The ‘wow’ factor – how employers can boost water engineer recruitment and retention

This blog looks at some of the key findings from our inaugural report and looks at how employers can improve their recruitment and retention of specialist water engineers
One of the most interesting areas of focus in our recently published Water Industry Labour Report 2024, in which we surveyed nearly 4,000 engineers across the water industry, was the insight into what motivates engineers. Employers are struggling to retain their top specialists in light of challenges from other sectors. So, with that in mind, what are the factors governing the choices of jobseekers and what can employers do to compete more effectively? Let’s examine the results in more detail…
Pay leading the way: but engineers want more than that
As you might expect, pay is still the number one motivating force for almost half of respondents (45%), so offering competitive salaries should remain a priority. However, an almost identical number of water engineers (42%) said that job satisfaction was also an equally critical factor to them. Dissatisfaction at work has continued to be a major scourge for employers as recently highlighted by the ‘quiet quitting’ phenomenon. This means that the onus is on organisations to focus on all aspects of their work environment, paying particular attention to elements that will help keep people in the water sector, including providing greater development opportunities.
The findings also revealed that 38% of engineers felt that their satisfaction in their jobs was directly affected by management. For firms in the water sector, this paints a clear picture: if your managers aren’t trained and don’t possess the people management skills to succeed, then retention will become more of a problem, as engineers will likely leave and seek pastures new. Much has been written about ‘accidental managers’, so companies must ensure that they are promoting the right people into leadership roles and providing the necessary training to help them along the way.
Not surprisingly, working patterns continue to be a huge ‘pull’ factor – over a third of engineers (38%) want flexibility around their hours to manage their time to suit their schedules. Indeed, forcing employees to be in the office was cited as the factor least likely to entice professionals, so mandating a full-time return to workplaces and abandoning flexible working practices (where it’s feasible) would be ill-advised and could result in an exodus of talent.
But what other factors will boost talent attraction strategies? Geographical location was also an important factor, with just under a third (29%) indicating that the length of their commute to their place of work, and the impact this could have on their work-life balance, was influencing their job decisions. A similar number quoted company reputation as a key determinant when looking for a new role, which underscores the importance of a positive employer brand. Previous ‘good experiences’ with a company and being able to work on specific schemes also held considerable sway when choosing which business to work for.
The cost of not innovating
The chance to be innovative is another significant motivator that features prominently in the top 10 list of desirables in our report. Engineers clearly want to demonstrate their capacity for creative thinking. Yet the survey results show that almost a third (32%) were not able to be innovative in their roles, citing a ‘lack of scope and long-term thinking’ combined with concerns about changing approaches when dealing with legacy infrastructure. Furthermore, while 29% would like to use emerging technologies such as AI in their roles, 43% said they had not received any relevant training that supports innovation in this remit.
Varying generations
The insights also revealed marked variations in attitude depending on the experience (and age) of respondents. For those with over 10 years’ experience in the water industry, pay and monetary compensation was the most important factor when considering a new role. However, their more junior counterparts tend to look at the whole package, with elements such as flexible and remote working equally important as monetary benefits. Younger cohorts were also more concerned with the environment, sustainability and the reduction of carbon emissions.
As well as competitive pay and financial incentives, we found that water engineers are hungry for more training to develop both their managerial and soft skills (even more so than their technical knowledge). They want to see improved job satisfaction, which in their eyes can be significantly remedied just by having better managers and improved communication from leaders. Freedom is highly prized both in terms of being able to innovate as well as having greater work flexibility and enjoying a far better work-life balance.
Water engineering recruitment
With recruitment and skills the number one issue facing the industry, organisations in the water sector must take stock and make a concerted effort to improve their employee value propositions (EVPs) by offering competitive salaries and benefits to stand out in the marketplace. Otherwise, engineers will be quick to switch sectors and join oil and gas, nuclear, renewables and transport firms. Now is a golden opportunity for action and a time for water companies to review, revise and refine their talent attraction strategies while not losing sight of retention and engagement.
And in so doing, they can secure and keep hold of the skills that will futureproof their businesses.
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