February Newsletter

Overcoming burnout, shortages and undertrained teams

As we pop our heads out of our rabbit warrens post covid lockdowns, we look nervously around and see a market that is flying, resource shortages, burnt-out managers and undertrained technical teams. Coupled with this is often the delusion that remote management is effective for training and mentoring the next generation of engineers and scientists. It is a harrowing time for management as we attempt to reset the machine. While the Aussie norm is to say “she’ll be right”, now is the time to be proactive to ensure we come into our covid-normal workplaces better than before.

To this end, HydroTerra has recently been reaching out to consulting engineering practices. Resoundingly, we have heard them say “We have not been able to effectively train out people over the past two years.” So, HydroTerra has ramped up our focus on assisting these organisations with training in monitoring methods, providing trained field data collection personnel, streamlined field monitoring and reporting software, and modular telemetered monitoring equipment (rental) with turn-key data reporting services.

To address the current skill shortages, we need to work together and look for efficiencies. Technology and exceptional training will certainly help with this challenge. HydroTerra is contributing on this front by focusing our monthly 101 Webinars on the fundamentals of equipment selection, deployment and use and monitoring methods. We start next Friday by delivering a 101 Training Webinar titled “Low flow pneumatic pump selection for your groundwater sampling application.”

Richard