To begin with, the oil and gas sector, like most other sectors, faces challenges with employee retention. Training in the oil and gas sector may be costly, and professionals need years of professional experience. If these experienced individuals depart their companies for any reason, it proves to be hard to replace them.
Although retirement plans are unavoidable, some changes may be avoided by determining why exceptional people depart for other employment. Resignations may be explained in some circumstances by generational differences; in others, by the limitations of climbing the work hierarchy progress or work environment.
General Overview
Oil corporations are financing future initiatives, but expansion is being stifled by a “diminishing pool of young and qualified expertise” as well as an aging workforce. These two factors have produced an ideal combination in the business, with corporations having the funds to invest in unconventional oil and gas activities but being unable to find skilled personnel to manage these projects.
Data suggests that COVID-19 is changing employee values in ways that might pose a significant recruiting and retention issue throughout the oil and gas industry. The significant impact of COVID-19 on minority groups was discovered to have pushed diversification further up the current employee plan. Even before the outbreak started, approximately 2 million women have pondered abandoning or changing the direction of their employment, with minority groups bearing the brunt of the virus’s toll. Over 60% of staff have already left their current firm for a more comprehensive one, providing a hurdle for the oil and gas industry with only 7% ethnic minority and 22% female inclusion. As suggested by a Human Resources Manager in the oil and gas field who preferred anonymity, “employee retention is all about how to make the staff commit by making sure that the work environment encourages [employees] to develop their skills and to develop themselves to a higher level in their career ladder.”
Employee Retention Methods
Collectively, recent shifts have shaped a culture of respect that drive employees’ needs that are inconsistent with the recognized features of the oil and gas sector. This occurs at a time when there is a digital literacy deficit and escalating rivalry for an increasingly disgruntled labour pool, upping the bar for employee retention substantially. To retain this emerging generation of employees, the oil and gas sector will need to rethink it all from work procedures to performance indicators.
Consequently, networking is a technique for oil and gas firms to find talented employees. According to a recent study, 62% of oil and gas managers “intend to explore flexible hours possibilities after leaving the job.” Oil and gas firms can profit from scooping up skilled professionals who are looking for far more flexible work schedules, better benefits packages, or higher compensation through networking at company events and digitally. In other words, as a result of individuals enjoying additional time with their families throughout most of the lockdown, oil and gas companies may rethink workplace incentives and reorganize corporate values towards family and flexible work hours. Traditional perks like commuting charge refunds as well as on-site meals should be augmented with family-friendly perks like parental assistance and flexi-time. Companies should give perks to employees who choose to stay near to their family rather than only financial incentives for migration. The Human Resources Manager stated that, “it is hard these days to make flexible choices for employees because companies are trying to go back to work as usual before the pandemic, but I think that when we make flexible decisions for employees, they become more satisfied and become committed to the company.” She continued to say that, “companies should make some compromises so that employees can also feel like they can compromise for the company.”
The oil and gas companies face another dilemma. Its innovative online transition has put it in competition with other digitally savvy businesses for recruiting and retaining talent. This implies that businesses are now fighting for a more diversified, family-oriented, ethically and environmentally sensitive workforce that is progressively becoming more value-driven in their workplace selection. As a matter of fact, as the oil and gas sector shifts away from conventional fuels and toward a more sustainable energy balance, the characteristics of its staff will alter to represent this. Organizations which can tailor their offerings to match the irreversible transformation in the nature and principles of their personnel that is currently beginning will be able to recruit and retain their employees.
Personnel want to think about how they can advance their careers and have possibilities with the organization. Oil and gas firms should analyze themselves to see what particular characteristics must be tackled in order to help guarantee that this is an actuality for personnel. Career paths that recognize both engineering and technological accomplishments, as well as management progress, are critical. In this sector, there is a propensity to build executives out of the greatest specialists or engineers. That technique is frequently not in the best interests of the firm or the individual. The organization must organize training activities that encourage and permit professional progression along both paths. The importance of focusing on growth and employee retention strategy has now become increasingly apparent.
In conclusion, the main way to attract and retain top people is really about dedication and follow-through. Establishing a procurement plan that relies on the precise roles you require to be competitive is crucial. Simplifying the hiring process to minimize the time it takes to employ is essential. Moreover, it is necessary to enhance skill development by providing people with compelling reasons to stay. After all, it is absolutely essential for human resources to consider implementing programs that collaborate to create a unified talent strategy integrated with the organization’s strategy.
