Strategic workforce planning will help to boost competency while championing diversity and inclusivity in the renewable energy sector
Relevant specialist knowledge and skills are vital to success in this growing industry. Lee Clarke at Dynama outlines three ways strategic workforce planning will help to boost competency while championing diversity and inclusivity in the renewable energy sector.
Here are three ways that the capabilities of strategic workforce planning technology can go beyond workforce management (WFM) to foster a positive, productive workplace;
1. Close the inequality gap – the Offshore Wind Sector Deal sets a target to double the proportion of women in the industry to one-third by 2030 while a target for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) representation will be announced by the end of the year.(iv) Technology holds the secret to making this a reality.
The latest strategic workforce planning solutions link seamlessly with critical HR databases and ERP systems to provide a complete view of all employees. Details such as gender, age, career and pay history, past roles and future aspirations are presented in real-time making it easy to source and match candidates against current vacancies and then develop efficient WFM schedules to match.
It is also possible to turn this information into valuable insight by conducting ‘what if’ scenarios and through the use of key metric dashboards and forecasting to make sure the balance of skills and mix of staff is meeting the business requirements.
2. Promote enduring workforce relationships between employee and employer – to attract and then keep the very best talent. Use strategic workforce planning technology to create a comprehensive skills matrix that instantly identifies staff competencies, qualifications and experience. At the click of a button, be able to highlight skills, gender or race equality gaps and build timely, relevant training programs. At a glance, managers can quickly assess an employee’s suitability for promotion based on their grade, past performance and current skill sets to create meaningful career pathways. In this way, renewable energy companies can show they really care about planning for the future and so build a positive, long-term relationship between employee and employer.
3. Self-serve your way to workforce sustainability – by keeping top talent motivated through the introduction of self-service. Employees simply log onto a secure online portal to update their personal information, view their schedules, book time off and receive notifications of changes to their schedules or documentation requirements. With a clear view of their own schedules and those of their colleagues, employees see that everyone gets an equitable number of the most unpopular shifts. They can also track their training schedules, request specific training and even conduct their learning online to achieve personal career goals.
There is an exciting future ahead in the renewable energy sector. Attracting and nurturing the right talent is essential to its success. Championing diversity and inclusivity with the help of a strategic workforce planning solution will ensure the right people are in the right place, at the right time to make the most of the opportunity.
