Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 12TH - 18TH JULY 2019 | 23 Operations & Assets • ensure workforce happ i ness is maximised, • retain valued staff, and • embed a caring culture that delivers service excellence. Lanes believes its approach – combining a digital app and practical, professional support – is unique, certainly in the utility industry, if not the entire UK. The happiness app integrates personal wellbeing with day-to- day operational activities, sup- porting a strong, highly visible, "safe and well" culture. Lanes says other utility pro- viders such as Yorkshire Water, SSE, British Gas, and Severn Trent, along with water regu- lator Ofwat, have been hugely impressed by the approach, as have health professionals. A key driver for the app and wellbeing service was the desire to reduce workforce churn. Lanes says trained and expe- rienced people were leaving before anyone could intervene to ask why or offer help. Key benefits have been: • The number of workers identifying themselves as unhappy or very unhappy has fallen from 11 per cent to between 1-3 per cent. • The employment churn rate has fallen by 57 per cent – saving training costs of over £1,000,000 a year • Insights have underpinned a new career and pay structure, Pathway to Success, that gives all staff a transparent view of pay and attainment goals. • Insights have led to new people management skills training and onboarding, plus resilience training and coaching. Analysis of app data and Hansford's insights are helping managers become more skilled at helping individuals and groups, and to identify trends. The company says the app is a powerful tool to support colleagues with mental health problems, a key priority for many employers. New ways to support staff are being introduced. For example, Hansford holds regular coach- ing sessions with office teams through "work stress huddles". Recruitment All utility companies have to work hard to recruit and retain the right people. The Energy and Utilities Workforce Renewal and Skills Strategy predicts a shortfall of 221,000 utility workers in the next decade. Lanes says the development of the app and practitioner service is a "critical strategic response" to this. The Lanes model combines three elements: • innovative digital technology • hands-on professional well- being support, and • an agile, transparent, results- driven business culture. The aim is to support delivery of safe, efficient, excellent cus- tomer service. The company says there is no reason why others, with a determined approach, could not do the same. Sustainability The initiative provides a tool to help the group use well- being to improve workplace sustainability. • Development of happier, and more stable teams, retaining critical skills and knowledge. • Resource utilisation – the app cost £10,000 to develop. The cost of the practitioner service and Well.Me is far out- weighed by reduced onboard- ing and training costs. • Initiatives like Pathway to Success are helping embed and amplify the wellbeing benefit. • Lanes is now working with academics to research work- force grit, to further support resilience. • Well.Me is helping develop a self-help culture, with well- being champions trained to support dance, weight loss, and stress-busting groups. Lanes says it has a happier, safer, more productive, and more customer-focused work- force. It believes improved well- being has played a "key part" in that success. Lanes Group and Thames Water on Awards night at London's Grosvenor House Hotel with guest host Sue Perkins (left) and Utility Week editor Suzanne Henneghan (centre)  The 2019 Utility Week Awards are now open for entry. Sponsorship opportunities are available – for more information contact Utility Week business development manager Ben Ham- mond at benhammond@fav-house.com or on 01342 332116. Winner's comments "We are proud of our track record in delivering innovative and high-quality wastewater maintenance services for our utility clients, so we were keen to test ourselves against the criteria in the Utility Week Awards. "Winning in the health and safety category was just reward and recognition for the whole team, who work hard every day to set the standards of excellence we aspire to. "For our clients, it has shown we are always striving to give them the best service and that we will continue to try to make amazing our normal." ANDY BRIERLEY, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, LANES GROUP PLC Other shortlisted companies in this category were: • Anglian Water Services • SP Energy Networks • SP Energy Networks • UK Power Networks

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