Royal Australian Navy hopes a new ‘package’ consisting of two financial components, among others, will help it keep and maintain a stable submarine force.
The Submarine Deliberately Differentiated Package was announced January 29, and Assistant Director of Navy Workforce Management (Warfare), Commander Guy Blackburn , said the package was a new approach to delivering Navy’s workforce requirements.
“It addresses the financial considerations as well as the wider professional, career and social issues that submariners indicated are affecting their intention to serve in the submarine capability and wider Navy,” he said.
To meet submarine work-force growth targets and remedy work-force sustainability issues, an immediate and enduring measure was required to attract and retain personnel into the submarine arm.
Commander Blackburn further said: “Other parts of the Navy work-force are also under pressure, and we’re trying to grow them, too. However, the submarine work-force has been consistently fragile and under-strength over the past two decades.”
The package comprises seven components (two financial and five non financial) for eligible submarine personnel who contribute to the submarine capability and is the first of its type to be used in the Australian Defence Force.
Australian Canberra Times reported that the sums sailors would be paid would range from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on experience. The payments would, however, replace the existing retention payments.
RAN hopes this program will provide a model for how Navy approached work-force challenges in other areas by carefully researching what motivates people and then enhancing those things that can help people make the decision to stay.