Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/730827
In the know Digging deeper: skills 32 | OCTOBER 2016 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk HGV drivers, in particular, are in short supply. Other employers can offer premium rates for less physical jobs. Seasonal spikes in demand, for example in the run-up to Christmas, make HGV recruitment and retention even harder. The churn for HGV drivers in this period can be eye- watering. A positive offering So, what are we doing to address these challenges? The first thing is to be positive about what we have to offer. The wastewater industry is changing rapidly. New, safer ways of working, and advanced technology, such as recycler jetting and vacumation tankers, means it's not the wholly dirty, smelly job the jobs market thinks it is. We need to get that point across at every opportunity. We have impressive, ultra-modern equipment that makes our work more interesting to many, and easier, cleaner, safer and less arduous. We use the latest digital technology to plan, schedule and report the 1,000 jobs we complete each day for Thames Water. It's the kind of technology younger recruits, especially, pick up easily, and like to use. Our pay rates might not be the highest, but they are competitive. We can also offer employees a role that is meaningful. Many of our colleagues get a real kick out of helping customers overcome what can be quite distressing drainage blockages or sewage floods. Our youngest recruits, Generation Z as they're called, are known for wanting to make a difference in society. They can certainly make a big practical difference every day working with us. Our workforce development strategy is built upon this positive view of what the wastewater utilities sector has to offer. The first goal is to create a great place to work. It's one reason why our field teams have the best equipment and personal kit. This year, we opened our new operational HQ, our Customer Solutions Centre, in Slough. One of the primary objectives was to create a first class working environment with high quality office space, rest areas and amenities. We want to challenge preconceptions about what it's like to work for a utilities company. We have a wellbeing programme – supporting our teams' health and work-life balance. We are also seeking to involve our workforce more, for instance by using the workplace social media platform, Yammer. Over time, this will contribute to our aim of positioning ourselves as an employer of choice. Staff working on the operational floor at Lanes Group's Customer Solutions Centre in Slough from EU countries, includ- ing Eastern Europe, so the UK vote to leave has significance if the Govern- ment removes current EU workers. Ashby added: "I would like to think this unlikely due to the important role that they play in the current UK economy. It is a recruitment risk, but in my view, at this point, not a major one. We will however be monitoring the situation." The Brexit vote represents a risk to the UK utilities workforce but is not worth losing sleep over at this stage, says Conrad Ashby. Lanes Group has a number of employees Brexit – rest easy