Basin Electric’s team of employees is the most critical component and a competitive advantage to Basin Electric’s success, which is why it is important they thrive in their work environment.

The world has changed quickly in the last five years, and the work employees are doing today may be different from what they will be doing five years from now.

From an organizational development perspective, strategic modernization to meet employees where they are with the service and accessibility best suited was Basin Electric’s direction in 2023 and going forward. Strategic modernization is a focus within Human Resources, which included implementing new processes and efficiencies to improve the employee experience. In the coming years, Basin Electric plans to continue the modernization efforts by identifying areas of opportunity and implementing best-practice solutions to best serve the cooperative and achieve our strategic objectives.

People Strategy

Inspiring an engaged workforce is a top priority for Basin Electric. The cooperative has a renewed focus on leadership development to include both our current and future leaders.

The Human Resources team launched the Gallup Employee Engagement Survey in 2023 to gather baseline data to determine the level of engagement throughout the entire workforce. Across all facilities, 80% of employees completed the survey, indicating they want their voices to be heard. The results of the survey were compiled and analyzed by Gallup, and action plans were developed by leaders targeting areas to optimize employee engagement within their teams. The Human Resources team plans to conduct this survey annually for three years with a goal to improve employee engagement each year.

Multiple initiatives are being created or improved upon to develop employees across all levels of the organization. A redesigned Performance Management process was launched for all non-bargaining employees to not only achieve our strategic business objectives throughout the year, but also to provide each employee feedback on their performance. Aligning the future strategy of the organization with people-focused initiatives is critical to ensure our employees have the skills and competencies that will be required to meet our future needs.

Enabling growth and improvement amongst employees is important for Basin Electric’s continued success. The Performance Management goal-setting process for employees was developed alongside the cooperative’s Strategic Planning process. Performance management is designed to support them in two ways: prioritizing work to achieve Basin Electric’s strategic objectives and aligning merit with performance. Three cooperative-wide goals were set for all employees.

Inviting Members In

Basin Electric member tours continue to be one of the most effective ways to show end-use member-consumers how their electricity is generated and transmitted to their homes, businesses, and communities.

Members see several ways Basin Electric generates electricity. They see wind turbines and transmission lines on the drive to tour dispatchable generation resources. The groups also get a chance to see the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, which turns lignite coal into synthetic natural gas and 12 other products including fertilizers and chemicals. Nearby is the Freedom Mine, owned and operated by The Coteau Properties’ Company, which supplies lignite coal to Basin Electric facilities in North Dakota.

Some member cooperatives choose to bring their groups for a look inside Basin Electric’s Headquarters building. New this year, groups see an updated trading floor and Security and Response Services dispatch center. The tours give members a chance to talk directly with employees who work around the clock to keep electricity reliable, affordable, and safe.
Member manager tours are offered each year, providing an opportunity for managers to meet with the Headquarters team and tour plant facilities.

Members of Basin Electric’s senior leadership team conduct several meetings each year for member managers and directors to keep the lines of communication open. Class A district meetings are held throughout the year to discuss and address key issues. Two member managers conferences are held each year, in winter and summer.

The Annual Meeting and Members-Only Meeting were moved from November to August for the first time in 2023. These meetings draw the largest and most diverse participation, including staff from member cooperatives, many member directors, and other stakeholders.