Step 2 of 5•1 minute read
Factors affecting Human Relations Onboard
Various factors may affect human relations onboard. The main ones include:
The Work Environment
The work environment onboard is one of the main factors affecting human relations. This is due to the simple fact that a good work environment results in happy crew members onboard. Crew members who are satisfied tend to have better attitudes, providing a less stressful environment. The productivity of crew members will also increase, together with the respect and support for their fellow seafarers.
When the work environment is poor, seafarers tend to feel stressed, which might lead to sadness resulting in confrontations, fights and unease among the crew.
Individuals
Every individual is susceptible to emotions and attitudes.
When an individual onboard has problems at home or other problems on board, this might affect the attitude towards others. Unfortunately, sometimes factors such as race, culture or beliefs might cause trouble due to 'closed-minded' individuals. Therefore, seafarers must understand that every race, culture or belief onboard should be respected, and all persons should be treated with dignity.
Leader
The leader, meaning the Master or any other person on board who is in charge of a group of people, can also significantly affect human relations onboard. Good leadership is of utmost importance to ensure that the crew members feel respected and appreciated by their superiors.
Happy crew members tend to have better attitudes which in return provide a less stressful environment.
Additionally, any leader should remember that you are the main example that the crew will look at when it comes to treating everyone around them. A leader who does not lead in a way that promotes respect, appreciation and support will instil this type of attitude among the crew members themselves, which will result in a disaster in human relations onboard.