Non-profit Villa Maria to improve staff rostering with workforce management

Villa Maria, a Victorian disability, education and senior services not-for-profit, is planning to roll out workforce management software during 2014 to 42 sites in order to improve staff rosters.

CFO Graeme Wickenden said that about half of the sites managed by Villa Maria have manual time-sheets which is time consuming for admin staff.

“One of the real challenges we have around workforce management is managing rosters and making up rosters that work well for our staff,” he said.

“We also have challenges in providing appropriate staffing coverage for the people that we support, whether that be in an aged care setting or a disability home.”’

There are more than 1000 staff and 300 volunteers who work at the not-for-profit.

It plans to implement Kronos Workforce Central across all 42 sites by December 2014. It has worked with the vendor since 2001 when it rolled out time and attendance software.

Using workforce scheduling, Wickenden said it will be able to improve consistency of staffing in an aged care facility. For example, the elderly person will have a “familiar face” taking care of them and they can form a relationship with the carer.

“We also hope that the software will better manage our permanent and casual workforce and move away from the use of agency staff which is often the backstop for an aged care provider.”

He explained that if a Villa Maria staff member is sick, there is often a requirement to bring in a carer from an agency to cover for them.

“With the advance scheduling capabilities, we can offer more shifts to casual staff. This [software] upgrade will make a difference to the people that the organisation supports by providing better administration behind the scenes. This will free up people to deliver direct care which is what Villa Maria is all about.”

Wickenden added that the Villa Maria board has invested in a number of ICT projects over the past two years including upgrades of payroll, financial and risk management systems.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

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