
Case Studies
Insights from CENTRI analysis on workforces

Aged Care
A study of three aged care facilities showed large gaps in rosters, and other issues, costing providers several times more than target margins. However, workforce effectiveness can be maximised, without carers working harder, and without replacing existing tools. Explained below is how this is possible, details of the case study findings and suggests solutions.
Organisations are judged by success criteria that include delivery of services, profitability and worker well-being. This is no truer than in the aged care sector where the impact of workforce waste is so acute.
Achieving optimal workforce management (WFM) outcomes is challenging in any sector, even if using allocation tools, or let alone spreadsheets. Data is complex. Capacity planning and allocation process problems mix surpluses/deficits with under/over allocations. Many stakeholders effect or are affected by WFM. WFM rarely includes systematic governance, risk, workflows, monitoring or improvement.
Worker shortages create scenarios of either under delivery, or longer hours or faster work. Poor workforce results can be reduced by Advanced Effort Management (AEM) analysis, that was created outside the aged care sector. AEM goes beyond conventional gap calculations by forecasting outcomes for each shift, by comparing the number of workers that will be needed, are available and were allocated. Inefficiencies are then calculated and rolled up to summarise the workforce’s overall effectiveness. These actionable insights are communicated in visualisations for different stakeholders.
An examination of rosters across three aged care facilities revealed worker gaps of 10%-25%. Astonishingly, more than half of these gaps could have been filled by available workers. Other insights included over-allocations, underutilization and excessive overtime. These inefficiencies cost $5-$15 per day per resident, representing 100%-300% of standard target margins. AN-ACC minutes, corporate/facility communications and Standard 7 non-conformances were also issues.
These revelations triggered improvement programs in one aged care provider. Knowing when, where and why inefficiencies exist enables a roster clerk to intervene before roster finalization (e.g., using unused workers). Longer term initiatives, like training, require executive sponsorship. Supplementary tools can also assist decision making. WFM should be treated as a system and use the comprehensive framework ISO 30434 - Workforce Allocation standard. Most workforce waste can be avoided with interventions and a WFM system
The AEM analysis of three aged care facilities highlighted the extent and impact of workforce ineffectiveness. There is a tremendous opportunity for the sector to simultaneously improve service delivery, profitability, and well-being by adopting AEM analysis and ISO 30434 systems.
For more details download this case study.

Project Based Organisations
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