Listen: Paul Rose, director of HR and talent at Global Marine Group, talks to Employee Benefits about how the organisation adapted its reward strategy to place a high focus on employee wellbeing, especially during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
Rose explains that the offshore engineering orgnisation has always recognised the importance of strong and consistent communication with staff, especially with a workforce that includes very remote working, but the pandemic has highlighted this need further.
At a glance
Global Marine Group provides subsea fibre optic cable installation and maintenance solutions to the telecommunications and oil and gas sectors, as well as providing a range of services to offshore renewables from crew transfer vessels (CTV): transferring personnel to windfarms, power cable installation and maintenance, and other topside and subsea services.
Its newest business unit manages subsea cable data, survey, route engineering, permitting and consultancy services for telecom and power cable installation projects.
It has 350 onshore employees and more than 450 offshore in locations and vessels across the world. Offshore roles include ships’ officers and crew and technical staff, like cable and jointing engineers and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) personnel, onshore project managers and engineers, bid teams and vessel operations personnel.
The organisation is more male dominated than many industries because of the large numbers of seafarers and ex-seafarers working ashore which is usual for this type of industry, but Global Marine Group, like many employers in its sector, is working hard to change that balance.
Global Marine Group has a traditionally low turnover, so long service is fairly common particularly in offshore personnel, who tend to follow their careers with one employer for life. Many of its captains are former cadets who joined aged 18.
Primary business objectives that impact employee benefits
- Keeping its people safe and well, a major challenge when running ships.
- Maintaining productivity and engagement as we moved to remote/hybrid working.
- Attracting and retaining talent.
Career history 
Paul Rose, director of HR and talent, joined Global Marine Group in 2012. He previously held a range of senior HR and learning roles in telecoms, manufacturing, financial services, defence and IT sectors, including Cable and Wireless, Raytheon, and Brewin Dolphin. “Throughout my career I have switched from head of learning to HR lead roles,” he says. “My achievements are not really a single one, but to be a continuous learner, adapt and move across many business sectors, and add value and learn wherever I go. I knew nothing about ships, or marine staffing when I joined Global Marine, but that thirst for learning and adaptability was what gave me the impetus to make a difference here.”
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