Working in the COVID-19 period

As a network operator, we are responsible for supplying energy to 2.9 million households and businesses. Our activities are part of the vital infrastructure in the Netherlands, The Dutch government announced or reviewed various measures to combat COVID-19 in 2021. It was important for us and our customers that our primary activities, such as dealing with malfunctions and critical maintenance, could continue as effectively as possible.

We are aware that working in accordance with the measures asked a lot of our employees. In March, June and November, employees took part in a survey about their well-being during the pandemic. It revealed that colleagues had become accustomed to the situation at work and were satisfied with the cooperation and with the performance their work. The feeling of connection with their team and the organisation appears to have been restored.

Hybrid working

The challenges of the energy transition require a different way of working. Productivity needs to increase and we will have to plan our time more efficiently to leave more time to do the work. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how agile we already are. We can work separately and yet together in a single online environment. However, we have also noticed that in-person contact is sometimes essential to be able to do our work well. Hybrid working combines the best of both worlds. At Alliander we work together in person when that is necessary and online where possible. The nature of the work and social cohesion are the determining factors.

Online work can be done anywhere and colleagues do so where they feel most comfortable and can work most efficiently: in the office, at home or at an external location. Teams jointly look for the right balance between online and face-to-face cooperation.