…WFH is a new order that has come to stay and the industry has to live with it.
-Olufunke Afolami
Before Covid-19 the oil and gas industry was synonymous with working physically in the workplace. Those involved in onshore and offshore went to the field for exploration activities while administrative staff worked at the head offices for smooth running of the organisation. Hybrid or Working From Home (WFH) was alien to oil and gas workers which was introduced to the industry due to Covid-19 for health and safety measures hence the new order has become a culture that must be imbibed in the industry.
The Centre for Petroleum Information (CPI) recently had its Industry Public Symposium (IPS-XVII) on the theme: Has Oil & Gas Industry fully embraced WFH Culture? Chairman of the symposium, Dr. Emmanuel Imafidon, was of the view that the question presupposes that work from home culture is a permissive phenomenon and perhaps the thought should be on when oil and gas organisations will embrace it. The assumption is largely correct that it is permissive, given the huge and sudden off take in work from home practice as triggered by the pandemic which stakeholders are aware of.
Dr. Imafidon noted that present situation in the oil and industry, affirmed that no other episode in human and modern history has been involved in such a pronounced and widespread shift in working arrangements within a short frame. “Taking a look at industrial revolution for example, and shifts away from factory jobs that was orchestrated by the revolution. “Therefore, skill requirements and business operations that came as a result of the situation, but all of that unfolded over several decades, but this phenomenon of working from home just came with a bang and coming from an angle of not having a choice.”
This new order has come to stay and the industry has to live with it. According to survey on a worldwide basis, 67% full time employees work five days per week. This was a survey throughout the entire world, citizens work five days per week and 26% is hybrid arrangements, which is a combination of both working from home and zero coming to office.
Notwithstanding, there has also been a push for return to office conundrum. “Some employees want to return to the office because they were tired working from home. The point is that most employers have agreed that hybrid work is the best way forward. Global employers with regional talent markets should pay attention particularly to the upstream sector of gas.”
Research also suggests that employers must pay close attention to demographic and regional differences when making decisions about Hybrid. Many women are more interested in WFH.
The oil and gas industry had to contend with pandemic issues, including WFH pressures.
Expressing his views about WFH, Secretary of CPI, Victor Eromosele, disclosed that since the emergence of COVID in Nigeria and across the world, never in his career in the industry for more than two decades, at any point in time was part time working from home, part of the oil and gas industry. “You must be on your desk at all times but today is different.” Nigeria has found itself in a new world order.
Mrs. Azuka Eluchie, posited that remote work is performing job duties outside of the office using technology to communicate with colleagues, allowing for flexibility in choosing work location as long as requirements are met.
On his part, Peter Ogheneovo Odjoji, who once worked with Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG), said in the pandemic era that employees who performed critical and essential duties allowed into offices had health and safety as uppermost.
Companies like NLNG provided financial and in-kind support for set up of home offices while employees worked from anywhere, compressed working hours, option of physical presence in office, virtual and online.
Benefits of WFH
Odjoji explained that there are some benefits of WFH which include improved work-life balance and harmony in family. There is empowerment of employees to deliver results, higher productivity and job satisfaction with talent retention and global resourcing of talents. WFH improves employee digital skills.
Downside and Challenges of WFH
There is pressure on salaries and loss of staff with stress of taking up dual career jobs, distractions and inability to separate work from personal life, socialisation, isolation and mental health.
Lack of collaboration and communication barriers across departments, maintaining work culture and onboarding.
Address challenges using reliable technology, track productivity through feedbacks, documentation and virtual meetings.
KPMG survey
Odjoji emphasizes on KPMG survey that 80% Americans to reject jobs without flexible working periods.
The survey disclosed that 79% said WFH increased their productivity while $7+ trillion to be invested to make work digital.
Besides, 50% increase in WFH gives savings of $11,000 per employee annually.
WFH determine jobs to be done from home, remotely, in the office or Hybrid.
It emplaces remote work policies in areas of tools and equipment, performance expectations, work benefits, safe work environment, security of company data and network security.
WFH has come to stay in oil and gas industry since it easily adapts to new technology. The new work order is in place and companies must take steps to reap the benefits.
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