Overregulated
Whether the glass is half full or half empty is, as they say, in the eye of the beholder – and this is no different for municipal utilities, energy suppliers, and network operators. Everywhere you look, you sense the unwavering motivation to move things forward, try new things, and develop as a company – even though the tasks are becoming more extensive and complex, and resources are becoming scarcer. There’s a lack of funding for upcoming major projects like the energy transition or digitalization, and finding enough qualified personnel is difficult, even in the utilities sector – a situation that demands a high level of commitment and creativity. There’s no shortage of either, but the legislature in this country has placed a constantly growing mountain of bureaucratic obligations in the way of implementing good ideas. The frustration with this is palpable everywhere – including among customers – and the resulting drag on progress is noticeable in many areas. It’s truly astonishing how much is still possible.
If the goal is to accelerate and make affordable the energy, transport, and heating transitions, and to future-proof the utilities sector in the long term, this would offer a good lever.
THREE QUESTIONS FOR…
Esther Scharf, Consultant HAGER Executive Consulting
Ms. Scharf, you advise and support municipal utilities and energy suppliers specifically in recruiting staff. Where are the biggest bottlenecks currently?
On the one hand, companies are looking for specialists and managers for the numerous positions that will become vacant in the foreseeable future due to the retirement of long-serving employees. This applies to technical fields as well as the commercial sector. On the other hand, additional personnel needs are arising in areas such as IT – simply because the tasks here are becoming more extensive and complex.
The positions mentioned are probably not easy to fill.
Well, a simple job ad in the daily newspaper definitely won’t cut it anymore. What’s more, especially in smaller and medium-sized utility companies, HR departments are generally not equipped for more complex recruitment tasks. That’s why these companies come to us. The good news is that the employees they’re looking for can indeed be found. For example, there are many highly qualified international specialists, as well as career changers, who absolutely have the potential and high motivation to fill the position in question. In my experience, anyone who gives these people a foothold can only benefit. It’s also worthwhile to rethink work models: If an employer doesn’t insist that employees come into the office every day, they can search and recruit within a significantly wider radius. Flexible working hours or part-time options can unlock further interesting potential.
With a little flexibility and openness, the skills shortage can be successfully addressed. What other advice do you have?
Today, we’re no longer dealing with an employer’s market, but rather an employee’s market. This means companies would be well advised to make themselves attractive to skilled workers. Municipal utilities and energy providers may not pay the highest salaries, but they offer meaningful work for the public good and for climate protection. This is very important to many young people, and companies should emphasize this. In my experience, transparent, streamlined, and above all, swift processes are crucial in the actual application procedures. To put it bluntly: applicants who don’t receive a response after four weeks are probably no longer interested.
More about Esther Scharf.
An article published in 50,2 Online.
