Anglicare Sydney accelerates hiring and supports staff with AI-driven HR transformation

Anglicare Sydney Integrates AI into HR Operations

Anglicare Sydney has begun implementing artificial intelligence within its human resources functions, focusing first on recruitment, onboarding, and job coaching. Yvette McDonald, Chief People and Customer Officer, shared insights at the Workday Elevate summit, emphasizing that AI helps remove obstacles and frustrations for staff. This allows them to focus more on leading teams and caring for clients and residents.

With diverse services ranging from retirement living to housing and community support, Anglicare Sydney is leveraging AI to streamline HR processes and improve efficiency.

Faster Hiring through AI

McDonald highlighted that recruitment has seen significant improvements. When she joined three years ago, hiring took 42 days on average. Now, that time has dropped to between 10 and 13 days, with a record low of just six days for a recent hire.

The team aims to reduce hiring times for high-volume roles to seven days, a target they are optimistic about achieving. AI also supports leaders by providing on-the-job coaching tailored to their needs.

Improving Onboarding and Shared Services

Beyond recruitment, Anglicare Sydney is exploring AI to enhance its onboarding process. The goal is to remove repetitive tasks, freeing HR staff to focus on meaningful work that aligns with their strengths and passion.

Since implementing Workday’s human capital management system just over a year ago, the organisation has transformed its HR operations. Previously reliant on spreadsheets, a standalone payroll system, and manual efforts, Anglicare now benefits from integrated modules that have shortened recruitment times and reduced staff turnover from 40 percent to low teens.

From Reactive to Strategic Workforce Planning

AI and Workday have enabled Anglicare to shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive planning. The organisation can now forecast recruitment needs, plan succession, and conduct performance and salary reviews more effectively. This alignment of performance with roles improves transparency and employee engagement.

Looking Ahead: Skills-Based Workforce Management

McDonald envisions a future where workforce scheduling moves beyond traditional role-based rostering to a skills-based approach. This shift is crucial as the healthcare sector faces a global shortage of nurses and an ageing workforce.

Instead of simply filling roles, shifts will be staffed based on critical skills like wound management or medication dispensing. This approach offers greater agility and addresses skill shortages more effectively.

By focusing on developing skills rather than climbing a traditional job ladder, Anglicare aims to build a more adaptable and capable workforce ready for future demands.

For HR professionals interested in how AI can transform recruitment and workforce management, exploring AI training resources can provide practical guidance on integrating these technologies into existing operations.