A new report from the Global Energy Talent Index which examines employment trends in the energy sector argues that digitalisation is key to improving employee happiness.
The second edition of the annual report which measured employee happiness in the energy sector is compiled by Airswfit, a global provider of solutions for the energy, process and infrastructure sectors, and Energy Jobline, a website which aids those seeking energy sector careers.
It found that 43% of respondents said that they are happier in their work than they were three years ago, which the report attributes to digitalisation in the industry. The influx of cutting-edge technology, which in turn has facilitated more flexible working hours in many companies, has been a major factor in this increase, the report found.
How has digitalisation impacted employee happiness?
Some 40% of respondents said that the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology had been a factor in their improved happiness, while 36% said that flexibility in working – particularly the ability to work remotely – had been a major contributor.
Further, the report found that employees in the renewables sector are more optimistic than those in other sectors, with two thirds of workers anticipating pay rises in the next year, and 28% expecting their pay to rise by at least 5%.
What did the companies behind the report say?
Janette Marx, chief operating officer at Airswift, said that the report had looked specifically at digitalisation because it is “one of the most important issues shaping the future of the industry”, and that the survey had built upon the success it found in its first year.
In terms of the response that the report found towards digitalisation in the renewables sector, Marx added: “Professionals in the renewables sector are enthusiastic about [digitalisation]. Four-in-five respondents told us that digitalisation is having a positive impact on the sector, with increased efficiency and productivity at the forefront of their minds.”
She added: “Although some expressed concern that it could reduce the importance of human judgment. Now, renewables firms should reassure the workforce that technology enhances, not replaces, human decision-making.”
