Anna Hong, Deputy General Manager for Shun Tak China Travel, the organisation that run TurboJet ferries back and forth between Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Airport, Macau and Shenzhen, spoke to HR about their corporate culture and how Shun Tak China Travel manages their talent.
Finding the right stuff
When asked what key attributes STCT look for in their staff, Hong candidly says right attitude and commitment. Hong says that STCT invests a lot of time and money in training and nurturing their staff from raw cadets to “masters”, and therefore expects a reciprocal commitment.
Although everyone is different, there is a certain level of acceptance or tolerance for what the right attitude is. Hong defines the 'right attitude' as a positive attitude. When equipped with a positive attitude, one does not get discouraged or give up easily. A positive attitude carries over into a positive customer service experience for the customer, who are then more likely to repeat business. A negative attitude, on the other hand, might just create the opposite effect.
Dealing with staff shortages
The single greatest challenge facing STCT is shortage of staff. In order for the company to continue to grow, they need the right people and enough of them. STCT is now trying to reach out to the younger generation through secondary schools and other educational institutions to raise awareness and give children choices they may not otherwise consider. STCT has also implemented a graduate programme for technical institute alumni, which aims to develop a career path for students through a cadetship or engineering programme. Communication is key. According to Hong, it is vital that staff are fully informed as to the goals and direction of the company. The impact of the news of the Hong Kong—Macau bridge initially left staff at TurboJet with a pessimistic taste in their mouth, uncertain of their job security. It was through the implementation of team-building workshops that staff were made aware of the negligible impact the bridge would have on TurboJet business.
With the record trips from Hong Kong to Macau in one day set at three hundred, departing every five minutes, STCT staff need not be worried as the organisation is looking very strong for the future. Considering all the behind-the-scenes work involved, including vessel maintenance, this was an amazing feat, which STCT will be looking to repeat in the future.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
