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Insights into Listening, Learning & Knowledge Sharing

OCS HR System User Forum 2024

Siren Berge

As we reflect on Mintra’s 38th annual OCS HR System User Forum, this year’s event in Bergen was our biggest and most productive to date. With over 150 attendees from across the maritime and energy sectors, the forum demonstrated the commitment from our OCS System Users and highlighted the importance of actively listening to and learning from their knowledge and experience. This collaboration is not just a strategy – it’s what keeps Mintra evolving, ensuring we remain relevant and innovative in a rapidly changing environment.

What We’ve Learned

One of the key takeaways from this year’s forum is the undeniable value of customer feedback. For us, listening is not a passive act; it is a cornerstone of how we operate and grow. During the event, we conducted an online feedback survey on our OCS product suite. Over 75% of attendees rated OCS as highly useful for their operations. But beyond the numbers, it’s the detailed feedback from our users that guides our roadmap. The practical insights we’ve gathered from conversations and workshops have shaped our understanding of how OCS is currently functioning in real-world applications and where it needs to go next.

For example, sessions like "Your HR System for Today & Tomorrow" presented by Mintra’s Innovation Director, Valentino’s Steliou and Product Director, Morten Broch, showed how Mintra is empowering organisations to manage, deploy, and engage their personnel more effectively. Our customers have told us they need flexibility and forward-thinking solutions to keep their operations running smoothly, and we’ve responded by developing features that not only meet today’s challenges but anticipate tomorrow’s.

Mintra’s Innovation Director, Valentino’s Steliou and Product Director, Morten Broch

Where We’ve Got To

The development of OCS has been a journey – and we’ve reached some significant milestones. One of the standout sessions by Morten Broch and Katrine Ringdal, Product Manager OCS, "New Functionality in OCS Web," highlighted the strides we’ve made with our Self-Service module, which decentralises and simplifies daily HR operations. This feature was developed in direct response to customer feedback, where we learned how crucial it was to give HR teams more control and agility.

Through continuous dialogue with our users, we’ve integrated new modules, enhanced existing functionality, and improved the overall user experience. But it’s not just about adding features; it’s about ensuring that these developments truly make a difference in how our customers manage their workforce. For example, innovations in crew management, payroll, and strategic reporting address both operational needs and compliance requirements, something our customers stressed was crucial in their sectors.

At Mintra, we believe that the solutions we create are only as good as the relationships we build with our customers. "

Siren Berge, Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
Siren Berge 500 500

How It Works for Us – and Our Customers

The forum also reinforced the importance of knowledge sharing – a theme that resonated throughout the day. Mintra thrives on this exchange. Our customers’ insights don’t just inform product development; they challenge us to think differently and push boundaries.

Sessions like "Payroll Matters," led by Senior Consultant Tom Ormberg, provided valuable tips on navigating new governmental payroll regulations, maximising system efficiency, and leveraging new functionalities. “It’s Getting Personal”, led by Senior Consultant Nils Trygve Tonning, highlighted the importance of compliance with GDPR. Keeping data safe and deleting it at appropriate intervals is a process made simple by automating the compliance process with OCS, all free as part of the system. These are practical, hands-on insights that benefit both the individual users and the wider industry.

At Mintra, we believe that the solutions we create are only as good as the relationships we build with our customers. This is why events like the OCS HR System User Forum are so critical. They’re not just about presenting new features; they’re about sitting down with our customers, learning from their experiences, and working together to refine and improve our systems. This ongoing dialogue ensures that we’re not just keeping pace with industry changes – we’re helping to shape them.

Senior Consultant Nils Trygve Tonning

Looking Forward

As we prepare for next year’s forum on September 10th, 2025, it’s exciting to think about where we can go from here. The maritime and energy sectors are evolving rapidly, and so are the needs of HR departments. The feedback and insights we’ve gathered from this year’s event will continue to influence how we develop OCS, ensuring that it remains the essential tool that our customers rely on.

The biggest takeaway from this year’s forum? That learning never stops – for us or our customers. We grow together, and that’s what makes OCS, and Mintra, stronger year after year. We look forward to continuing this journey with our customers, driving innovation and building solutions that empower organisations for the future.

If you attended the forum and haven’t had the chance yet, please take five minutes to complete our survey shared in the email correspondence. Your feedback is invaluable and will help us shape the future of OCS. If you’d like to discuss OCS for your business learn more here and if you already have OCS and would like to attend next year’s event register your interest here.

Mintra, we’re here to listen, learn, and deliver. "

Siren Berge, Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
Siren Berge 500 500
Siren Berge
Siren Berge
Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
Bergen (Headquarters)