Why data is the engine to reform

DUNCAN BAULCH Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association, Workforce Manager

We need robust, accessible and agile data to deliver workforce strategy and reform

Why?...

Access to data is a key enabler of workforce strategy and reform. The planning, delivery and evaluation of a workforce strategy must be fully informed. This is true, not just at a national or jurisdictional level, but at an organisational level also. More than that, we need to ensure our people managers have the right data and tools to that allow them to effectively make informed decisions. The cost of data deficits isn’t just financial, there’s a significant risk we will inhibit managers from maximising the potential of their most valuable resource; human capital.

The problem…

Workforce data is often complex and disconnected across multiple systems. This results in end users allocating an inordinate amount of time to find the answers they need. Complex analysis of data often works on a series of assumptions and limitations that leave the end user asking more questions than they had to begin with. Furthermore, previous efforts to measure supply and demand have, in many cases, been ‘point in time’ and failed to adapt to shifts in government policy or external influences, such as global financial crisis and pandemics. This raises questions regarding the long-term accuracy of workforce forecasts if they are not sensitive to shifts in supply and demand over time.

When reflecting on my own personal journey as a clinician, manager and policy officer, I always endeavour to utilise workforce data to inform my work. Unfortunately, I‘m often frustrated with the lack of workforce data that allows me to justify my position or make informed decisions.

As a Unit Manager, I felt comfortable managing the members of my small team. I knew their ages, their skills and how much and how long they wanted to work. However, as I progressed into more senior roles there was a disconnect between unit level data and what was captured at an organisational level. The challenge and disconnect associated with workforce data became even more apparent when working at a jurisdictional and national level.

Investing in workforce data…

In many instances those organisations that are making timely and informed decisions regarding workforce are those that have invested in systems that are intuitive to the end user and can extract data across a complex web of systems. Investing in workforce data is not just limited to purchasing Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS). Health services and governments need to ensure that people managers are invested in getting the best out of their systems. People managers need to commit to understanding the potential of a HRMS, and invest time and energy to ensure they maximise system outputs. However, a new HRMS alone is not the answer to resolving your workforce data challenges. It also takes leadership and ownership of the problem, and the solution.

The way forward…

Making do with what workforce data you have, or being content with the status quo, is not an approach I’m comfortable with. Work must continue across organisations, government, regulators and education providers to develop timely, high quality and accessible data. Not just for workforce planners and analysts, but also for anyone who is responsible for managing human resources.

While workforce strategies have elements that seek to improve workforce data capabilities and capacity, it could be argued that resolving gaps in workforce data should occur prior to embarking on developing an all-encompassing strategy. How can we be sure that we are developing actions that will effectively address workforce challenges if we still have questions around workforce data? When it comes to clinical decision making, it goes without saying that decisions must be evidence based. Why would we accept a lesser standard for workforce strategy?

That’s not to say that the recent focus on developing workforce strategy by governments, at both a jurisdictional and national level, should not be embraced and seen as a positive step to building a sustainable health care workforce. Extensive high level workforce modelling is being undertaken to inform jurisdictional and national workforce strategies, but our ability to measure the success of these initiatives may be limited without consistent workforce data solutions across our health care system.

While we all at times continue to feel frustrated at the apparent gaps in workforce data, we should not lose hope. There is a growing recognition that workforce data is critical to operational and strategic decision making. This recognition was in part sparked during the pandemic when gaps in workforce data were exposed, and in addition growing workforce shortages and maldistribution make it difficult to not continue our search for the solutions to our data woes.