STX Next: Tech Firms Must Help Employees and Themselves in Energy Crisis
Employers have a responsibility to ensure that their workers feel cared for. When employees feel appreciated, though, they often perform their finest work. In light of the present energy crisis, STX Next examines what businesses can do to guarantee that their employees feel capable of handling the situation.
STX Next is a European software company specialising in the design and development of Python-based digital solutions. Since 2005, the firm has collaborated with approximately 500 individuals via eight locations across Poland.
Maciej Dziergwa, CEO of STX Next, discussed to The Fintech Times why firms must make additional efforts to care for their workers at this difficult period.
Families and people across Europe and beyond are coping with a once-in-a-generation energy crisis in the wake of the epidemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Cornwall Insights has estimated that the energy limit would grow to over £4,200 by January 2023, an increase of £650 compared to its first projection made just a few months earlier. Many families will find themselves unable to heat their houses without aid as a result of the substantial price increases.
While it is commendable that enterprises in the technology sector are taking measures to preserve their organisations’ future, they may do more to assist their workers during this period of economic difficulty.
This is the best moment for firms to expand their support for employee wellness in the workplace, since they should already be doing so. By providing security for all employees and assisting them in escaping the energy crisis uninjured, technology companies may help alleviate the stress created by economic issues.
In exchange, companies will get a loyal and devoted staff, boosted by the knowledge that their employer has their best interests in mind.
Think Beyond Monetary Remedies
In the near term, technology businesses are implementing a variety of initiatives to cut their energy use. These include the installation of current lighting solutions, such as motion sensors and timers, and the expansion of green workplace practises, such as green coding. However, efforts should be made to assist workers on a personal level, especially those who continue to work from home often.
Some companies have provided wage increases or one-time incentives to workers to assist them in coping with increasing expenses and the effects of soaring inflation. Helping workers establish more lasting energy-saving practises will guarantee that they emerge from the current crisis in the best possible condition.
In the short term, this entails giving employees with detailed instructions on how to reduce their energy use at home without negatively harming their health. In light of the fact that the emergence of remote and hybrid working has offered companies more energy cost flexibility than before the epidemic, executives should choose how to provide this freedom to their workers.
Businesses should consider the ways they apply in the workplace to reduce energy consumption and devote some time to determining how the same concepts might be implemented in the home. In addition, measures such as cycle-to-work programmes or the simple provision of bicycle parking at the office will guarantee that workers spend less on gasoline when they are not working from home.
Consider The Future
Long-term, it is essential to set an example and completely commit to sustainability and decarbonization programmes, the success of which depends in some manner on energy efficiency. Sustainable businesses may motivate their workers to make more energy-aware choices at home, which will yield significant advantages throughout the current energy crisis and any future ones.
To make significant progress in energy efficiency, technological firms should evaluate the possibilities of AI and machine learning. An antiquated strategy to lowering energy use will simply increase inefficiency, but investing in technology to improve sustainability will offer financial returns in the future.
Utilizing data, AI, and machine learning may be essential in finding energy-wasting regions and devising solutions. As said before, everything you learn throughout this process may be turned into home-based advise for remote employees.
There is no purpose in gathering this information if it is not used, and any weaknesses this technology reveals must be addressed immediately. Every day that inefficiencies remain unaddressed is a loss for the organisation and its people, thus IT businesses must be prepared to act as soon as a problem occurs.
In a circumstance like this, every little bit helps, therefore being willing to go outside the box in order to assist your staff will pay off.
Protect Your Employees At All Costs
As employees are the lifeblood of any technological firm, they should be first in the thoughts of corporate decision-makers as the energy crisis intensifies. Technology executives must have empathy for employees at all levels of seniority, making an effort to comprehend and handle the financial difficulties that will result from further cost of living rises.
In addition, long-term measures implemented to assist personnel will have a favourable effect on the sustainability of technological organisations, allowing them to function more effectively. Supporting employees during the energy crisis is mutually advantageous, thus firms cannot justify abandoning their employees.
