One of the first things all aspiring commercial divers hear, be it in school, from recruiters, other divers and at their place of employment, is that 80% of divers don’t make it past the first 1-5 years. This may be partly the individual's shortcomings that leads to quitting the industry, but it is also a reflection of a bigger issue. In order to begin to solve a problem, the problem needs to be defined. We asked you, and you answered. Here is what you said.

1. 80% ATTRITION RATE IN THE
COMMERCIAL DIVING INDUSTRY: FACT
OR FICTION?
By Kyra Richter

2. WE HAVE ALL HEARD THAT 80% OF DIVERS QUIT THE INDUSTRY
(INSERT AMOUNT FROM 1-5) YEARS AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL. SOME
SAY IT'S BECAUSE SELECTION OF THE WORKFORCE FROM THE START
IS TOO LENIENT.

3. …OR BECAUSE TRAINING IS DEFICIENT; OR BECAUSE THE NATURE OF
THE JOB IS SUCH THAT MOST CAN'T HACK IT SOONER OR LATER.
REGARDLESS OF ALL THAT, MANAGEMENT PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN
PROPERLY MOTIVATING AND PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO KEEP STRONG
PERFORMERS.

4. IN ANY CASE, AN 80%
ATTRITION RATE, IF TRUE,
IS TELLING US THERE IS A
BIG PROBLEM.
-80%

5. LET’S FIND OUT YOU WHAT YOU THINK
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Yes No
Q1, ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING IN
THE DIVING INDUSTRY?

6. 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
1-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20+
%Respondents
Years
Q2, IF YES, CURRENT EXPERIENCE
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
1-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20+
%Respondents
Years
Q3, IF NO, DURATION OF PAST
EMPLOYMENT

7. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW SATISFIED YOU ARE WITH YOUR
CURRENT JOB….
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
The overall safety culture in your company
Your ability to apply your skills at work.
Satisfaction with pay/compensation
Satisfaction with Benefits or fringe benefits
The terms and conditions: such as hours, work
breaks, leave.
Your satisfaction with your coworkers
Your supervisors and management
Your overall satisfaction with the company
Your overall satisfaction with your career choice
Your overall satisfaction with your future in this
field.
NUMBER RESPONDENTS SELECTED
Q4, CURRENT JOB SATISFACTION
Poor
Can use some improvements
Good
Excellent

8. THE GOOD NEWS: THE MAJORITY ARE
SATISFIED WITH THEIR CURRENT WORK.
• Overall, the respondents rated the
categories given as good .
• The categories of pay and benefits
were the only two consistently rated
as needing improvement or being
poor.
Though, overall, the respondents rated their job satisfaction as “good”, 33% demonstrated
some misgivings about their career future by saying it could use improvements.
This can’t necessarily be attributed to the industry when taken on its own. Most people have
some level of fear about their future given the times.

9. NOW WE CAN ESTABLISH WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED ON
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
The overall safety culture
Better pay/compensation?
Better benefits such as life and health
insurance, and retirement
Improve the terms and conditions: such as
hours, work breaks, vacations and rotations.
Promotions and incentives such as continuing
training, and job enrichment to motivate
employees
Better trained supervisors and management
More protection for employees - job stability
NUMBER SELECTED
Q5 WHAT IS MISSING IN CURRENT EMPLOYMENT?
it's OK.
I believe It's the reason for the attrition
rate.
It's deficient and needs improvement.
It's definitely missing.

10. WHAT IS MISSING?
• Pay, benefits such as health and life insurance, promotions and incentives, and job
stability were rated as either “definitely missing” or “deficient and needs improvement”.
• 49% of respondents said the overall safety culture was deficient, 10% answered it was
definitely missing and only 33% said it was “OK”.
• 47% of respondents said pay is deficient and needs improvement. 41% answered that
job stability is definitely missing and 22% said they believed this lack of stability and the
pay are the reasons for the attrition rate.

11. WE’VE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. TO FIX IT WE NEED TO DEFINE IT AND
EXPLORE SOLUTIONS BASED ON OUR GATHERED INFORMATION

12. SO WE ASKED YOU QUESTIONS NOT ONLY TO HELP
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BUT WHAT
WE NEED TO DO TO SOLVE IT.
This is when psychologist began to study the relationship between what we need and what motivates us. All the
questions in this survey were based on the motivation theories of these psychologists. Often what motivates us as
individuals is similar within a culture or group.
See for yourself.
In the old days, it was thought that we are motivated to work simply because
we have to, so bosses “motivated” employees mostly through punishment.
We have since learned that in order for both the business to be successful
and the individual to be productive, it has to be more of a win-win
arrangement.

13. MASLOW’S NEED THEORY
This theory is more simple than the others.
We are motivated by our drive to fulfill unsatisfied needs. Starting with the most basic
to the more complex. Once one need has been taken care of, we progress to the next
need.
1. The first are the most basic biological and physiological needs, like food , shelter,
sleep-
2. Safety needs are protection from the elements, security, order, stability, freedom
from fear –
3. Love and belonging and friendship- from personal to at work.
4. Esteem- Achievement , mastery of a skill, independence, self-respect and
respect from others-
5. Self-Actualization- realizing your full potential, self- fulfillment, personal growth
and peak experiences-

14. YES, I PUT IN A TRICK QUESTION THERE: $ MONEY. AS MUCH AS YOU STATED DIVERS
NEED TO BE PAID BETTER, YOU PROVED THAT IT IS NOT THE BE-ALL END-ALL.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
If I do not fit in I look for work elsewhere
It's all about safety. If work conditions are not safe then I
leave.
None of these matter as long as I'm making money
It is important to me to have a good reputation, respect,
and be recognized for my hard work
I aim to be the best at what I do
NUMBER OF RESPINDENTS WHO SELECTED
Q8, MASLOW'S NEED HIERARCHY
5
4
3
2
1
Question #8 asked you what was most important to you at work. Each statement
relates to one of Maslow’s needs. 1 is most important, 5 is least.

15. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Maslow's Hierarchy
%SelectedasmostImportanttowell-beingatwork
Money
Safety
Belonging
Esteem
Self-Actualization
THOUGH THIS MAY SEEM SIMPLE AND LOGICAL, IT TIES IN TO THE OTHER QUESTIONS IN
THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO ANSWERED, RATED THE NEED FOR SELF-
ACTUALIZATION (ACHIEVEMENT) HIGHEST.

16. MCCLELLAND’S HUMAN MOTIVATION THEORY
David McClelland built on the work of Maslow and his needs hierarchy by stating that regardless of age,
gender or culture we all have three motivating drivers and one of these will be our dominant motivator. The
motivator is learned and largely dependent on our culture and life experiences. It can be viewed
individually or for a work group.
MOTIVATOR CHARACTERISTICS
Achievement • Likes to set and accomplish challenging goals
• Takes calculated risk to accomplish goals
• Often likes to work alone
• Likes feedback on progress and achievements
Affiliation • Wants to belong to a group
• Wants to be liked and may go along with what
the group wants to do.
• Doesn’t like high risk or uncertainty
• Favors collaboration over competition.
Power • Wants to influence others (personal power want
to control; institutional power want to lead).
• Likes to win arguments.
• Enjoys competition and winning.
• Enjoys status and recognition.

17. WHAT YOU NEED TO BE CONTENT AT WORK?
YOUR ANSWER:
0 20 40 60 80 100
1
2
3
NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS WHO SELECTED
PriorityRating
Q6, MCCLELLAND'S NEED THEORY
A challenging job and
personal responsibility for
its success
To influence others and
events at work
A social connection with
colleages and superiors

18. YOU ARE ACHIEVERS.
• According to one recent study, blue collar workers find McClelland’s need for affiliation
the most important factor of their work, while white collar workers prefer the need for
achievement.
• YOU are achievement oriented professionals. For achievers, accomplishment and
success on a task is an end in itself and the monetary reward serves as a measure of this
accomplishment. This is an important INSIGHT into why divers feel underpaid.
• We have established you are not generally greedy (from question #8).
• Investigations by McClelland indicated that the need for achievement score increases
with a rise in occupational level. Invariably, businessmen, managers, and entrepreneurs
are high achievement scorers.
• However, at higher levels of management, by contrast, leadership is more strongly
leaning toward the need for power.

19. HERZBERG’S NEEDS THEORY
What motivates and what demotivates us are two separate elements.
Motivators such as challenging work, responsibility and recognition lead to increased
satisfaction and commitment.
Hygiene factors such as pay (salary) and benefits, job security and supervisory
practices do not motivate us, but when they are deficient or missing they demotivate us.
When missing, hygiene factors lead to us quitting or looking for somewhere else to
work. They also create a very inefficient workforce.
For perspective: Herzberg’s theory was developed from data collected from 203 interviews with professionals. At the time of
preparing this report this survey has been answered by 136 divers.

20. HYGIENE MOTIVATOR
Pay, benefits Responsibility
Company policies Recognition
Quality of Supervision Challenging work (the work itself)
Job Security Advancement and promotion
Working Conditions Personal achievement
Co-workers Growth
LOW HYGIENE + LOW MOTIVATION = High turnover, minimum quality work, a revolving door where employees come and
go.
LOW HYGIENE + HIGH MOTIVATION = The job is exciting, but the pay is not commensurate nor are the work conditions.
HIGH HYGIENE + HIGH MOTIVATION = Employees are committed and excited about work and have few complaints.
HIGH HYGIENE + LOW MOTIVATION = Employees have few complaints but “it’s just a means to a good paycheck”.
HERZBERG’S NEEDS THEORY
This is our
industry!

21. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Pay
Possibility to get better at what I do and develop my skills
The work itself is exciting and challenging
Job security
Safe working conditions
Promotion and growth in the company- I want to be a boss one day!
Company policies that work well
To have a network or friends with colleagues
Work/Life balance
Prestige
Appreciation for the work that I do
To have quality supervision
% RESPONDENTS
Q7, HERZBERG'S TWO FACTOR THEORY

22. YOU SELECTED:
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Pay
Possibility to get better at what I do and develop
my skills
The work itself is exciting and challenging
% RESPONDENTS
Q7, TOP 3 MOTIVATORS
Pay
Possibility to get better at what I
do and develop my skills
The work itself is exciting and
challenging

23. STUDIES COMPARING BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS TO WHITE-
COLLAR PROFESSIONALS HAVE SHOWN THAT BLUE-COLLAR
WORKERS ARE MORE MOTIVATED BY HYGIENE FACTORS.
ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS IMPORTANCE OF BEING PROPERLY
COMPENSATED FOR THE NATURE OF THE WORK WE DO, DIVERS
OVERALL FIND MOTIVATORS MORE IMPORTANT.
THIS SHOWS, AGAIN, THAT DIVING IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A
TRADE.

24. SO HOW DO WE IMPROVE?

25. COMPANIES NEED TO REALIZE THAT THE
REVOLVING DOOR IS EXPENSIVE TO THEM.
=

26. IN OUR INDUSTRY, NEW HIRES NEED TRAINING

27. IF YOU THINK TRAINING IS EXPENSIVE, TRY
IGNORANCE.
Many respondents commented that what they want is continuing training and opportunities to expand
their knowledge and experience. It is a better investment to provide continuing training than it is to
constantly train new hires.

28. EMPLOYEE RETENTION
Remember that it isn’t just “the ones who can’t hack it” who leave the industry or job hop. An easy
way to justify lack of action or accountability is to blame others.
Many good, capable divers with potential for accomplishment walk out of a job or away from the
industry.
It can be as simple as providing direction, goals,
giving feedback on achievement .
Companies need to structure a progression plan
and make room to promote those who want that
career path and demonstrate the ability and
potential to succeed in that path (job enrichment
and rotation also help).

29. “The worst thing is the assumption by managers that people should know without them providing
proper training. Then the supervisors or PMs can form opinions about someone without much push
to take responsibility to correct or coach them, which leads to someone sitting at home because a
supervisor said "they talk too much". Good old boy mentality still clinging like a cancer” From a
respondent’s comments.
Retention isn’t only about what you do for your
workers but how well you train your leaders.
Training of managers is severely lacking. Another respondent’s comment.
Valorar al trabajador sobre todas las cosas, no ser solo un numero mas dentro de la compañía a la
cual presto un servicio, esto significa que sienta que lo hago bien, que se reconozcan aquellas
cosas buenas, como también las deficientes, hoy en día se le da mas realce a lo malo que lo
bueno.
(Value the worker above all things, not just as one more number within the company which I give
my services to. This means that I want to feel good and be acknowledged for the good things and
what needs improvement. Now a days more attention is paid to the bad than the good). From a
Respondent’s comments.

30. One respondent made the comment that the problem isn’t so much the industry as it is the
newer generations.
This is a valid comment, except these are times when up to three generations are sharing the
workplace, and the workplace needs to adapt to cross generational needs as well.
Studies show that in 2014 78% of business leaders rated retention and engagement urgent or important.
Some of the reasons for low engagement and turnover, as listed in a Forbes magazine article can directly
apply to the diving industry.
• A lack of investment in development and talent mobility, make it difficult for high performers to
advance.
• A non-inclusive culture that cannot attract and retain today’s more diverse workforce (sometimes as a
result of history, or in this case, once again, the nature and history of this profession).
• Old fashioned work conditions that simply make work difficult (or more difficult than it needs to be).
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2014/04/10/its-time-to-rethink-the-employee-engagement-issue/