Social distancing has accelerated the digitalization of learning experiences, in programs that encourage the employees to be protagonists of their own careers​

The world is changing faster and faster with technological advances, and these changes lead to the need for professionals with a high capacity for innovation. Fostering the development of skills for the new realities, through learning experiences that respect and encourage experiences of each professional has been one of the development assumptions by Neoenergia. The objective is to encourage employees to be protagonists of in their own careers; for this reason, the company invests in diversified solutions for the training its talents, such as webinars, online courses and the use of game platforms. The digitalization of these programs was accelerated in 2020, when about 90% of the 797 thousand hours of training offered took place in virtual formats, due to Covid-19 pandemic. The outlook for the future is to stay focused on online journeys.

“One of the biggest lessons of 2020 is that we have no limits for learning and there is no single delimited format. We see the learning journey as something constant and that goes far beyond a classroom. Personal and professional development is a reflection of how well we have been able to retain and apply knowledge in our lives and within the organization. By strengthening and sustaining the concepts and methodologies of continuous learning and promoting experiences that stimulate the role of the employee, the company aims to grow more and more and always be prepared for the challenges of the future", says Neoenergia's superintendent of Organizational Development and Culture, Régia Barbosa.

Among the digitalized training in recent years, the company offers online language courses to all of its approximately 12 thousand employees, with classes in English, Spanish and French. In addition, training programs are provided for specific areas of expertise or the development of general competencies. Creativity and mindfulness are some of the topics covered, in a dialogue with trends outside the virtual world. This year, activities will be offered on themes such as agile methodologies, diversity and unconscious biases, for example.

With the strategy of diversifying forms of learning, the company uses other tools to disseminate information and stimulate the development of professionals. The sending of knowledge pills via WhatsApp, through the WhatsNeo initiative is an example. In other actions, gamification platforms have already been used, including quizzes and surveys, such as in the Cybersecurity Week, held in September last year, in a partnership with Hackers Hangers platform to promote the culture of information security through games.

The sharing of experiences and practice are also important ways of learning. In 2020, training activities were promoted for over 100 employees of the company who are already acting as multipliers of knowledge. Last year, Neoenergia also created the Desenvolts program, which featured five webinars on the energy business in Brazil held through videoconference by the company's leadership, as a way to show in practice how business works. All initiatives include activities scheduled to continue throughout 2021.

“We seek to think on the learning process as a whole, with more organic solutions and a focus on practice. At a time when different professional activities are becoming more and more automatic, it is important to stimulate essentially human functions, such as creativity and critical thinking. This is an opportunity to work on activities and behavioral skills that match the digital evolution, which is a differential from now on and showcases that we are a connected company that anticipates market trends and demands", says e Neoenergia's Training manager, Christiane Tavares.

Projects extend to the whole company

The culture of learning based on the mu​ltiplication of knowledge is part of the company. An example was the holding of lectures and online webinars on content related to the topic of climate change for employees, in 2020. The initiative started with a pilot ​​project​, pioneer in the Brazilian electricity sector: the development and application of a climate risk assessment methodology at Termopernambuco plant (Termope). In addition to providing guidance on adapting to climate risk for the company's business, the project also included in-company training events, taught by full professors at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and researchers at the Centro Clima, linked to to the university's Energy Research Program (PPE/COPPE/UFRJ).

Professor Emilio La Rovere, a global reference in climate change research, chaired three lectures on global climate change, risks and opportunities for the energy sector and carbon pricing for the electricity sector. Webinars were also promoted with other scientists on climate risk management, hydrodynamic analysis and climate scenarios.

“Training events aimed to promote the theme of climate resilience, which is very important for the energy market in the current scenario, and to create a critical mass for the performance in our business and corporate areas. After Termope, other company businesses in renewables, transmission and distribution will host projects to adapt to climate risk, evidencing the importance of training the entire company on the topic ", says Adriana Nascentes, specialist at the Superintendence of Innovation, Sustainability, Quality and Environment of Neoenergia.

After the events, videos and presentations were published on the Global E-learning Platform (GEP), one of the tools used by the company, which provides classes and courses offered worldwide to all professionals of Iberdrola group, Neoenergia's controlling shareholder. The tool allows access through computer or cell phone to content on various areas relevant to the career and the company, such as technology and sustainability. Thus, employees are able to explore the materials at the times and at the pace most appropriate to their reality, as a way of encouraging them to be protagonists of their own career.