Insights from the world of Local Government Our team at Davidson recently released our annual Australian Local Government CEO Index, a comprehensive report gleaning insights obtained by surveying the CEOs of Local Authorities across the nation. This year 119 CEOs took the time to respond and to provide their views across a range of areas including Shared Services, AI, Operational Excellence, Financial Sustainability, Ways of Working, Talent Attraction and Retention and Organisational Resilience. Perhaps unsurprisingly the highestranking area of priority noted was that of People, Leadership and Culture. In a post-pandemic world, it is interesting to note the challenges presented by the ever evolving area of hybrid working, the growing need to balance the factors related to positive workplace culture, productivity and engagement. 60% of CEOs believe that pandemic driven shifts toward remote working have positively impacted technology integration across the
Stephen Veness Group manager Davidson APSCo Director
sector, with the rapidly evolving world of AI having an impact on LGAs around the country, accelerating the need to adapt processes, develop skills and embrace change.
the sector…it is the focus on people that clearly emerges as the key theme…something that our APSCo Australia membership is undoubtedly well positioned to support.
Talent attraction and retention remains a critical component of the people challenge with 94% of the CEOs surveyed reporting concerns relating to talent gaps within their respective organisations over the coming 12 months.
As factors relating to climate change and resilience, financial sustainability (particularly in regional locations) and collaboration across boundaries continue to evolve, it seems inevitable that the impact on people, leadership and culture will ensure as the primary area of focus for executive leaders across Australia…it appears that we are in the right business!
Most notable the three areas in which CEOs see the highest skillshortage are in engineering (58%), project management (54%) ad statutory planning (52%). From a personal perspective I found it reassuring that despite the avalanche of changing external, environmental factors impacting
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