MISC Annual Report 2017

119 Strategy & Performance STRENGTHENING SHORE EMPLOYEES AND SEAFARER ENGAGEMENT The shipping industry is one where the majority of employees are based thousands of miles away on the high seas operating sophisticated assets. These seafaring personnel typically work remotely often under challenging circumstances away from their shore counterparts who typically work out of an office. To bridge the gap between shore employees and seafarers, and to ensure employees from both sides are aligned with organisational goals, we organise conferences for shore staff and seafarers from all ranks so that they see themselves as an invaluable part of the organisation and can serve as catalysts that will contribute to the Group’s success. Engagement sessions not only provide an effective medium for exchanging views but also a platform for celebrating achievements, strengthening the bonds of unity, and building the esprit de corps of employees within the MISC Group. We also conduct Senior Officers, Junior Officers and Rating seminars and conferences on a quarterly basis in Malaysia, India, and the Philippines. Various subject experts from the oil majors, P&I clubs, maritime industries and government bodies are invited to present at these engagement sessions and make them more meaningful. Key issues and information are also shared to increase awareness on various aspects of the operations and business including HSE, contemporary issues, as well as ideas and strategies aimed at developing our people’s competencies. Other sessions include team building activities, Cultural Beliefs workshops as well as Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. In 2017, there were 181 participants at the Senior Officer Management Conference, 230 at the Focus Seminar and another 238 at the Rating Seminar. These seminars and conferences help to break the ice between the sea and shore employees as they freely exchange ideas and views. This leads to better working environments, helps our people increase their understanding of the Group’s common values, business strategy and direction, as well as inspires them to work as a team to achieve the Group’s objectives and aspirations. MOVING FORWARD As MISC ventures forth amidst a rapidly evolving playing field, the scarcity of specialised talent continues to be a perennial challenge for the Group. An increasing number of new start-up companies offering more attractive employee value propositions, especially to a growing pool of Gen-Y employees, further intensifies the competition for good talent. Aside from focusing on succession planning and employee competency development for both leadership and functional skills, our HR folk will set their sights on digitalising more employee learning and development solutions. They will also work on inculcating a stronger sense of ownership among employees regarding self-development, as well as create an active sustainable coaching culture throughout the Group. For MISC to propel forward and deliver sustainable growth, we must ensure that the best talent is in place and that they see MISC as a great place to work at. To build a high-trust, high-performance culture within MISC, we will continue to invest in effective talent management and development programmes, among other measures, to enable our people to tap their full potential and fulfil their personal aspirations. MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT