Human Resource Management at RWE

This paper evolved during the course Human Resource Management (EBC 2026) at Maastricht University. Throughout the course students are aimed to learn the basic concepts of human resource management by reporting both theory and practice. The first important logic of human resource management is that it is not just a supporting activity in Porter ¿s generic value chain, but can also be strategic and a source of competitive advantage if understood and managed well. Many companies face increasing challenges, but also opportunities in managing their human resource base. This paper exclusively gives an assessment on how RWE, one of Europe's largest electricity and gas companies, is managing these challenges and opportunities and provides an assessment what human resource theory suggest on how to manage these challenges and opportunities. It focuses its analysis on two aspects, one weakness and one threat of RWE. The weakness is an aging workforce with no younger skilled replacements in sight (Appendix 9.1). The threat is an industry paradigm towards a more sustainable energy production changing the rules of how energy business is done (Appendix 9.2). Consequently, the central question in this paper is how RWE secures its survival with the help of HRM after the secular change in energy policy worldwide and an aging workforce.
First, the paper explains the business model, the strategy and intentions to grow earnings in the future of RWE. Second, it elaborates on how RWE ¿s human resource management approach has been supportive to the business model and strategy. Third, it addresses different human resource configurations and assesses their usefulness for RWE. Fourth, it analyzes how specific human resource functions of recruiting, staffing and knowledge management contribute to the success of RWE. Finally, it gives a recommendation of how to mitigate the weakness of an aging workforce and how to develop a human resource opportunity out of the threat of a changing energy industry...