The decarbonisation of the electricity system and rapidly changing regulatory requirements are increasing the dynamics of the environment in which Swissgrid operates. In order to be able to address these new and constantly changing requirements, Swissgrid set itself the goal of accelerating its development into an innovative, highly digitalised company in its Strategy 2027. Consequently, various measures to develop the relevant skills within the company are summarised as part of the «Operational Excellence» priority. Gaps in skills are closed by programmes that are tailored to individual needs. This increases Swissgrid’s attractiveness as an employer, allows it to recruit the talent it needs, and strengthens employees’ level of identification with the company. The following guiding principles promote the achievement of objectives:
- Employee loyalty is achieved not least through a good corporate culture. The aim is to promote cooperation, networking and mutual trust.
- Swissgrid has modern working conditions and is constantly developing them, because motivation and health have a positive effect on individual performance. For this reason, the company promotes a working atmosphere in which all employees feel comfortable and can develop their skills. Swissgrid encourages its employees to progress, make decisions, take responsibility, and to develop and implement their own innovative ideas.
Management approach
Swissgrid is dependent on highly qualified employees. The company can only fulfil its complex mission if it has a well-trained and motivated workforce. It can also be assumed that humans will become even more important in the future, despite the increased use of machine intelligence in the world of work. Swissgrid is implementing three comprehensive packages of measures to achieve the goals defined in Strategy 2027:
- Employer of Choice: In order to retain employees and attract new recruits, Swissgrid wants to continue to establish itself as an attractive employer on the labour market and meet the expectations of employees in the areas that are important to them. Swissgrid’s internal development prospects are identified by means of career planning for senior and specialist managers, and measures are implemented via succession planning.
- Fit for Future: Implementing the company’s strategy will require new skills, some of which are not yet available in the organisation to the extent required. Competency management is used to define the required skills and develop them where necessary. Last but not least, the digital transformation and the associated pressure to innovate are increasingly demanding and promoting agile, self-organised and highly customer-oriented working principles.
- Future of Work: The changing demands that are placed on today’s working environment must be taken into account. The company aims to achieve a flat hierarchy and to streamline processes. This type of decentralised self-management and organisation is reflected in the participation of employees in the decision-making process.
Swissgrid promotes a working atmosphere in which all employees feel comfortable and can develop their skills.
These approaches will help Swissgrid to reduce the risks associated with the recruitment, retention and development of employees. Swissgrid considers the lack of suitable specialists to be the greatest risk. The struggle to find employees with the necessary expertise and qualifications will become even more acute in a labour market suffering from a shortage of skilled workers. In addition to the measures mentioned above, Swissgrid is therefore increasingly focusing on the training and further education of talented young employees. It is also important to respond appropriately and rapidly to the latest trends in the world of work. The original understanding of work as simply earning a living is becoming increasingly outdated: traditional principles are being replaced by new ones, such as «meaningfulness». The working methods of the future will also feature a high degree of virtualisation of working equipment, networking of people and stronger cooperation, combined with greater flexibility of employees’ places of work, working times and job content.
Swissgrid employees
As at 31 December 2023, 853 people were employed by Swissgrid (180 women and 673 men). Compared to the 2022 reporting year, the number of employees has increased by 16%. The reasons for this growth include Swissgrid’s additional areas of responsibility in accordance with the Winter Reserve Ordinance, which came into force in February 2023, the internalisation of functions previously performed by external service providers (particularly in the Grid Infrastructure business area), the strengthening of critical functions to reduce the risk of failure (particularly in the System Operations business area) and the company’s increasing need for digitalisation and innovation.
| Swissgrid employees 2023 | Women | Men | Total | Percentage |
| Total internal employees1 | 180 | 673 | 853 | 100% |
| Full-time employees | 93 | 555 | 648 | 76% |
| Part-time employees | 87 | 118 | 205 | 24% |
| Permanent employees | 161 | 622 | 783 | 92% |
| Temporary employees2 | 18 | 41 | 59 | 7% |
| Without guaranteed working hours3 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 1% |
| < 30 years | 34 | 81 | 115 | 13% |
| 30–50 years | 122 | 397 | 519 | 61% |
| > 50 years | 24 | 195 | 219 | 26% |
| Executive Board | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1% |
| Managers excl. Executive Board | 13 | 99 | 112 | 13% |
| Employees without a management function | 149 | 532 | 681 | 80% |
| Employees in training or paid by the hour | 16 | 39 | 55 | 6% |
| Total external employees1 | 124 | 585 | 709 | 100% |
| Contracts via staff leasing companies4 | 11 | 56 | 67 | 9% |
| Contracts via service providers4 | 113 | 529 | 642 | 91% |
Measures to attract talent
- Employer Branding: Swissgrid presented itself as a progressive employer on various platforms – for example on its website with videos of its employees.
- Training: Swissgrid offers various apprenticeships, such as computer scientist with a federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) specialising in platform development, digital business developer EFZ or commercial clerk EFZ.
- National Future Day: As part of National Future Day, the company invites schoolchildren to watch their parents or relatives at work for a day and discover their daily routine.
- Attractive employer: In the 2023 Swiss Universum survey of the most attractive employers, conducted 10,870 students, Swissgrid was ranked 28th in the «Engineering» category (previous year: 24th).
- New employees and employee turnover: In 2023, Swissgrid was able to recruit 159 new employees, while 58 employees left the company. This includes nine departures due to retirement and shows that the company has grown in line with its Strategy 2027.
Measures to retain and develop talent
- Fair remuneration: Swissgrid offers employees market-based, fair and industry-standard remuneration.
- Insurance benefits: The benefits Swissgrid provides to its employees as stipulated in the employment regulations are the same for all levels of employment.
- Pension plans: Swissgrid is affiliated with the PKE Vorsorgestiftung Energie pension fund.
| Pension provision at Swissgrid | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover ratio of PKE Vorsorgestiftung Energie as at 31.12.2023 | 113,9% | 107,7% | 125,2% |
| Swissgrid risk contributions | 0,24% | 0,24% | 0,24% |
| Employee risk contributions | 0,16% | 0,16% | 0,16% |
| Swissgrid savings contributions (% of the insured salary) | 7,2–22,7% | 7,2–22,7% | 7,2–22,7% |
| Employee savings contributions (% of the insured salary) | 4,8–10,3% | 4,8–10,3% | 4,8–10,3% |
| Additional voluntary savings contributions by employees (% of the insured salary) | 2–4% | 2–4% | 2–4% |
- Flexible working models: In 2023 around a quarter of Swissgrid employees worked part-time.
- Good work: Swissgrid creates an attractive working environment: this includes key elements such as an appreciative corporate culture with a high degree of self-organisation, and flexible project.
- Skills management: Skills assessments were carried out for 30% of employees.
- Internal recruitment for management positions: In 2023, 57% of the management positions to be recruited were filled internally.
- Regular performances appraisals: All employees with a permanent employment contract with Swissgrid receive regular performance appraisals.
- Staffing of key functions: Key functions were also identified for the first time in 2023. Swissgrid endeavours to spread the expertise needed for these functions across the company at an early stage.
- Active involvement of employees: Swissgrid uses its Ideas Forum to better integrate the needs its employees.
- Transititon arrangements: Swissgrid offers its employees early preparation for retirement.
- Collective agreements and staff representation: The interests of employees are safeguarded by seven staff representatives who are elected by the employees.
- Employee satisfaction: Swissgrid is interested in what its existing employees think of it as a company. Swissgrid therefore conducts employee surveys every two years.
Measures for training and further education
- Onboarding for new employees: For Swissgrid employees, training begins when they join the company.
- Training with a strategic focus: In 2023, Swissgrid launched the Innovation Days 2023 and also organised the mandatory Safety & Security Days for the second time.
- Train-the-Trainer programme: The quality of internal training and development is ensured through systematic feedback management and reviews.
- New training programme: Online training courses focusing on soft skills, health, digital skills and communication.
- Swissgrid promotes the languages skills of its employees: In 2023, 62 people attended a language course in German, 85 in French, 29 in English and 16 in Italian.
- External training and further education opportunities: In 2023, 31 employees completed further training at universities of applied sciences or universities.
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