Stedin aims to be an attractive employer that treats its employees with due care, stimulates their development and offers everyone equal opportunities. Important aspects are: availability of enough technical and other staff, capacity for change, training and developing employees and a vital, inclusive organisation. The large labour market shortages are causing high staff turnover and pose a major challenge to the realisation of the energy transition.

Stedin's strategy involves the cultural values ‘Inspired’, ‘Committed’ and ‘Forward'. The Employee Motivation Survey (MMO), which measures aspects such as the culture value ‘Forward’, provides Stedin with an opportunity to measure its employees’ motivation to contribute to Stedin’s goals, and to take action in accordance with the outcome. The next subsections describe the actions that were taken and the results of these actions.

The energy transition is moving faster than expected, causing an explosion in construction projects we are tasked with. This requires considerably more staff. We therefore increased our recruitment capacity and focused on areas such as targeted campus recruitment and partnerships with institutions of preparatory and senior secondary vocational education (VMBO and MBO). Our training capacity has doubled: we set up appropriate training pathways for lateral entrants and welcomed a larger number of students in the apprenticeship programme (BBL). In 2023, we trained over 60 lateral entrants and increased the BBL intake from 35 to 45 new entrants. In total, we conferred 140 MBO diplomas. In our operations we also worked on implementing ‘smarter working’, by making processes efficient to make is possible to do more work with our current workforce.

Our Strategic Personnel Plan shows that without taking the above measures, we would be around 600 fitters short by 2027. We estimate that if even with these measures being implemented, we will then still face a shortage of around 60 fitters. We therefore need to take additional measures to reduce the shortage to 0.

Through internal advancement, we offer employees the opportunity to keep developing – something that is highly appreciated – with internal advancement being a key tool in staff retention. Of the 1,355 vacancies filled in total, 34% were filled by internal employees. Internal advancement within Stedin is therefore successful. In some teams, one in every five colleagues is new. It places demands on teams to welcome the new colleagues and get them up to speed. We are therefore looking at ways to make internal advancement more effective. This intake and internal advancement requires additional training capacity. We considered this aspect as well.

Lifelong learning and development are a top priority at Stedin. We offer employees a range of learning activities and learning aids to give them the best possible support in their personal development. We do this with our own training programmes, our learning management system and our cooperation with a training intermediary. We are also working towards a single location for all learning and development activities, both technical and non-technical. The in-house training school has always provided all technical training programmes within Stedin. From 2024, we will be extending the curriculum to include all learning activities, i.e. both technical and non-technical.

In-house training school

Our in-house training school plays a crucial role in ensuring we have the right people in the right place. Many of them have been able to acquire a stable position in society in recent years thanks to the in-house training school. Our school provides a steady intake of new employees and enables other colleagues to advance their careers. For our new intake, we invest specifically in various groups, such as MBO students (apprenticeship (BBL) courses) and young people (vocational training (BOL) courses), but also in people with limited access to the labour market, workers under the Participation Act and recent immigrants. In 2023, we specifically focused on training lateral entrants. More than 60 lateral entrants embarked on appropriate training at Stedin in 2023.

In 2023, 1,194 students followed technical training programmes leading to BEI and VIAG certification at the in-house training school. As these certificates have to be renewed every three years , this is an increase of 19% compared with 2020.

In 2023, 140 students were awarded MBO diplomas (2022: 170). This decrease compared with 2022 is because no classes were started in the school year 2020-2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which means that there was no outflow of students in 2023. Student intake went up in 2023, because of 45 BBL students who started in September and around 60 lateral entrants. 

In 2023, we spent € 12.1 million on Technology & Safety training programmes (2022: € 8.9 million). 

Locations

We offer training at four different locations: Rotterdam, Utrecht, Alblasserdam and Goes. This ensures that all colleagues can take courses or training in their local regions. In 2023, the Rotterdam location of the in-house training school moved into temporary accommodation. This marked the start of the construction of the new in-house training school building on Keileweg (see box).

New training programme

In order to maximise training capacity, we developed a new ‘Senior high-voltage fitter’ MBO programme in 2023. This programme will start in September 2024.

Attractiveness of technical professions

The in-house training school entered into new cooperation agreements to encourage students to take up technical professions in 2023. In Rotterdam and in Utrecht, Stedin has partnered with various schools affiliated with the Strong Technical Education (STO) programme, with a focus on offering work placements, professional training for teachers and introductory days. During a Girls Day, 50 girls visited the in-house training school for an introduction to technical jobs. Stedin will participate as a stakeholder in the LLO-Katalysator (‘lifelong learning catalyst’) scheme, in which we will focus on engineer training programmes in cooperation with Utrecht University, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and MBO Midden Nederland.

At national level, Stedin is working on innovations in education with TenneT, Alliander and Enexis, among others, via the Training and Education (O&O) fund. In 2023, we explored opportunities for skills-focused training. This nationwide partnership marked the first steps towards harmonised terminology and organisational design options for the education sector.

Successful fast-track programme

In providing targeted and efficient training to new and current employees, determining the right programme length and content is often a challenge. We therefore started with modular training in 2023 for people entering from other professions. We also developed a fast track for the ‘Low-voltage grid professional’ (VP-LS) programme. This enables a participant to complete the course in one year instead of the original two years.

Stedin is facing an unprecedented challenge. The energy transition has gained tremendous momentum. Change, uncertainty and speed will be constant factors in the coming years. Our leaders play a crucial role here, as they steer this acceleration based on individual and collective leadership. We therefore carefully considered what these challenges require from our leadership and identified the following three main themes for the coming years: Story, Ownership and Result-Oriented Cooperation. These themes are the common thread in all the (customised) leadership programmes we developed last year:

1. Strategic Coalition (Board of Management, including managers with ultimate responsibility and directors reporting to the Board)

2. Other managers, heads and team leaders

3. Functional managers  

For all groups, the respective programme was launched in December 2023. The first subject-matter modules will start early in 2024.

In addition, we continue to pay a lot of attention to our existing programmes:

• Starting managers: a ten-month programme for this ‘new-to-role’ target group starts twice a year.

• ‘Makers of the future’: this is a two-year programme for starting employees, usually recent graduates, who are being trained for permanent positions in the organisation. These makers of the future will be our future leaders (either formally or informally). 

We consider it important that our all our employees feel welcome and are treated equally, regardless of personal characteristics such as age, sex, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, social background, family status, level of education or disability. Stedin does not tolerate discrimination. To this end, Stedin enforces its code of conduct, which lays down the standards and values that we have agreed with one another.

Diversity

We want to be a diverse company because we believe in equal opportunities. In addition, we need every talented person for the energy transition. The essence of our diversity and inclusion policy is to encourage greater diversity within an inclusive culture. Our aim is for our workforce to be as diverse as the world in which we live. We still have a way to go to achieve this. That is why we have set ourselves the following diversity targets for 2030:

Male/female ratio

Stedin must comply with the Hiring Quota Act (Wet ingroeiquotum), also known as the Women’s Quota. This Act requires large companies to appropriate and ambitious targets for the male/female ratio in the Supervisory Board, Board of Management and second-tier management. We were largely compliant with these requirements in 2023. It is only with regard to the Board of Management that we currently do meet the ‘at least one-third are women’ target. We also strive to achieve a 50-50 ratio in management positions and we are actively looking for female talent.

19% of our workforce (organisation) are women. This is because of the technical nature of our work. We are actively seeking to attract more women to technology and engineering, and to technical training programmes in particular. Specifically, we are looking for women who want to work as fitters. We directed our recruitment campaign at this target group in 2023, which resulted in a higher intake of women in both the lateral entry programme and the regular apprenticeship (BBL) programme.

By the end of 2023, the percentage of women was 33% for strategic managers, 23% for tactical managers and senior professionals and 18% for other positions. Overall, the percentage of women increased to 12% in operational departments and 31% in non-operational departments.

Stedin has to submit these and other figures in the diversity portal of the Social and Economic Council (SER). By making the reported data transparent, the SER provides insight into the current state of diversity among Dutch business executives and progress being made in this respect.

Percentage of women in 2023

Gender pay gap

Looking at the total workforce, women at Stedin on average earn 4.3% more than men. This is because women are more frequently represented in more senior positions. If we adjust for job level, service years and age, men and women earn the same on average. This means that Stedin has no gender pay gap and is thus doing well in comparison with the Dutch benchmark, as the adjusted gender pay gap in the Netherlands is 3% in the government sector and 6% in the business sector.

Age structure

In 2023, 27% of our workforce consisted of young people and younger adults under the age of 35, an increase of 8.2% compared with 2022. We encourage the influx of people from this group by offering an apprenticeship programme, a programme for 16-year-olds at our in-house training school and work placement posts, as well as through campus recruitment (sixth class of ‘makers of the future’). Work placements also provide an opportunity to foster the influx of young people, for instance when they join Stedin in an entry-level position after graduation.

Since 2022, we are inviting colleagues to continue working beyond their retirement age. 150 employees are over 65. Of these, 13 have reached the state pension age. Experienced employees are highly prized, because they can pass on their knowledge to the younger generation. Due to retirements, we are seeing that our older employees being replaced by young people, particularly in technical positions, even though these are positions that require experience. Employees who are prepared to defer their retirement to help those younger fitters learn the job are very important to us.

Opportunities for people with limited access to the labour market

We consider it important to assist people who need a helping hand with finding and holding on to work. At year-end 2023, Stedin had 93 employees in Participation Act jobs. This number is lower than our target. Finding suitable work and suitable candidates for such jobs takes more time than for regular vacancies. In addition, this group takes longer to train and requires a great deal of extra guidance. Furthermore, turnover was high among this target group, with 36 employees leaving Stedin. This meant that on balance we achieved less growth than desired. We are trying to improve this through measures such as a training programme for managers and colleagues.

Cultural diversity

In 2022, we conducted a cultural diversity survey at Stedin, based on the cultural diversity barometer of Statistics Netherlands. We received the results of this survey in 2023. These shows that although cultural diversity is high at Stedin overall (28%, against a target of 29%), this is not reflected in all job categories: the higher the salary scale, the less diversity. The same goes for employees in management positions: only 13% have a migration background, against a target of 29%. 

In order to offer everyone equal opportunities, we aim for an objective recruitment and selection process that is not influenced by unconscious bias. Both our recruiters and our hiring managers follow the ‘Unbiased Selection’ training of the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights. Up to and including 2023, 98 colleagues followed this programme. A group of colleagues will take part in this programme in 2024 as well.

Inclusion and social safety

Inclusion and social safety are important preconditions for a reliable and safe performance of work in a working environment that is pleasant for all colleagues. Because Stedin attaches great value to social safety, we included additional questions on this in the 2023 employee motivation survey. This resulted in a score of 7.9 on this theme, with the theme of inclusion scoring 8.2. We have set ourselves a number of targets for inclusion and social safety (see table on the right of this page).

To increase social safety and reduce undesirable behaviour, we launched the #Moettochkunnen (‘no big deal’) intervention in 2023, which encourages teams to discuss what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. We address social safety during the onboarding of new employees, and we have developed a workshop on unconscious bias and microaggression. In 2023, we organised a diversity week that involved around 16 workshops, lectures and training events on inclusive working and unconscious bias.

Networks within Stedin

Our internal networks contribute to an inclusive working culture. At Stedin, we have the following internal networks: F-EMPOWER (women’s network), Jong Stedin (young professionals’ network), Stedin Pride (LGBTIQ+ network) and Net Anders (neurodiversity network). The fifth network for cultural diversity is currently being established.

Stedin helps its employees remain fit and employable, both for their current duties and for future work.

Vibrant organisation

The ‘My Energy’ programme, which was launched for managers in November 2022, was extended to all employees in 2023. The programme offered inspiration from colleagues, employee schemes and a wide range of vitality solutions, all clearly presented in the ‘My Energy’ magazine.

The year was divided into trimesters, with the first trimester focusing on our colleagues’ mental health. A pilot was rolled out to provide psychological support within 48 hours, and webinars were organised for both employees and managers.

In the second trimester, the emphasis was on vitality and health. All colleagues were given the opportunity to take part in ‘My Energy’ checks. More than 50% of employees took up the offer. The check gave them insight into their own vitality through questionnaires and physical examinations. During advisory meetings, colleagues were told about Stedin’s range of vitality services. We will process the results of the ‘My Energy’ checks early in 2024.

The autumn was all about professional competence and flexibility. A development roadmap had been prepared, showing all the development opportunities offered by Stedin. Stedin-wide meetings were set to end slightly earlier, so as to allow for short breaks.

We are proud that Stedin has been voted this year's frontrunner as ‘Most vibrant engineering company’ (Vitaalste vakbedrijf) by the employers’ association WENB.

Employee motivation

We conduct a survey of employee motivation once a year. With regard to the KPI for the cultural value ‘Forward’, this survey contained questions on the following five topics: 1) clarity about team goals, 2) clarity about expected results, 3) manager discusses performance, 4) we finish what we start, 5) manager sets a good example. The survey is actively followed up by managers, who discuss the insights obtained with their teams. The results are also followed up at Stedin-wide level. For example, the results provided the basis for the new roadmap, which sets out a clear career path for fitters. In addition, all employees were invited to the ‘State of Stedin’, a semi-annual online meeting in which the Board of Management updates employees on Stedin’s current situation. In 2023, 74% of employees took part in the survey (2022: 74%).

The employee motivation survey measures employee satisfaction using the employee Net Promotor Score (eNPS). This score reflects the extent to which our employees would recommend Stedin as an employer to others. This is generally regarded as an important measure of employee satisfaction. The eNPS is measured on a scale of -100 to 100. The eNPS score for Stedin was 20.3 in 2021, 21.1 in 2022 and 23 in 2023. The eNPS benchmark for other Dutch organisations is 11. The intake and internal advancement of employees will significantly change our workforce in the years ahead. This may have an impact on our employment practices and on the motivation of our employees. We therefore aim to maintain our favourable eNPS score in any case at 20.3 in the coming years.

Sickness absence

The average sickness absence rate was 5.7% in 2023. This is lower than at comparable companies in the Industry and Energy sector. A falling trend is observable that is in line with the benchmark in the Netherlands. The in-depth (sickness absence) analysis of mid-2022 led to a new sickness absence approach in 2023. Among other things, the analysis revealed that managers need more support in reducing and preventing sickness absence. Based on the analysis, we introduced the role of absenteeism coach and explored a number of interventions that will be rolled out in 2024. These include consultations between the absenteeism coach, HR and the manager on employability in cases of sickness absence. These consultations also provide scope for absenteeism prevention. A sickness absence ‘guide’ has been implemented, based on which targeted solutions can be selected and deployed. In addition, data analyses help us obtain better qualitative insights and solutions. In this context, we are shifting the focus of our approach to ‘prevention is better than cure’.

Work-life balance

The results of the employee motivation survey show that Stedin employees are very satisfied with the flexibility in their working hours. Under the Flexible Working Act (Wet flexibel werken), employees can increase or reduce their contractual working hours, and make changes to their working times and place of work. Employees working the on-call and emergency repairs shifts can choose between a weekly schedule or a weekend/daily schedule. This choice provides them with more work-life balance opportunities. We also offer employees a range of leave options. Stedin employees can take leave to provide care or to deal with special personal situations on the basis of various arrangements laid down by law, in the Collective Labour Agreement or in company schemes.

Financial support

Due to the rising inflation, our financial support focused more on preventive financial care in 2023. Our preventive offering includes helping people to understand their current financial situation, budget coaching, consultations with the staff welfare officer and an advance of up to one month’s gross salary. We also offer preventive counselling to employees who may have money worries. For instance, our new standard procedure s to inform employees applying for an advance about support options.

Commitment to providing work-to-work guidance

We consider it important that our organisation and employees are prepared for the future, thereby ensuring employment. This is why we are taking steps to develop competences that will be needed in the future. If our focus on training and internal advancement does not produce the required results, we deploy the Sectoral Social Plan (SSP) for grid operators to provide the best possible support to colleagues facing social consequences such as loss of work. A new SSP took effect in 2023. The new plan offers employees a ‘Budget for the Future’ and more individual options to shape their future. By providing additional budget, we encourage employees to make choices that enable them to actively improve their prospects on the labour market. The additional budget is also made available if employees choose to retire early.

There were no restructurings at Stedin Group in 2023 which resulted in employees being made redundant.

Collective Labour Agreement for Grid Operators

When the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) for Grid Operators effective from 1 January 2023 was negotiated in 2022, the costs of living had already risen sharply. At the time, it was not foreseen that these costs would subsequently soar to even greater heights, putting even more pressure on employees’ purchasing power. Consultations between the parties to the CLA in the second quarter of 2023 on compensation for the loss of purchasing power were unsuccessful. Thereupon, Stedin Group’s Board of Management decided to take the initiative to grant all employees a structural pay rise of € 175 gross per month. The Stedin company collective labour agreement was amended in the interim for this purpose. The aim of the salary increase by a nominal amount was to provide additional support in particular to lower-paid employees, who had been the hardest hit by the price rises.

After the summer, the parties to the CLA started negotiations on the new CLA effective from 1 January 2024.  The pay agreement to be negotiated was the main topic of discussion, with special attention (again) being paid to lower incomes. Under the new CLA. a collective pay rise of least € 275 gross per month will be granted, on the top of the collective pay rise of 7% effective from 1 January 2024. Combined with the 3% rise effective from 1 January 2025, this minimum increase will bring the total pay rise to approximately 12% for middle-income employees and to more than 15% for the lowest incomes. Other themes on which arrangements were made include long-term employability, sustainability enhancement & greening and diversity & inclusion.  

The terms of employment of employees not covered by the CLA are based only to a small extent on the CLA for Grid Operators, and are in line with the Senior Executives in the Public and Semi-Public Sector (Standards for Remuneration) Act (Wet Normering Topinkomens, WNT). Temporary agency workers receive the same remuneration as staff employed by Stedin.

Remuneration

Stedin bases the remuneration for positions on a salary table with a minimum and maximum salary for each salary scale. This table is part of the Stedin company collective labour agreement. The salary paid to each employee is at least equal to the minimum salary and at most equal to the maximum salary in the scale. The salaries of employees in the lowest salary scale are at least equal to the statutory minimum wage. Stedin conducts regular salary benchmarks. These show that our remuneration is in line with the market.

We take care of our people

In the event of long-term illness or occupational disability, based on the CLA for Grid Operators or Dutch law, employees are for a period of up to two years paid 70% to 100% of the salary they earned before they became incapacitated for work. Employees can opt to take part in a group insurance policy against the loss of income they would incur after two years of work incapacity (long-term illness or occupational disability). Stedin will pay a part of the insurance premium. The insurance provides a supplement to the statutory work incapacity benefit. If the work incapacity is the result of a workplace accident, Stedin supplements the statutory work incapacity benefit on the basis of the CLA.

Employees who become unemployed when their employment with Stedin is terminated are eligible for an supplementary unemployment benefit. Under the CLA, Stedin pays out a supplementary unemployment benefit that extends the period for which benefits are provided beyond the current statutory period to the statutory period that applied 31 December 2015. If the unemployment is the result of a restructuring, the statutory amount of the unemployment benefit is topped up to 80% or 90% of their last earned salary. The Sectoral Social Plan for grid operators aims to prevent unemployment due to reorganisation as much as possible.

All Stedin employees are obliged to take part in the ABP pension scheme. Stedin pays 70% of the pension contribution.

In the event of pregnancy, employees can make use of the statutory right to pregnancy and maternity leave. They will receive their full salary during the leave period. The same applies to pension accrual and accrual of leave entitlements. Every Stedin employee can make use of the statutory rights to family-related leave.

Freedom of association

Stedin actively supports the right of employees to freedom of association. Our CLA stipulates that employees who are members of a union can use their Personal Budget to obtain tax relief on their union dues. Stedin has an elected Works Council. Every employee with a permanent contract may stand for election.

Works Council

In accordance with the Works Councils Act (Wet op de ondernemingsraden, WOR), Stedin Group has a Works Council. Consultation between the executive committee of the Works Council and the CEO of Stedin Group takes place on a fortnightly basis. Consultation with all the members of the Works Council takes place roughly six times a year. The Works Council, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board additionally conduct tripartite consultations, and the chair of the Works Council takes part in the Strategic Coalition. As the Works Council comprises several different committees, it is well informed of the issues and developments in the organisation. Co-creation is promoted as far as possible, resulting in the Works Council's involvement in various programmes and initiatives from an early stage. Below is an interview with the chair of the Works Council , Adri de Bruijne.