 42 5/19/2016 11:37:55 AM