Your concerns from the frontline of the energy sector

Prospect’s latest survey of energy members shows significant concerns about staffing levels, workload, and skills shortages from those on the frontline of delivering the UK’s clean energy transition, writes Joel Pearce, Prospect research officer.

Nearly 2,000 workers across all parts of the energy industry responded to the survey carried out in October and November 2023. We’ve pulled out a preview of some of the key findings below.

Workforce crisis in electricity networks

As in previous years, the survey shows considerable evidence of a workforce crisis in the UK’s electricity networks.

Four out of five (82%) people working in transmission and distribution networks say staffing levels are too low in their workplace. More than two thirds (69%) say their organisations are facing skills shortages or gaps, with widespread concerns about a lack of experienced engineers. The government’s own networks commissioner has said skills shortages are ‘becoming a constraint’ on delivering net zero.

Three quarters (74%) of networks staff describe their workload as ‘heavy’ or ‘extremely heavy’ and excessive workloads are the most common factor cited as driving low staff morale. A third (34%) of networks staff usually feel overwhelmed or highly stressed at work.

Standby driving long hours and unsafe conditions

Standby working continues to drive long hours and unsafe conditions. Almost half (46%) of those working in electricity networks do on-call or standby work, where they are expected to be available to work outside their regular hours to address faults or other emergencies.

More than a quarter (27%) of networks staff doing standby regularly work more than 16 consecutive hours in a day and a significant proportion (43%) say there have been times in the last year when they have been too tired to work safely.

Across network companies, fewer than one in three (29%) people working standby have a choice about how often they do it. Many of those on standby say they find it hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance and most (64%) without a choice would opt to do less standby work, or none at all, if they could.

Nuclear skills and staffing concerns

Staffing and skills shortages are also a concern across the nuclear industry. Nearly two thirds (64%) of nuclear workers report skills shortages or gaps in their workplace. As in networks engineering is the most commonly cited skills gap, followed by a range of other technical and specialist roles.

Most (64%) nuclear workers say staffing levels are too low in their organisation and a similar proportion (63%) say staffing levels are too low in their team. More than half (55%) describe their workload as ‘heavy’ or ‘extremely heavy’.

A significant proportion (41%) of nuclear workers say staff morale is low in their workplace, with pay, workloads, and a lack of progression opportunities the top factors driving low morale.

Meeting the UK’s climate and energy security goals relies on our skilled and committed energy workforce. Prospect will use this evidence to continue to push employers, Ofgem and the government to support good jobs across the energy sector.