Bolstering human capital

With over 86 years of experience in human resources and industrial relations, the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) is now offering tailored consultancy services to help small and medium-size enterprises strengthen their teams and improve performance. The new service helps businesses plan their workforce in smart, forward-looking ways, so they can stay competitive as the job market changes.

As every company has its own way of working and unique employee needs, SAJ’s HR consultants tailor their support to fit each business. Their goal is to connect people strategies with business goals, boosting employee motivation and building a strong, positive workplace culture.

This approach, explained SAJ General Manager Terrence Brooks, results in stronger, more competitive organisations that attract and retain top talent capable of outperforming the competition.

The SAJ Consultancy Group offers end-to-end HR solutions, ranging from onboarding to offboarding. These include recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, training and development, employee and industrial relations, policy development and implementation, as well as organisational development and change management.

“We don’t believe our role is solely about advising clients. Instead, we partner with them to deliver HR solutions that are practical, compliant, and aligned with their long-term business goals,” Brooks said.

“One of the most difficult aspects of any company is its human resources. People are the lifeblood of any organisation. Hiring the right individuals and cultivating the right environment and culture is essential to success, and that’s exactly what we’re helping our clients achieve,” he continued.

The SAJ Consultancy Group also offers a range of complementary services to ensure clients’ businesses operate as fully integrated ecosystems. These include accounts and payroll, security and canine services, and communications, each contributing to a stronger bottom line and greater return on investment.

Building on this comprehensive approach, the SAJ’s HR services are designed to be intelligent, responsive, and results-driven. “Much like some of our other offerings, our HR services go beyond a physical presence. They’re designed to be intelligent and to deliver measurable value. This is increasingly important in a world of evolving HR needs,” Brooks said, noting that employee retention is critical to long-term success.

VITAL ROLE

He emphasised that these services are not only focused on strengthening clients’ operations and ensuring their competitiveness and longevity, but also reflect the SAJ’s ongoing commitment to national development.

“These services are not only about developing our clients’ businesses to ensure their competitiveness and longevity; they also reflect the SAJ’s ongoing commitment to national development through tailored solutions that meet both professional standards and regulatory requirements, locally and internationally,” Brooks affirmed.

The SAJ’s HR consultancy forms part of the organisation’s broader strategy to deepen engagement with export stakeholders and promote compliance, resilience, and sustainable growth in Jamaica’s logistics and shipping sector.

In July, the SAJ hosted an industrial relations training seminar under the theme ‘Mastering the legal and financial landscape of industrial relations practice’. The session equipped employers, HR professionals, trade union representatives, and other stakeholders with practical tools and insights for managing workplace dynamics effectively and responsibly.

Founded in 1939 and registered under the Trade Union Act of Jamaica, the SAJ emerged in response to the labour unrest of the 1930s. Originally organised by a small group of businessmen as a labour-hire organisation, the association now represents over 80 companies in the shipping industry.

With more than eight decades of experience in managing a skilled workforce spanning over 3,000 employees, the SAJ has developed deep expertise in workforce planning, administration, and industrial relations. Although the association has since transitioned out of direct labour hire, it continues to play a vital role in supporting Jamaica’s maritime sector by leveraging that legacy. Its institutional knowledge and operational capacity position the SAJ to support businesses in building and managing productive teams, while also maintaining strong industry representation through participation on key government and sectoral committees.