Making Workforce Planning Work in the NT Public Sector

A systematic approach to workforce planning is essentialThe methods, tools and techniques used to gather, analyse and report onworkforce planning are stronger if they reflect a systematic approach. Agenciescan utilise existing sector wide data gathering methods and systems, suchas the Personnel Integrated Payroll System (PIPS) and Business ObjectsXI (BOXI), to meet some workforce planning information requirements. TheOffice of the Commissioner for Public Employment (OCPE) will work with theDepartment of Business and Employment (as the central service provider)and agencies to develop a service-wide approach to the collection, analysisand reporting of workforce data. This reporting will enable agency, sector andregional comparative analysis – in particular, for those job groups identifiedas mission critical (i.e. job groups that are essential for the agency and theGovernment) – to meet its legislative and regulatory requirements.Workforce engagement is an essential element inworkforce planningCommunicating with and engaging the workforce in workforce planninginitiatives will strengthen an organisation’s workforce development strategies.The current workforce has a good understanding about why people areinterested in working in the agency and why people walk away from the agency.This information should be documented to inform the design of retention andrecruitment strategies.10