The utilities sector is experiencing large-scale transformation as the UK moves towards their Net Zero targets. In order to support this transition and ensure organisations have the right resources in place, the internal recruitment in utilities organisations will need to be analysed and strengthened.

In this guide on how to navigate recruitment in the utilities sector, we will be answering the following questions:

• What is the utilities sector?
• What are the main hiring challenges utility companies are facing?
• What are the top tips for attracting and retaining utility talent?
• Could diverse hiring practices aid recruitment in utilities?
• How can a specialist recruitment agency help organisations with their utilities recruitment?

What is the utilities sector?

The utilities sector is comprised of companies that offer essential services, including the supply of gas, electricity and water from the sites where it is generated and processed, to businesses and homes that use it.

Whilst there is a lot of overlap with the energy sector, typically energy companies focus on sourcing and processing energy, while utility companies distribute energy and water through their networks and infrastructure.

What are the main hiring challenges utility companies are facing?

Over 310,000 professionals are needed to fill skill gaps in the energy and utilities sector by 2030 in order to meet the rapid sector growth and to replace an ageing workforce. Utility companies need to have a close look at their recruitment and workforce retention to ensure that great talent is being attracted, secured and kept happy and satisfied in their roles.

Common challenges in utilities recruitment include:

• Unappealing working conditions, such as demanding work patterns, long distance travel and on-call weekend shifts
• Trouble attracting younger professionals to the workforce and replacing the ageing workforce
• Struggling to attract and retain a diverse workforce which limits pools of talent
• Professionals in the utilities sector moving to other sectors that are more profitable/ provide a better work-life balance
• Grid congestion issues causing delays to projects

Top tips for attracting utility talent

In order to counteract the wide range of hiring challenges in recruitment in the utilities sector and to ensure that organisations have the right resources on projects, utility businesses need to understand how to attract and retain talent in utilities successfully in order to achieve their goals.

3 key ways business can attract and retain talent in the utilities sector:

Reach out to universities and colleges

With low numbers of students and younger professionals displaying interest in working in the utilities sector, an outreach programme directed towards universities and colleges could help to change the tide. Offering apprenticeships, internships and work experience to students can help to create a pipeline of talent going from education straight into the sector.

Promote values

In a study by the City of London Economic Research, 98% of employees stated that they wouldn’t work in a company whose values did not match their own. By advertising their values and company mission, organisations are much more likely to effectively attract great utility talent. Many professionals want to know that their work is contributing to a greater goal and that their company’s values align with their own. If an organisation can effectively promote their values and their employees believe in them, they are much more likely to have a higher employee retainment.

Review onboarding processes

Poor onboarding whether before, during or after the first day of employment can majorly impact the chances of whether a new hire will stay at a company. Some key tips for an effective onboarding process include:

• Consistent communication
• Inclusion in team events and work socials before employment begins
• Clear goals to achieve in and to show progression in their first few months of work
• Securing mentorship and structured guidance from others in the team and more!

Can diverse recruitment practices help?

Absolutely! Recruitment in the utilities sector, at large, struggles with attracting a diverse workforce. The Women Utilities Network found that only 30% of the industry’s workers are women, with particularly low numbers (only 2% of workers) in the heating industry being women.

Additionally, statistics across the energy and utilities sector suggest that on average only 7% of workers are from an ethnic minority background and form an increasing proportion of those who are leaving the industry.

Failing to secure and retain diverse talent will affect the sector’s abilities to gain mass hiring appeal and they will struggle to meet the growth predicted for this sector.

Key diverse hiring practices that can aid recruitment in the utilities sector include:

• Unconscious bias training
• Analysing employee value proposition to ensure it is attractive to a wide range of candidates
• Auditing job descriptions and adverts to ensure they don’t include bias
• Anonymising CVs
• Removing school names, dates
• Utilising skills assessments
• Including a diverse hiring panel in interviews
• Standardising interview questions and scoring

How can a specialist utilities recruitment agency help organisations with their utilities recruitment?

Specialist utilities recruitment agencies can offer lots of value adding services and knowledge that non-specialist teams are unable to match, such as:

• Understanding of the utilities market – specialist recruiters talk to clients and candidates day in and day out. They understand the market rate, the pain points for workers and organisations, and the projects many companies are undertaking currently. Their deep understanding of the market and of specific roles and industries means that they can quickly understand a company’s requirements and find the professionals they need.
• Access to pools of talent – recruitment agencies have access to a wide range of passive and active candidates due to repeatedly hiring and networking in the sector and will often have thousands of passive and active utilities candidates on their system. They also understand how to effectively headhunt for specific roles in order to secure the best candidates for their clients.
• Providing a range of recruitment solutions – whether the client needs contract/ temporary or permanent recruitment on a contingency or retained search basis, specialist utilities recruitment agencies have lots of tailored solutions that will suit any utilities business requirement. They can also provide interim professionals to ensure that vital work is not being delayed while the recruitment process continues.

If you require assistance with recruitment in your utilities organisation, Consult Energy is a utilities specialist recruitment agency who can help you secure the talent you need to reach your goals. Click here to get in touch with our team.