Work Plan and Allocation Report: Shipping Company Seafarer Retention

This report focuses on a work plan and allocation strategy aimed at maximizing the retention of skilled seafarers in a shipping company. The report begins with an executive summary outlining the key areas covered, including the importance of planning in the workplace to boost productivity. It identifies the organizational target of retaining skilled seafarers and sets SMART goals to achieve this objective, ensuring the goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. An action plan is presented in a tabular format, detailing activities such as organizing events, improving work-life balance, revitalizing recruitment, and implementing compensation and retirement plans. The report addresses potential variances in the planned activities, their causes, and proposes solutions to overcome these challenges. It also highlights strategies to enhance team performance, such as providing training and setting clear objectives. The conclusion reiterates the importance of various retention strategies and emphasizes the role of effective planning and allocation in achieving organizational goals. This assignment is a practical application of leadership and management principles within a shipping context.

Running Head: WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Work Plan and Allocation
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Executive summery
The report discusses about the retention of skilled seafarers in a shipping company. Planning of
activities are done for that purpose like, event organization, recognition of employees, retirement
plans, incentives, hike in salary. SMART goals are set for the same and analyzed well. An action
plan is proposed in tabular form. The activities may include variances and the discussed
variances are also overcame for engaging employees. Several engagements are mentioned for the
purpose of enhancing team performance.

2WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Planning in workplace.....................................................................................................................5
SMART Goals.............................................................................................................................5
Action Plan..................................................................................................................................6
Revitalizing Recruitment process................................................................................................7
Compensation, incentives, and salary..........................................................................................7
Communication and Leadership..................................................................................................7
Effective retirement plan.............................................................................................................8
Employee recognition events.......................................................................................................8
Monitoring the planned activity...................................................................................................8
Allocation of Work........................................................................................................................10
Resources required according to timescales and activity..........................................................10
Completion of target..................................................................................................................11
Support for team members.........................................................................................................11
Improvement of performance of the Team....................................................................................11
Cause of variance.......................................................................................................................11
Overcoming the variance...........................................................................................................12
Improved performance...............................................................................................................12

3WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
Reference.......................................................................................................................................13

4WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Introduction
The planning process in a workplace maximizes the productivity of a company. The
selected organizational target of this report is the maximum retention of skilled seafarers in a
shipping company (Thai et al. 2013). The target is achieved by setting up the SMART goals and
those are discussed below. The action plan for retaining skilled seafarers are presented in tabular
format. Several activities have been planned in order to retain the employees, along with the
approximate timings (Sulaiman and Seng 2016). A variance in the planned activity may occur,
the cause of that variance is discussed too. Therefore, the aim of this report is to discuss the
various phases, activities, variance of activities, its cause, action to overcome it, and ways to
improve the employee’s performance.

5WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Planning in workplace
The organisational target is to achieve maximum retention of skilled seafarers for a
shipping company. In order to achieve this target SMART goals are to be set, and those are as
follows (Bowman et al. 2015)
SMART Goals
1. Specific- The goals are expressed in such a way that the exact accomplishment is well
defined. It pin points the main purpose, therefor, with specific goal correct initiatives can
be set in a workplace. Similarly, for the shipping company, seafarers are involved in this
goal for gaining maximum retention of them.
2. Measurable- For the purpose of measuring the progress of work done by the skilled
seafarers, certain benchmarks must be set. Maximum number of skilled seafarers are to
be retained.
3. Achievable- The target must be achievable so that it will help in understanding the work
and goal towards it. The target must have the area to stretch so that it appears to be
challenging as well as structured in such a manner that it can be achieved. A vast number
of skilled seafarer are needed to be retained and the process becomes more challenging
when the number of people involved increases.
4. Realistic- The target must be realistic so that the goal can be achieved in the stipulated
time and all available resources (Yuen et al. 2018). As retention of skilled seafarer is an
achievable goal with given time and resources, so it is a realistic goal.
5. Timely- The target must have the fixed time, which is the starting date and ending date of
the process of achieving the target. The taken target of retention of skilled seafarers must
be completed with three months.

6WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Action Plan
Focus Area: Organizational Target
Goal: Maximum retention of Skilled seafarers
Objective Strategies Activities Responsibl
e
Employee
Time
Line
Result
Employee
Engagement
To increase
employee
engagement
in shipping
company.
 Organizing
events.
 Interaction of
seafarers and
managers
Seafarers
and
managers
Monthly Seafarers
communicate about
work, future and
hence get
encouraged.
Work-life
balance
To balance
the seafarer’s
personal life
and work
life.
 Leave approve.
 Free services
Seafarers Monthly  Approval of
sick, casual
leaves.
 Free
services like
laundry,
transportatio
n etc.

7WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Revitalizing
Recruitment
process
To recruit
applicant at
the initial
stage.
 Right
recruitment.
 Hiring well
knowledge
seafarers.
Seafarers,
recruiter.
Yearly Situation of
retention less likely
to occur.
Compensation,
incentives, and
salary
To hike
salary,
introduce
incentives,
and
compensatio
n.
 Incentive
schemes.
 Compensation
against
unfavorable
situation
Seafarers,
managers,
hr.
Yearly Skilled seafarers
have the scope of
staying in the
company.
Communicatio
n and
Leadership
To
communicate
and mutual
respect.
 Acknowledgeme
nt of any
problem.
 Mutual respect.
Seafarers,
leaders.
Monthly better performance,
hard work
Company
culture
To enhance
company
culture.
 Better working
environment.
Seafarers,
managers
Monthly Seafarer will stay
for long.

8WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Effective
retirement
plan
To provide
financial
benefits and
effective
plans of
retirement
 Financial
benefits.
 Retirement plans.
Seafarers,
HR.
Yearly Better retention
plan.
Employee
recognition
events
To appreciate
seafarers for
good
performance.
 Recognition
event
 Provide award
Seafarers,
leaders
Quarterl
y
Positive culture of
company.
Monitoring the planned activity
Step 1: Employee engagement
Firstly employee engagement is needed that is communication between the seafarers
about their work, future and thus it will encourage them in their field of work (Anitha 2014).
Also interaction of the seafarers with their managers must be arranged monthly in order to
motivate them.
Step 2: Work-life balance
A strategy for balancing the seafarer’s personal life and work life is important. This
includes sick leaves, casual leaves, several free services like laundry, transportation etc.
Step 3: Revitalizing Recruitment process

9WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
Recruitment strategy must be on point, right applicant must be recruited at the initial
stage of the process of recruitment (Nguyen et al. 2014). The capability and knowledge of the
new hired seafarer must be validated so that the situation of retention does not occur later.
Step 4: Compensation, incentives, and salary
Mandatory hike in salary must be present yearly. According to the talents and working
capabilities of the employee, quarterly incentive schemes must be stated. So that, skilled
seafarers have the scope of staying in the company (Caesar and Cahoon 2015). Compensation
against unfavorable situation must be provided.
Step 5: Communication and Leadership
Communication, and mutual respect between the seafarers and their leader must be
present. When the leaders become accessible to the seafarer, acknowledgement of any problem
becomes easy and thus, it results in better performance, hard work and they will stay for long
time in the company.
Step 6: Company culture
The culture and working environment of company is a big deal when it comes to
retention. Providing better company environment to the seafarer will make they stay for long.
Step 7: Effective retirement plan
Effective plans of retirement is one of the top reason where seafarer will stay in the
shipping company for longer time (Chalmers et al. 2014). Financial benefits and effective plans
of retirement will affect the retention plan in positive way.
Step 8: Employee recognition events

10WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
The seafarer must be recognized and appreciated for their good work. An event can be
organized quarterly which will be appreciation specific and those employees can be awarded. In
this way the positive culture of company will be maintained.
Allocation of Work
Resources required according to timescales and activity
Activities Time Resources
Organizing events for
interaction of seafarers and
managers.
Monthly  Budget for organizing
event.
 Informing seafarers
about events.
Leave approve and free
services
Monthly  Budget for free
services.
Right recruitment and hiring
well knowledge seafarers
Yearly  Budget for new
recruitment.
Incentive schemes.
Compensation against
unfavorable situation
Yearly  Budget for hiked
salary, incentives and
compensation.
Acknowledgement of any
problem.
Mutual respect.
Monthly Arrangement of group
discussion for problems.
Better working environment. Monthly  Budget for
infrastructure and
employee

11WORK PLAN & ALLOCATION
engagement.
Financial benefits and
retirement plans
Yearly  Budget for retirement
plans of employees.
Recognition event and
provide award
Quarterly Budget for events and
awards.
Completion of target
The determination of the complete of the retention process can be seen when more
number of employee can be seen in the organized events for employee engagement, award
giving events, recognition events. If more seafarers are seen to opt for leaves and free services
like transportation, laundry then it can be said that retention plans have worked well.
Support for team members
In order to achieve objectives of a team for better performance, the members of team
must be encouraged and engaged in the events that are organized by the shipping company. The
sick leaves and casual leaves must be given to the seafarers at the time of emergency situation
(Bhattacharya 2015). Proper retirement plans for the seafarers must be made that will enhance
their will to stay in the company till their age of retirement. All the possible technical equipment
for the seafarers’ work will be needed stating from well-equipped boats, strong nets, tools etc.
Improvement of performance of the Team
Cause of variance
Irrespective of all the planned activities for the seafarers in the shipping company for the
purpose of retaining them, certain variance may occur in that. The cause that may affect the
activities can be associated with the seafarers only. The seafarers may not like the proposed