Insights

The Importance of Workforce Planning

A people plan, a people and culture plan or an HR plan are all part of the same thing. Yet some organisations claim that they “don’t have time for such a plan, or it’s too much work.” It is true that the process to create a plan can be lengthy, but it is equally true in almost all cases that not having a workforce plan of some kind is worse. Without a strategic direction, there is a higher chance of “turnover, unengaged and unhappy employees, stress and workload pressures, increased leave, and most importantly, a lowered return on investment.” Attracting …

Milena Tsitovitch Digital Services and Customer Experience

14 Sep 2021

WHITEPAPERS & REPORTS

How Technology is Transforming the Emergency Management Cycle in 2021

Whilst the specific models may vary, they cover the same tasks, with which technology can assist. In fact, digital transformation is already occurring across each stage of the Emergency Management Cycle to streamline operations among agencies who share a common goal; to improve safety, resilience and recovery outcomes in Australian communities during and after disasters occur. Preventative actions reduce the likelihood of a disaster event occurring, and the severity of the disaster should it eventuate. Prevention activities are ongoing, with technology helping to improve preventative initiatives across emergency management portfolios. Local governments, disaster districts and the state prepare for disasters …

Lily Stokes

3 Sep 2021

INDUSTRY TRENDS

IoT in the Public Sector

Essentially the document and the plan have “five priority areas: institutions and governance; infrastructure funding and pricing; housing affordability and supply; climate change, resilience and the environment; and technology change and our digital future.” Although technology is listed separately, in many ways it “runs across all of the priorities, and adapting to technology is essential to lowering costs, improving services and improving infrastructure delivery.” The problem however – which in some ways is a good problem to have – is that “we’re laying down assets that have very long lifespans.” Some are “more than generational, like some of our water …

Paris Armstrong General

2 Sep 2021

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Improving Customer Experience and Citizen Engagement in Local Government

Creating a platform to hear from the community, “to engage with us and to get buy in from them,” became a core part of the “communications and engagement strategy.” But before such a platform could be created, “we needed to communicate ‘the why’.” These days as a society “we are generally very time poor.” If someone was to engage with any service, particularly a government service or agency, they need to know “what’s in it for them and what they can gain out of it.” “We know that when people are clear about why they’re doing something, we tend to …

Rosie Fea General

2 Sep 2021

INTERVIEWS

Government Innovator Spotlight Q&A: Michaela Geronima Doelman - CHRO, Washington State ESD

I’m the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD). I kind of got here by accident. Although public service was always where I wanted to be, HR wasn’t even on my radar of options, I just knew I wanted to help people like my parents did in their public service jobs. After graduating from college and working in Mexico for a couple of years, I moved back to the US in 2007 and wasn’t in the position to be picky about what job I could take, I just wanted one that paid the bills …

Paris Armstrong Workforce, Skills and Capability

2 Sep 2021

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Transforming the judicial system with emerging technologies

At the recent Digital Justice Innovation event, we heard from Jessica der Matossian, Registrar, Digital Practice, Federal Court of Australia as she dived into how to trace the evolution of digital practice and technology in Australia’s courts. In this article she explores: Long before the start of COVID-19, technology provided a way of being more efficient and innovative. Some industries were therefore better prepared than others when the pandemic hit. The Federal Court of Australia was one of those. Jessica der Matossian, the Registrar of Digital Practice at the Court, based in Sydney, says that “technology alone doesn’t improve the …

Rosie Fea General

30 Aug 2021

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Governance, Risk and Compliance - Canada

The profile of many workplaces all over the world has changed as a result of the pandemic. Most organizations previously conducted risk assessments and planned for the future, but a global pandemic was generally unforeseen and has forced many businesses and public sector institutions to re-assess and re-prioritize some of their practices, and to better incorporate risk into their planning. For instance, Beth Robb, the Director of Enterprise Risk Management at Alberta Health Services (AHS), says that risk now, more than ever, is about “ensuring that you’re taking a holistic view of the environment and the context in which your …

Public Sector Network General

26 Aug 2021

INDUSTRY TRENDS

Why investing in technology is crucial for a modern council workplace

Today’s local government workplace continues to evolve to meet the needs of both employees and its community. The global pandemic has catapulted local governments across the country into a new world of remote working, agile policy making and rapid service design. “Modern workplace” is a term used to describe organisations who recognise digital collaboration, technology and tools as fundamental elements of their future. Remote working, new technologies and culture changes are just some of the things defining the modern council workplace. Attracting and retaining talent is a key issue for all organisations, and local government is no exception. Technology can …

Milena Tsitovitch

24 Aug 2021