The Salary Trap: Why Higher Pay Will Not Fix Your Staff Turnover
When a good employee quits, most companies do the same thing: They offer more money.
It seems like the right answer. If it is hard to find good people (as we wrote in our last article), surely you should pay them more to stay?
But as we look toward 2026, the facts show something else. Offering more money is a short-term fix. It does not solve the real problem.
At Tetrus Recruiting, we see a change in what maritime professionals want. Good pay is important, but it is rarely the main reason people stay—or the reason they leave.
The Real Reasons People Leave
When we talk to candidates who want to change jobs, three things are more important than salary:
1. Old Technology Modern professionals want to work with modern tools. If your company still uses old software, manual spreadsheets, and slow systems, it is frustrating for your staff. Good employees want to be efficient. If they see your technology is old, they worry their skills will become old too.
2. No Future Growth Ambitious people do not just want a job; they want a future. In many maritime companies, the path to manager or director is not clear. If a good employee cannot see where they will be in three years, they will look for another company that can show them.
3. A Bad Fit A resume match is not always a good "person" match. A manager who likes to take risks will be unhappy in a company that is very slow and careful. Money might keep them for six months, but they will eventually leave because they are not happy at work.
Retention Starts Before You Hire
This is why Tetrus Recruiting focuses on Personality and Behavior Testing before we send you a candidate.
We do not just check if a candidate can do the job. We check if they will be happy in your specific company.
Does this person like to work alone, or in a team?
Do they like fast changes, or do they prefer stability?
If you match these things from Day 1, your staff will stay longer. If you ignore them, a higher salary will not stop them from leaving.
The Verdict
If you are losing good staff, do not just look at the salary. Look at your process.
Are you hiring for the long term? Or are you just filling an empty seat?
Building a strong team for 2026 starts with the right data.