Danica not only provides highly competent seafarers; we also ensure that they stay professionally up-to-date enabling them to cope with the latest requirements and technologies.
We do this by monitoring the crew’s performance, both as individuals and as a team, through our Crew Performance Management System which identifies areas of strength and weakness for each employee and sets specific personal objectives for areas to be improved.
The Crew Performance Management System is supported by targeted mentoring onboard and, when necessary, by efficient close-the-gap training courses delivered by Danica Training Services.
Crew identified as having the potential for promotion are enrolled in our Promotion Pipeline Program which prepares them for promotion to the next higher rank.
All our crew performance and development systems can be adapted to include your specific requirements and we work together with you to ensure that the crew performance management system supports the achievement of your company’s business goals.
Crew Performance Management
Our Crew Performance Management System consist of four key elements:
Appraisal reports: Our appraisal system evaluates the crew member’s performance in key areas such as safety behavior, environmental awareness, team work and officer leadership. The system has clear definition of required performance for each score in each element. This ensures homogeneous appraisal to your company’s standards rather than to those of the individual appraiser.
Crew Status Meetings: At the beginning and end of each period on board the seafarer and their superior have a meeting. At the initial meeting development goals for the seafarer’s time on board are agreed and documented, based on the results of the latest appraisal report. At the signing off meeting the progress made is discussed and any necessary additional training and goals are agreed. Additional evaluation meetings can also be held during the on board period, if necessary.
Mentoring: Mentoring on board is without cost but often not efficient due to lack of structure and the mentoring is often done randomly. Danica’s Crew Status Meetings and clear development action plans put structure into the mentoring process and ensure focus on the weaker side of each seafarer.
Training: In some cases, like with leadership skills, mentoring on board is not sufficient. Danica then offers a wide range of close-the-gap training courses which are designed to cover specific topics and are short and efficient. We constantly review our palette of courses and regularly add new subjects to ensure our seafarers are always at the top of their professional game.
Promotion Pipeline Program
An important function of Danica’s Crew Performance Management System is to identify talented crew who have potential for promotion. Crew earmarked for advancement are enrolled in our Promotion Pipeline Program which develops them in a structured and speedy way to be ready to take on the duties of the next-higher rank.
Our Promotion Pipeline system has been proven to have a high influence on motivation to perform and learn. Another advantage is that it demonstrates to talented crew that they have career opportunities, thereby helping us to retain good people.
Our appraisal reports do not include tick box ‘ready for promotion’ or ‘recommended for promotion’ options, nor do we have rules requiring two or three appraisees to tick such boxes before any promotion happens.
Instead we carefully develop our crew identified for promotion to ensure they are able to successfully perform in the next higher rank from their first day in their new rank. We have very specific training booklets for each higher rank which list the skills and knowledge needed and which the seafarer must be able to understand and perform. This is done through on board mentoring. Once the list of topics is confirmed, we verify knowledge levels through interviews and testing in our office.
We have a specific training booklet for each rank. The training booklet for promotion from Chief Officer to Master is very extensive, whilst of course the booklet from ordinary Seaman to Able Seaman is more slim.
If you would like to learn more, please contact Captain Henrik Jensen by e-mail at: jensen@danica-maritime.com or by phone: +49 40 21 09 190 32.