Employees
ForSea should be a great place to work which attracts the very best employees. It is also our aim that the company provides a workplace where our employees are happy, feel secure and are given the opportunity to grow and develop professionally.
As our operations are very seasonal, the number of employees needed can vary greatly between high season and low season – and this results in our having a naturally high turnover of staff. Despite this, we always focus on creating the best working environment and the right conditions for cooperation, job satisfaction and good governance, regardless of where the employee works.
ForSea intends to be an equal company, free of discrimination, harassment or wrongdoing and a place where all employees feel a sense of community and implication and all show respect for one another. Similarly, equality between men and women is key for all employees and requires constant improvement across all levels of the company.
Working environment – zero injuries
The promotion of health and safety at work will also ensure that all employees enjoy a supportive as well as a physically and socially healthy place of work where emphasis is placed on the prevention of work-related injuries and ill health. This is based on four objectives:
- The number of accidents in the workplace should be zero.
- Sick days as the result of accidents in the workplace should be zero.
- The number of sick days should drop year-on-year and sickness levels should be reduced to 4%.
- Staff appraisals should be held on a yearly basis.
In order to achieve these objectives, we carry out continuous monitoring of statistics on accidents and incidents in the workplace, recovery from sickness and preventive measures. Examples of these preventive measures are subsidies for active healthcare and chiropractic treatments. The company’s own efforts are also assessed in order to ensure that ForSea works in tandem with employee recovery and that everyone receives the same treatment regardless of their position in the company.
Regular monitoring
“Puls” is the yearly employee survey in which we ask our team’s opinion on such things as physical work environment, cooperation within the department, trust in company management and direct supervisor appraisal. The results are then used as the basis for plans of actions which will support development efforts in each department and are also followed up on in individual employee meetings. In 2018, 83% of our employees participated in Puls – a good figure. The overall score achieved was 4.14 in a 5-point scale. They show that our employees have taken on board ForSea’s values and that many of them feel that their workgroup strives actively towards achieving the company’s goals. Our improvement wish list focuses on the physical work environment and more regular feedback regarding our efforts. Over the year, 67% of our employees took part in an employee meeting.
Business ethics – clear procedures and guidelines
We have clear procedures and checks designed to minimise the risk of fraud or bribery, both internally and in contact with clients, suppliers and other business partners. Our ethical guidelines cover such areas as the giving and accepting of gifts and provide an ethical framework on how to behave when acting on behalf of ForSea. Additionally, there are guidelines covering which employees can place and approve different types of orders, and the thresholds at which approval is required.
Alcohol and drug policy
ForSea has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to being under the influence of alcohol or drugs during working hours. All employees must be familiar with and comply with the policy which both ensures that the workplaces free of alcohol and drugs and also minimises the risks of ill health and accidents. It also contains the possibility of preventive measures such as random spot checks. Alcohol and drug testing may also be carried out after an incident or accident. The policy also provides the opportunity to offer support and help to employees with problems related to alcohol or drug usage.
Human rights and diversity
ForSea is a multicultural company which strives to promote equal rights and opportunities in employment regardless of sex, ethnicity, religion or other belief. The reason for this is that we believe companies which show diversity have greater opportunities for doing good business and growing.
Developments in 2018
Ethics
No non-compliances with our ethical guidelines were reported during the year.
Skills development
A total of 1,084 training days were held (equivalent to 1.7 training days per employee). They mainly cover the areas of safety, governance and the format of staff appraisals. The year also saw the start of work towards the creation of a ForSea Academy. This internal academy will become the hub of ForSea’s skills development and will be based on training modules for all key groups in the company.
Employees
ForSea had 613 full-time positions at the end of 2018 and employed a total of around 750 employees. Around 75% of the jobs were physically located on board one of our four ferries. The Group’s management team was 28.5% female. 25 (25) female members sat on the company’s board of directors. Short-term absenteeism figures in the company were 3.2%, and the long-term figures were 1.3%.