Oil and gas companies need help finding and retaining qualified workers in a volatile industry. Younger talent negatively perceives the sector and may be drawn to renewable energy companies. Whether you call it a workforce issue, an inclusion problem, or a culture challenge, the fact is that many oil and gas companies need to revamp their recruitment strategies.

Focus on Work-Life Balance

Executives are looking for strategies to draw in and keep the best employees as the sector struggles with a labor shortage. One way is by focusing on work-life balance. Many oil and gas industry employees find that their work life is a constant struggle to balance the demands of their careers and home. It may result in skill loss and burnout. 

In addition, the energy transition requires the industry to recruit workers with new skill sets, including data analytics, software engineering, and AI and machine learning. These new roles require more diverse backgrounds and identities than the traditional jobs in the industry. Oil and gas recruiters in Houston seeking to leverage this talent pool’s full potential have broadened their talent pipelines and taken risks with new hires.

Rewire the entire ecosystem of their talent strategy, sourcing, retention, employee value proposition, and culture change to better appeal to today’s potential employees. It means partnering with government programs that provide incentives for developing industry-specific skills and adopting new digital approaches to recruiting, like social media job postings and employee referrals.

It also means reaching beyond the current talent pool by expanding their search for specialized skills to countries and regions with more access to these talents.

Attract a Diverse Pool of Candidates

The energy industry needs diverse employees to survive and thrive during the current energy transition. As the Great Retirement cycle out a generation of seasoned experts, it’s time to bring in new energy and perspectives that can help companies grow through innovative new technologies like digitalization and renewables.

Investing in diversity can also boost innovation and performance: research shows that teams with diverse backgrounds make better decisions 87% of the time, and businesses with more women and minority board members are 1.7 times more likely to have higher market value.

In addition to leveraging their existing networks and recruiting practices, oil and gas companies should take steps to diversify the talent pool by seeking out more candidates from underrepresented groups.  Despite some recent upsides, the energy industry still needs to work on recruiting young workers.

The cyclical nature of the sector and concerns over job security have made it less appealing to more youthful applicants. Companies can address these issues by offering flexible scheduling, remote work options, and wellness programs. They can also highlight their tech-forward EVP to demonstrate their ability to provide a cutting-edge, engaging work experience for this emerging workforce.

Attract Younger Workers

Companies must offer flexible work options and provide more benefits to attract younger workers. It includes providing more time off and allowing employees to telecommute. In addition, companies need to promote their sustainability initiatives.

  Even though the oil and gas industry is booming, finding candidates with the right skills can still be challenging. Many Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age, creating a significant talent gap in the sector. The good news is that there are a few ways to address this problem. One option is to partner with external companies specializing in training new employees.

It can close the skill gap and allow companies to focus on other projects. Another option is to partner with schools that teach oil and gas engineering. It can attract students and provide them with hands-on experience in the field.

It is also essential for companies to focus on their culture. It can include documenting the company’s core principles, instilling them in leaders, and ensuring that all leaders articulate them to their direct reports. Finally, it is also essential to highlight that working in oil and gas can be rewarding.

Focus on Innovation

The oil and gas industry has historically tuned its culture to manage and mitigate risk. While this is a necessary mindset in a highly volatile operating environment, the same posture can run counter to fostering innovation. It’s true as new technologies, global energy transition efforts, and calls for greener industry practices push the sector to take more risks and attract a broader range of talent.

Additionally, climate concerns and social activism among younger workers negatively impact the industry’s image. One study found that 1 in 5 respondents rejected a job offer due to a company’s perceived lack of action on ESG issues. It is a big reason many companies are stepping up their recruiting efforts to bring in more diverse candidates.

For oil and gas companies, concentrating on creative ways to deal with labor trends is essential to success. It means leveraging expertise in creating safety cultures through authentic collaboration, unified reporting, and deep-rooted behaviors that transform day-to-day work. It is a powerful opportunity to tap into a legacy of successful transformation and attract the next generation of talent to the sector.