Author: Matthew Miller

Quick Overview

• NSW Police is looking for a contemporary, data-centric employee engagement system to minimize staff turnover.
• The system aims to deliver a comprehensive perspective on employee sentiment and forecast at-risk demographics.
• Turnover rates among police personnel and civilian employees have notably risen since 2020.
• Unspent wages exceeding $100 million underscore the extent of workforce shortages.
• Collaboration with Microsoft Power BI will improve data visibility and insight creation.
• The platform will function at the PROTECTED security classification level, safeguarding data privacy.

Data-Driven Insights to Enhance Police Workforce Retention

The New South Wales Police Force is making a significantmove by introducing an advanced employee engagement platform designed to counteract the rising trend of workforce attrition. Utilizing data analytics and predictive modeling, the platform will evaluate employee sentiment and pinpoint the primary reasons for disengagement among its 22,000-member workforce.

As per the force’s 2023–24 Annual Report, staff turnover has escalated to concerning levels. In the last financial year, 1,484 police officers departed the force, with 575 resigning voluntarily. Civilian workforce attrition also soared, witnessing a 48% rise in resignations compared to the preceding year. These statistics echo wider patterns across Australia’s public sector, with job dissatisfaction, mental health issues, and pay inequities driving personnel away.

Beyond Conventional Surveys: A Comprehensive Engagement Solution

In contrast to traditional survey instruments that offer fixed snapshots of employee satisfaction, the new NSW Police platform will employ a continuous feedback mechanism. It will consolidate input from various points in the employee experience — recruitment, onboarding, advancement, and exit. This methodology guarantees a dynamic, real-time perspective on workforce morale and wellbeing.

This platform will encompass advanced analytical functionalities, enabling it to:

• Recognize high-risk groups vulnerable to burnout or attrition
• Craft customized interventions to boost retention
• Monitor the effectiveness of engagement strategies over time

By forsaking a blanket approach, NSW Police seeks to tailor employee engagement, cultivating a more nurturing and responsive work environment.

Vacancies Resulting in Significant Financial Losses

The breadth of the issue is highlighted by its financial consequences. In 2023–24, NSW Police exceeded its budget for employee-related expenses by more than $100 million due to unfilled roles. While this may seem like a budget saving, the operational repercussions of being understaffed — increased workloads, diminished morale, and compromised public safety — carry far greater severity.

The predictive features of the new platform are anticipated to assist the force in more efficiently allocating resources, mitigating costly turnover, and optimizing recruitment processes.

Prioritizing Security and Privacy

Considering the sensitive nature of the information being gathered, the platform will function at the PROTECTED classification level — a crucial stipulation under the Australian Government’s Information Security Manual (ISM). This guarantees that all survey responses are anonymized, with IP addresses and identifiable details removed prior to analysis.

This degree of confidentiality is vital for establishing trust among personnel, promoting candid feedback, and ensuring adherence to privacy laws such as the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Smooth Integration with Business Intelligence Platforms

To maximize effectiveness, the NSW Police Force intends to link the new platform with its current analytics infrastructure, including Microsoft Power BI. This integration will empower HR leaders and command staff to visualize trends, generate tailored reports, and respond promptly to emerging challenges.

This integration is set to enhance decision-making across the organization, facilitating data-driven strategies for employee engagement and workforce planning.

Conclusion

The NSW Police Force is confronting escalating staff turnover by adopting an advanced, data-centric employee engagement platform. With real-time analytics, lifecycle feedback integration, and a strong emphasis on privacy, the initiative aims to advance employee wellbeing, curtail attrition, and improve recruitment results. The platform’s deployment represents a transformative shift in public sector workforce management, offering potential insights for other government bodies across Australia.

Q&A: Essential Information

Q: What motivates NSW Police to introduce this new platform?

A:

This platform is part of a strategy to mitigate the rising rates of staff attrition, enhance employee engagement, and gain deeper insights into the drivers behind workforce turnover.

Q: In what ways is this platform distinct from standard employee survey tools?

A:

It surpasses conventional static surveys by amalgamating feedback throughout the entire employee journey and employing advanced analytics to anticipate risks and formulate targeted interventions.

Q: What effects has high staff turnover had on NSW Police?

A:

Turnover has resulted in over $100 million in unspent wages and operational challenges, with almost 1,500 officers and numerous civilian staff leaving the force within a year.

Q: What type of data will employees provide?

A:

Data will encompass sentiment analysis from surveys, feedback during significant employment milestones, and indicators related to engagement, wellbeing, and satisfaction.

Q: Will employee feedback remain confidential?

A:

Yes. The platform is designed to anonymize data, removing IP addresses and other identifiers, and will function at the PROTECTED classification level to uphold rigorous security standards.

Q: Which tools will the platform connect with?

A:

It is set to integrate with Microsoft Power BI and existing business intelligence tools to deliver visual insights and support data-driven decision-making.

Q: Is this platform exclusive to NSW Police?

A:

While customized for NSW Police, comparable data-driven solutions are increasingly being embraced across Australia’s public sector agencies to enhance workforce management.

Q: When is the platform expected to be deployed?

A:

NSW Police has issued a request for proposal, and the deployment schedule will depend on vendor selection and implementation phases in 2024.