Workforce Planning is a key to ensuring the Federal Government can deliver services to all Australians. Humanify HR Consulting was proud to partner with a large Federal Government Department, working in partnership with senior leaders in the Information Technology Division to develop a fit-for-purpose workforce plan that supports a skilled, sustainable and agile IT workforce.

Over the past few years, the way people both live and work has permanently altered. Equipping employees with modern technology is now a key driver of employee attraction, engagement and retention. People will favour work environments that provide them with access to the most contemporary technology and tools.  

Taking a deliberate and structured approach to ensuring that the workplace culture and environment cater to these changing workforce dynamics is key to being an employer of choice in the modern world of work.

Humanify HR Consulting was engaged by the Chief Information Officer of this large Federal Government Department to develop a workforce plan that identified the key skills and capabilities required at the Divisional level.  

The Australian Government is committed to reducing the current reliance on contractors, where possible. Given the specialist and technical nature of the work performed by the IT Division, coupled with a global skills shortage of ICT talent, it was important that this was carefully factored into the workforce planning methodology.

Workforce Planning Methodology

To deliver a new Divisional Workforce Plan, the following workforce planning activities were carried out in partnership at all stages with senior leaders of the Division:

• Review of current Departmental Corporate and Business Strategy;

• Review of current Workforce Strategy;

• Review of current ICT Strategy;

• Assess impacts of external operating environment, including but not limited to changes in IT service delivery that may impact the operating environment; 

• Analyse the shape/structure of the division to understand the workforce split of APS and non-APS resources; and

• Interviews with key people leaders to identify common themes in key workforce planning drivers of Planning and Alignment, Recruitment and Retention, Development and Performance.

“Here at Humanify HR Consulting, we have a special interest in projects like these that enable us to apply our deep Human Resources expertise in Workforce Planning to benefit our clients.  The world of work has changed so much, so it is essential that workforce planning is embedded throughout the Australian Public Service – it is no longer adequate to develop an agency-wide framework that may always not cater to the specific and unique needs of different Divisions or Branches at the more operational level.  This Department recognised this very early on in the project and valued the process as much as the outcome, which enabled leaders to engage more directly about the skills and capabilities they need to continue to innovate for the future. It was a privilege to work with this Department and their talented Division that are committed to continuous improvement and delivering ICT services that support the Government’s broader reform agenda”, says Humanify HR Consulting Founder and Managing Director, Sarah Queenan.

Partnership Snapshot

Large Federal Government Department

Duration

6 months (part-time)

Outcome

The delivery of a new Divisional Workforce Plan for the Department.