Nearly half, or 43%, of workers worldwide are considering leaving the energy industry within the next five years, according to a survey from Brunel and Oilandgasjobsearch.com.

The survey of nearly 17,000 global energy-industry companies, recruiters and workers, found that the top reasons cited when considering an exit include low salary (25%), lack of good benefits (25%) and lack of personal development opportunities (18%).

When asked about the biggest challenge the industry is facing, 31% of recruiters said the ageing workforce and skills shortages. They said the key cause of skills shortages is inadequate succession planning for knowledge transfer and skills retention (39%), followed by the loss of expertise due to an ageing workforce (36%), and education & training (34%).

From an environmental viewpoint, the biggest challenge is the reduced demand for Oil and Gas due to increasing interest in renewables and alternative energies (34%). At the same time, workers in the Oil and Gas sector are less confident in finding work than they were last year, with 75% saying they are extremely-to-moderately confident, compared to 81% last year.

Of those polled, 40% lost a job due to Covid-19 in 2020 or 2021, with women 10% more likely to lose their job than men. Among those who lost jobs in 2021, 59% said they received no assistance, compared to 44% who lost jobs in 2020.

Last year, 57.6% of workers said that another pandemic like Covid-19 would cause them to seek new employment. This year, however, 55% said the same, suggesting that workers are starting to feel more positive about their future in the industry.

“Global lockdowns have enabled many workers and employers to experience a new way of working, whether it be through hybrid working, the way we engage, recognise and communicate with our teams,” Christine Anderson, Head of Global HR – Brunel, said. “For most organisations it has “fast tracked” the voice of the employee around flexible working and employers now realise they need to remain agile to ensure the balance between employee engagement and driving organisational performance. As we continue to evolve through Covid-19, attracting and retaining talent will mean companies need to continue to adjust their employee value proposition to remain competitive and more connected to their workforce.”

The report also found that discrimination is a key issue in the industry. A third, or 31%, of energy workers say they have personally been the target of workplace discrimination. The majority, or 76%, of energy workers say their company doesn't provide a clear way to report discrimination.

"Today as the world evolves, what we knew as "normal" has changed dramatically" said Jilko Andringa, CEO of Brunel International. "Advances in science and technology are all responsible for the acceleration of progress, significantly increasing energy efficiency, re-defining the energy transition and driving ground-breaking ideas that will power the globe in the future. Perfect timing for the future generations of specialists who are considering entering the industry."