CEZ: We could operate with half the number of employees

The distribution infrastructure, which lacks adequate technical equipment, is helping to keep around 3,000 employees of the former Electrica Oltenia power distributor (controlled by the Czech energy group CEZ) in their positions. “We would manage with 1,500 employees (half of the total personnel employed in one of the four companies broken off from Electrica Oltenia) if we had the adequate technical equipment. For the time being, we cannot afford that. In the other countries in which we operate, everything is automated. It is not necessary for several electricians to start a device in order for a problem to be solved. One pushes a button, and problems are solved,” says Frantisek Rerucha (photo), manager of shared services of CEZ Romania. The services division coordinated by Rerucha also includes the human resources department. Although last year CEZ did not make massive layoffs (the number of employees remained constant), this year approximately 100 employees will leave the company, with the trend to continue over the next few years. All state companies involved in a privatisation process have experienced a restructuring programme, because the new shareholders are not willing to acquire oversized companies and leave them unchanged, running the risk of annual losses. “In terms of productivity per employee, in Romania results are four times lower than the ones seen by CEZ at a group level. However, this is not necessarily the most adequate comparison, since CEZ started the unboundling process (separating distribution from supply) five years ago. In Romania, this has only been happening for the last few months,” explained the CEZ Romania representative.