People
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GUIDING PRINCIPLE: To be the top employer for generations and to use exceptional teamwork to engage all employees. Like other employers faced with an aging workforce and a competitive external labour market, we continued to place a high priority on the attraction and retention of employees in fiscal 2009. The global economic slowdown started to ease some of the pressures of the skilled labour shortages we have experienced in previous years. Our rate of attrition also slowed as the year progressed and this facilitated the retention of some of our experienced workers to assist with the mentoring, training and knowledge transfer from their roles to newer employees. However, our retirement eligibility remains a moderate concern with 25 per cent of our current workforce eligible to retire within the next five years. Over the last five years, we've increased our representation of both women (by 20 per cent) and visible minorities (by 40 per cent) working at BC Hydro. The make up of our workplace is changing and growing younger - just over 40 per cent of our workforce is made up of those born since 1964, but those born since 1981 make up the fastest growing segment of our workforce. However, with over a third of our workforce having less than two years of service and half with less than five years, our company is undergoing a significant demographic transformation. This has required a balance of leveraging and retaining the skills and experience of our legacy workforce with the effective onboarding, leadership development and job-related training of our newer staff to ensure they have the tools, skills and support to perform well in their roles. Strategies in the 2008/09-2010/11 Service Plan: In last year’s Service Plan, we stated we would:
The following changes have been made in this fiscal year: we now attract talent by hiring for critical roles in advance of retirements to facilitate knowledge transfer and we leverage not only the Employee Referral Program but also more extensive employee networks for referrals. In fiscal 2009 , we focussed on a variety of programs and initiatives to source, develop and retain our workforce talent:
Vacancy Rate
Vacancy Rate is a high level indicator of an organization’s people management, which includes its reputation and competitiveness as an employer, level of employee engagement, staff turnover and the effectiveness of workforce planning and recruitment processes. The vacancy rate is subject to considerable variation based on factors such as organizational growth, internal personnel movement, employee demographics and external market conditions. As such, it must be interpreted within the context of the timeframe being measured. Vacancy Rate is calculated as a percentage of the number of vacancies in progress (replacement or additional positions actively being recruited internally and externally) to the sum of BC Hydro’s headcount plus the number of vacancies in progress (less seasonal roles). The year-end result is calculated by averaging the month end rates at the end of each quarter. Organization and skill developmentThis year we focused on refreshing and updating our industry-recognized leadership development programs. In fiscal 2009, nearly 500 employees participated in our leadership programs, bringing the total to close to 2,000 employees since we introduced the first program in 2005. In the continuous development of our future workforce in critical roles across the company, we maintained our successful trainee programs for Managers and Professionals in Development, Engineers in Training, Graduate Technologists in Training, Managers in Training, as well as our Student Co-op, Apprenticeship and Trades Trainee programs. Employee Engagement
BC Hydro conducts an employee survey on a yearly basis to measure overall engagement levels within our workforce based on questions related to motivation, resources, alignment and capability. The level of employee engagement is indicative of both employee satisfaction and productivity across the company. The increase in the employee engagement score from 3.32 in fiscal 2008 aligns with the additional focus on having enough people, managing performance well, explaining BC Hydro’s decisions and building teamwork across business groups. The number of employees participating in the survey also increased significantly from 66% in fiscal 2008 to 83% this year. Benchmark Performance - BC Hydro compares its engagement results to those published by WorkCanada for the Energy/Utilities industry sector. BC Hydro’s employees had a 10 per cent higher favorable response ratio when compared the WorkCanada Energy/Utilities index on similar questions (BC Hydro 69.5 per cent vs. industry index 59.9 per cent).
First NationsThis was a pivotal year for BC Hydro in its efforts to foster relationships with aboriginal people in B.C. and to build a foundation for sustainable, long-term relationships with our aboriginal partners and neighbours. The BC Court of Appeal provided greater clarity around the role of the BCUC in assessing the adequacy of First Nations consultation. We will continue to work to ensure that the honour of the Crown, including the duty to consult with First Nations, is upheld. BC Hydro concluded an agreement with the Kwadacha First Nation and initialled an agreement with the Tsay Keh Dene First Nation to address the historic social, economic and environmental impacts that the construction and operation of our Peace region facilities had on their communities. We underwent an external evaluation of our aboriginal relations initiatives under the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and were awarded a Silver designation under their Progressive Aboriginal Relations program. As the first utility company in Canada to participate in this program, this recognition confirms that our strategy to ensure lasting benefits to the aboriginal communities in which we work is effective. For example, we were recognized for our innovative approach to relationship management through the development of Key Account Managers for First Nations communities, similar to the model used with major commercial and industrial customers. We continue to consult with First Nations to understand and mitigate project impacts, and provide accommodation where appropriate. BC Hydro continues to build strategic relationships with other organizations to promote aboriginal economic development, wellness, youth sport and leadership. At the Business Council of B.C.’s Corporate Social Responsibility Summit last fall, we shared how our aboriginal relations initiatives were aligned with the company’s long term goals. We announced our partnership with Roots of Empathy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching emotional capacity and empathy in children, and have committed to support this program in interested aboriginal communities with which we work.
We were honoured to be a founding sponsor of the 2008 North American Indigenous Games and its legacy program to promote aboriginal youth sport in B.C., and a founding sponsor of the B.C. Aboriginal Business Awards, a celebration the achievements of aboriginal businesses in B.C. We continue to support the Minerva Foundation’s work to empower Aboriginal women and promote cross-cultural communication. Our Aboriginal Procurement Strategy is fully implemented, and provides economic opportunities to aboriginal businesses. BC Hydro also exceeded our annual targets to hire aboriginal employees under our Aboriginal Employment and Education Strategy. Community relationsKeeping communities informed of our activities is integral to BC Hydro’s business. We encourage a two-way communication culture within the communities we serve to ensure that BC Hydro is regarded as a good corporate citizen. We recognize the importance of our interaction with community leaders both individually and collectively. As such, our ongoing support of local government initiatives carries through to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities conference and five other regional municipal conferences held throughout the province each year. Before we embark on major capital investments in our aging infrastructure or perform system resiliency improvements, we involve those stakeholders and First Nations who may be affected in the decision-making process. Emergency planning meetings with communities ensure that BC Hydro and local government are prepared prior to emergency situations. In fiscal 2009, we worked with local authorities prior to potential flood situations so that we knew the location of their critical infrastructure, such as pump houses, in the event we needed to turn off electricity for safety considerations. StakeholdersJust as with the communities we serve, BC Hydro continued to engage with a variety of stakeholders in fiscal 2009. We built on several key initiatives including such regulatory topics as the Long Term Acquisition Plan to ensure our business is sustainable for generations to come. The Electricity Conservation and Efficiency Advisory Committee (ECE) was established in late 2006. This group of external stakeholders provides input and advice on BC Hydro's conservation and efficiency initiatives. BC Hydro continued to engage principal stakeholders on rate design processes through the Rates Working Group initiative. In fiscal 2009, stakeholders from all sectors, in addition to approximately 700 First Nations and Independent Power Producers, participated in 10 information sessions and workshops related to BC Hydro’s Calls for Power. Community investmentBC Hydro’s Community Investment and Outreach department supports, educates and strengthens communities by providing:
Donations and Sponsorships Community-based, non-profit organizations and registered charities may apply for donations and sponsorships through our online application system. To qualify for funding, projects must support BC Hydro’s long-term energy conservation goals and fall into one of four funding areas: environment and sustainability, youth and education, people and leadership, and community initiatives. We give preference to initiatives that support Power Smart programs, engage and support the Aboriginal Peoples of B.C., and allow for onsite customer education and interaction. Over the past fiscal year, we received more than 1,000 requests for donations or sponsorships, and funded over 550 community-based projects across every region of the province. In total, we invested $1.2 million in donations and $1.6 million in sponsorships. We awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships and endowments to students who are leaders and role models in their schools and communities. We also support the BC Hydro Employees Community Services (HYDRECS) Fund, an employee-and-retiree managed fund that supports Canadian charities in the health and social services sector, and the BC Hydro Power Pioneers Association, a group of nearly 5,000 BC Hydro retirees who donate their time to local and provincial charities and service clubs. Corporate/regional donations
Corporate and Regional Donations are monetary grants, sponsorships or in-kind contributions provided by BC Hydro to registered charities or not-for-profit organizations to support cultural, social and economic well-being in communities around the province of British Columbia. *Arts and Culture, and Aboriginal were considered a separate category in the past, but since fiscal 2007 and going forward, these allocations have been integrated into the main funding areas. **For fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2009, the People and Leadership funding and Community Investment funding areas are reported together. The drop in Education between fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2009 is due to moving one donation from Education to People and Leadership. For fiscal 2009 donation initiatives were planned to have a stronger customer focus that included marketing and leveraging opportunities similar to sponsorships. Employees’ and Retirees’ Social Commitment HYDRECS is an employee-and retiree-managed fund that supports Canadian charities in the health and social services sector. Employees and retirees made donations to approximately 600 charities through the fund. Total contributions made by employees and retirees for fiscal 2009 were $0.9 million. Additional support for local charities is provided through the organization’s Community Growth and Relationship Funds. Community Outreach This year marks the tenth anniversary of BC Hydro’s Community Outreach efforts, celebrating conservation and providing more than 1,000 career opportunities for representatives throughout the province to date. Community Outreach consists of teams in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Interior and Northern B.C. promoting energy conservation with a “Join Team Power Smart” message at each event. Last year, Outreach representatives attended more than 2,000 community and Power Smart events, more than 2,400 Product Incentive Program (PIP) walk-throughs, and connected with more than 505,000 customers. Throughout the year, Community Outreach representatives activated 135 BC Hydro sponsorships, 238 Retail events, and attended 330 community events, educating over 290,000 people and earning more than 2,700 media hits through radio remotes, public service announcements and, print and television interviews and stories.
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Lyle Viereck, Director of Aboriginal Relations and Negotiations, holding the Seeds of Empathy baby, at BC Hydro’s announcement of its involvement with Roots of Empathy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching emotional capacity and empathy in children.
The BC Hydro Managers and Professionals in Development (MPID) program builds a diverse talent pool of future organizational leaders. The MPID program provides exceptionally talented individuals with two years of rotation experience across the company where they are expected to learn, add value and provide leadership. The MPIDs from 2008/2009 met with Bob Elton, President and CEO, during a training session in Vancouver. 
In this photo, a BC Hydro crew installs Power Smart lighting over two Chemainus First Nation soccer fields. This provides bright, safe lighting for community recreation and saves energy by using 54 per cent less energy than the standard lighting used on sports fields. The field is now so popular the First Nation reports they have to do additional maintenance so the field can handle the high demand.
An Outreach representative educates youth in the Okanagan. In the past 10 years, BC Hydro representatives have attended more than 15,000 events throughout B.C. during this time. The program has also changed names – YES team, youth team, Power Smart Outreach, BC Hydro Outreach – but their purpose has always been the same: to be BC Hydro ambassadors in the communities we serve.Last Modified: Dec 2, 2011
