It is important that ship managers consider where they are on the wellbeing journey before implementing a wellbeing plan or engaging crews with any of the wellbeing programmes. 

Below is a step by step guide that can be used to help assess the current reality in your company.  A situational analysis like this can help leaders recognise what is already being done to promote wellbeing, protect good health and ensure access to professional support for both ship and shore-based teams. 

Once completed, leaders will be able to identify where more action is needed and set priorities to make improvements.

There are no right or wrong answers because every company is different but below are some example questions you can use to help undertake a review.  These are also available to download as a checklist from the bottom of this page.

Step 1: Leadership

• How do your leaders demonstrate their commitment to wellbeing?
  • How do your people see this commitment?
    i.e. where is it written e.g. in frameworks, policies, process, campaigns, newsletters, meetings, toolbox talks
  • What are some examples of the leadership messages?
    i.e. how do they communicate their commitment
  • To what extent are your leaders and policy makers educated in the importance of wellbeing?
• How is the commitment to wellbeing felt across all levels of the organisation?
  • How do you raise awareness and educate your people with respect to wellbeing?

Step 2: Motivating Factors

• What is driving your organisation to improve wellbeing?
• What might prevent you from achieving your wellbeing objectives?
  • How open are your employees to engage about wellbeing?

Step 3: Foundations

• What policies and frameworks are in place that positively support wellbeing?
  • What support structures have been established?
    e.g. champion networks, professional help, resources for self-help and education
  • How are appropriate behaviours encouraged, that support wellbeing?
• How are these policies and frameworks experienced within your organisation?
  • What mechanisms are in place to get feedback, drive improvement and share successes?
  • What KPI's or measurement has been put in place to guage success?

Step 4: Priorities

• What key focus areas are you trying to address? 
  e.g. establishing physical and mental health policies and procedures, reducing stigma, building resilience, raising awareness, onboard inclusion and socialisation, fatigue, leadership skills to support wellbeing...?
  • What topics have you covered so far and how well did people engage [is it compulsory or voluntary]?
• What tools and resources do you have in place?
  • How do you promote wellbeing, protect good health and do people know how to access professional support if it is needed?
  • How has your wellbeing programme been rolled out to staff onboard and staff in the office?
  • What tools and resources worked well and why?

Once the situational analysis is completed, ship managers have the knowledge to consider the *wellbeing implementation plan*