Utilities Need to Explore New Approaches in Attracting Next Generation of Workers

Attracting new professionals while retaining and developing current staff is a key element of any successful workforce management strategy; however, utilities are dealing with a unique situation in that a majority of their workforce is rapidly approaching retirement.

Eighty-three percent of utility respondents to the 2017 Strategic Directions: Smart City/Smart Utility Report survey identified workforce management as a major challenge for their operations over the next 10 years. As the number of energy jobs continues to grow, utilities would be wise to address the workforce issue today in order to mitigate the widespread impact and fallout. But how should the industry approach staffing these utilities jobs? And how do they attract and retain new staff?

Download the 2017 Smart City/Smart Utility Report

Only 32 percent of respondents plan to make job description changes to help address this issue, which is a cost-effective way to start managing this challenge. Compounding the issue is that utilities today are competing with other businesses to attract and retain a talented workforce, and they are dealing with issues unique to the newest generation of job seekers.

For example, rather simply execute an assignment, today’s job seeker tends to desire a career that affords greater meaning in their work. While energy jobs and utilities jobs can offer a compelling picture of how they benefit not only the utility, but the community at large, utilities will have to make a concentrated effort to communicate the benefit to job seekers.