David Kneen, director and head of crew employment at Cornerstone Crew Management, joins the Ben Taylor Podcast to discuss why professional crew management is far more than payroll. The conversation explores superyacht crew employment, HR support, contracts, SEAs, travel, visas, insurance, repatriation, crew welfare, and the risks owners face when employment decisions are handled incorrectly. David explains why captains need specialist support, how independent crew management protects owners and crew, and why strong HR processes can improve retention, reduce operational risk, and create a better onboard culture. For yacht owners, captains, managers, and family offices, this episode highlights the commercial cost of getting crew operations wrong.

Key Points:
- Crew management is not just payroll.
- Poor HR decisions create serious owner risk.
- Happy crew improves the owner experience.