Santee Cooper’s Human Resources team had an exciting and productive 2023. To create a more functional, engaged, rewarding and safe workforce, the team implemented several initiatives to help create a stronger company. From improving existing processes to creating new ways to interact, the following are just a few examples of the innovative efforts we’ve made to help support and celebrate all of our Santee Cooper teammates.
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Do Something That Matters: After research was conducted to learn what current and potential Santee Cooper team members prefer in a workplace, knowing that they are doing something that matters each and every day ranked high on this list. The goal of “Do Something That Matters” is to shift the culture to focus more on why each position – and person – within the utility matters to the success of Santee Cooper. Human Resources and the Do Something That Matters committee, which includes members of Corporate Print and Mail, Corporate Communications and Technology Services, used this initiative to develop ways to better highlight and celebrate successes, and the team members who achieved them.
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Employee Engagement App: Human Resources worked with Technology Services and Corporate Communications to create Santee Cooper’s new app – The Coop. The Coop provides teammates, especially the approximately 60% who work in the field, a place to engage with each other, share feedback and opinions, read and comment on news and announcements, send recognition, and view accomplishments, regardless of work location.
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Santee Cooper Safety Manual: To highlight the utility’s focus on safety and help ensure employees maintain a safe workplace, the Occupational Safety and Health team created Santee Cooper’s first official safety manual, which creates a more tailored approach for how we work. The new manual replaced the existing American Public Power Association manual the company had been utilizing.
Other actions in 2023 included updating the Employee Resource Guide and critical HR-related policies, initiating processes for identification and selection of the Human Resources system, reevaluating the compensation philosophy and its corresponding processes, and conducting gap analysis for performance management.
All of these activities help Santee Cooper take better care of our team by increasing productivity and decreasing attrition.