INSIGHT: The Importance of Respect in the Bunker Industry

Vernon Jayanathan is director of Maritime Recruitment Company Ltd. Image Credit: Vernon Jayanathan

I come across many candidates many people in this industry who talk about how they have been treated with a lack of civility by colleagues, both junior and senior.

This has come in numerous forms such as having been shouted or sworn at, ignored, or just generally disrespected by others who think nothing about the effect that the way they behave has not only on the targets' sense of self along with their mental health, but on their department or organisation as a whole.

Respect and courtesy is vital in creating a positive work environment, which in turn leads to increased employee retention as well as the bottom line.

A respectful workplace is a culture of trust, safety, and mutual understanding, and when this happens people are more likely to put their best foot forward, share ideas, and show loyalty.

At the centre of this is the concept of appreciating the inherent worth of every individual, regardless of their position. A novel concept for some.

This means listening to different opinions and viewpoints, acknowledging contributions no matter what that may be, and treating people with dignity. This is not hard. Listening to different viewpoints, basic manners.

In practical terms, recognising a person's contribution can be as easy as a boss or colleague congratulating a new employee on their first deal.

Treating people with dignity? This could be as easy as just communicating with people with civility and recognising their humanity.

These simple concepts are vital when trying to create a sense of belonging, and this is crucial for all successful firms. 

If people feel they belong, then they remain engaged with the organisation, and firms with high levels of employee engagement have always seen increased level of profitability along with client retention. Yes, I said client.

Engaged staff, who feel they belong and are treated with dignity stay. If those staff are in customer-facing positions like traders and brokers, this is even more important. 

Why? Traders and brokers who do not feel respect will leave, and their clients follow them out the door.

The concept of respect is not new, and gets taught to most of us by our parents as well as in our earliest years at school, but sometimes this get lost as people move into adulthood. 

It is important to understand that respect and consideration promotes collaboration and innovation as people in such environments tend to share more ideas, provide feedback both positive and otherwise, and work together to solve problems.

I would say that firms where this happens have a competitive advantage over firms where such behaviours are not the case.

Alternatively, a lack of basic respect which can often manifest itself in the form of inappropriate language/labelling,  dismissive attitudes, social exclusion, the inability to apologise when mistakes have been made, or favouritism, can, if unchecked, create resentment, and increase conflict, ultimately damaging performance.

I already touched upon how respect is crucial for attracting and retaining talent. People prioritise firms where they feel valued and supported.

Those firms often experience lower staff turnover, and also save significant costs on recruitment from people like me. Firms with respectful cultures often report significantly lower voluntary turnover of staff than firms that don't.

Leadership often sets the tone of how people behave in a firm. If management is transparent and empathetic, these behaviours and traits trickle down and get adopted by others. This in turn builds trust and loyalty, which is crucial especially now with the market the way it is.

People talk, and this is especially the case in this goldfish bowl that is the bunker industry.

If a respectful culture is nurtured and maintained, word gets around, and this makes a firm more attractive to others in the industry who want to work there. Such firms are also often seen as a more attractive proposition to do business with by clients.

Who wants to work with a firm where the staff are disengaged and miserable? 

Making the traditional concepts of respect and courtesy part of a firm's DNA or 'brand' is not only the right thing to do, but also offers a competitive advantage.

And to all those who feel that they are not getting the respect they are due, contact me. I have a host of vacancies for both junior and senior traders worldwide.

Respect, courtesy and confidentiality is assured.

Vernon

Vernon@maritimerecrutimentcompany.com