Motivational profile: An Australian perspective of the reasons for increased turnover among ship officers

The shortage of ship officers is an important issue for shipping industry employers due to the growing complexities connected to the career progression of seafarers and the increased turnover among ship officers. This paper explores the motivational profiles of ship officers in the blue water sector of the Australian shipping industry by examining the factors that affect their decisions to continue working onboard ships. This study used a web-based survey that was sent to 305 ship officers through key gatekeepers within the Australian shipping industry. 198 responses were received equalling a 65 percent response rate. The key motivators for Australian ship officers are categorised as personal and organisational. The personal factors, which relates to the job characteristics, had much more influence on respondents compared to organisational factors such as the provision of training. The main demotivating factors identified were: limited communication with family and lack of opportunities for career progression. This study contributes to a reflective understanding of how Australian seafarers perceive their career and also gives an indication of working conditions that may need to be improved to increase retention rates among ship officers.