2023 was a key period for the Human Resources (HR) department. Based on what you have read or will read in our annual reports, you can see that this year’s emphasis is momentum. The best way to define this for HR would be “force or speed of movement of course of events”.
In past articles, we have highlighted topics like the COVID-19 era, Work-Life Balance, and the Great Resignation and the ways they have impacted our way of doing business. These experiences have caused us to shift gears, rather quickly I might add, and not only reflect on the woes we experienced but also on the ones caused by the aftermath. Sky-high inflation, employee health and well-being, and skills-based rather than degreed are some of the areas on which management has and continues to focus.
Each year, RGEC contracts a consulting firm to review our wage and salary structure to ensure that we stay competitive in the market and within the Texas average salary ranges. Salaries along with a benefits package are a key component of an employee’s well-being and job satisfaction. But what is the definition of “benefits” in today’s workforce? Does it include looking into mental health awareness, work flexibility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)? The answer is yes, yes, and yes! Therefore, we focused on the notion that employees want to continue with flexible work schedules, so we did. We opted to allow employees the option to select between staying on a traditional 8 to 5 schedule or opting for a compressed 4-day/10-hour workweek for the year.
As a well-deserved token of appreciation to all of our employees, RGEC closed its doors to the membership on August 30 and gathered our employees together at the Fort Stockton Convention Center. We were entertained with a myriad of events, including the presentation from keynote speaker Sean Bott. We highlighted 19 employees celebrating 225 years of service, 2 of whom were celebrating 25 years of service, Administrative Services Coordinator Susanna Castillo and Journeyman Line Foreman Gilbert Villarreal. Throughout the year, our Communications department puts emphasis on employee engagement and surprises us with monthly fun and interactive events to participate in as well as celebrating Lineman Appreciation Day and Administrative Professionals Day, to name a few. These events allow us to focus, or should I say, NOT focus on workplace stress but foster an employee well-being culture.
CEO Theresa Quiroz and HR have diligently worked hand-in-hand with our Executive staff to recognize the distinct generations within each department and identify each of their strengths. We have asked ourselves, “How do we nurture future leaders?” and “How do we drive a positive work culture and navigate the complexities of the modern workplace?”. The answer? We put emphasis on the organizational design of each department and of the needs of our business Mission Statement, “RGEC is committed to providing safe and reliable energy services through the efficient use of resources, highly skilled employees, and technology”. We started working on restructuring each department by first focusing on succession planning. In a review of our highly skilled employees, we quickly identified existing skills-based employees filling in positions where there was a shift in the department’s workplace dynamics. This entailed creating new positions and dissolving others that no longer seemed relevant due to a navigating modern workplace filled with new technology. Technology has advanced at such a high rate of speed that we can’t help but allow it to “do its thing” while we place our time where physical presence is still needed. In turn, it starts to define a career path for some of our employees within their respective departments.
Our safety culture has also been remodeled, as we no longer want management to be the driving force. We’ve somewhat handed the torch to the employees by redefining the meaning. HR, along with the Risk Management department, already has a multitude of safety policies, procedures, plans, and the list goes on and on, in place. We agree that employees need the flexibility to create the culture they want to work in. So today we say safety culture is a combination of the attitudes, values, and perceptions that influence how something is actually done in the workplace, rather than how it should be done.
A group of seven Texas cooperatives, including Rio Grande, teamed up to send 2 of their finest linemen to conduct a lighting project in Matasanos, Zacapa Guatemala. Talk about a safety culture story! We are extremely proud of having sent two of our best, Gavin Forst and Eliel Bejarano. These guys jumped at the opportunity to volunteer to go out of the country to provide electricity to a town and go through some challenging circumstances that they now describe as “the experience of a lifetime”. The use of their experience, knowledge, training, and sometimes just good ole resiliency, is what got them through. Unfair weather, terrain, culture, foods, and encountered roadblocks were not going to diminish the final goal of these guys. The presence of managers and safety guys was non-existent, and therefore they knew what safety culture they needed to apply to ensure their own safety. We are ever so proud of their representation of RGEC! They have shared so many humbling stories and their newfound outlook on the comforts we have in America.
The year 2023 transformed the culture of HR and has given us the momentum to rise to the challenge. As we move forward, the lessons learned, and the strategies implemented will undoubtedly shape the future of work for years to come.