New survey tells hiring managers that energy industry workers are optimistic and willing to embrace a digital, automated future.

A new energy recruitment and employment trends report shows that oil and gas businesses must be ready to embrace automation and digitalisation in order to reshape and revitalise their workforces.

The second annual Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) from Airswift, a recruitment provider for the energy industry, and jobsite Energy Jobline, says 77 percent of professionals believe automation and digitalisation are positive developments for the sector, overriding any concerns respondents might have about their own job security.

This optimism goes beyond the technical and operational benefits of technology to include ‘softer’ benefits, such as attributing increased happiness over the past three years to digitally-enabled modern workplace trends like flexible working.

According to Janette Marx, Chief Operating Officer at Airswift: “[It] may surprise hiring managers that workers are optimistic about the role of digitalisation on the sector’s future. The key now is to harness this optimism and provide digitally-driven opportunities for professionals to work more safely, flexibly and efficiently.”

As well as providing insights into sector digitalisation and automation, GETI is also the industry’s most comprehensive salary and mobility survey. Key findings within oil and gas include:

  • Sector pay has modestly increased during the past year. While 29 percent of respondents report an increase in pay over the past 12 months, 45 percent report no change.
  • More than half of oil and gas professionals expect an increase in pay in 2018, with one quarter expecting rates and salaries to rise by more than five percent%.
  • Optimism is even more profound among the young, with two-thirds of those aged under 35 anticipating a pay increase this year.
  • 56 percent of professionals would consider switching to another sector, with 28 percent eyeing a move to renewables.

According to Hannah Peet, Managing Director at Energy Jobline: “Happiness is a major factor. The sector that can offer professionals the happiest working lives will win out. Oil and gas has long held an advantage when it comes to pay, and with the oil price back on the up, professionals expect that to continue. [Employers] must embrace digitalisation, setting themselves up nicely to retain talent and transfer knowledge and skills to the next generation.”

More than 20,000 energy professionals and hiring managers were surveyed in 163 countries across five industry sub-sectors: oil and gas, renewables, power, nuclear and petrochemicals.

The report is available to download at http://www.getireport.com/download-report