Restructuring to Accommodate ICT
Human Capital
Typical of many ICT projects, the ICT investments made by the Centre have resulted in a change in both the number of staff and the types of staff employed.
The most obvious complementary investment that the organisation has made with the introduction of technology is the increase in information technology staff numbers. Over a period of ten years IT staff numbers have increased from three to six, which excludes maintenance of the operating system, which is outsourced. Comparatively, over the same period, corporate staff numbers have increased from fourteen to sixteen whilst field staff have decreased from ninety-seven to sixty-nine. Thus, ICT staff has risen from 3 percent to 7 percent of the Centre's workforce at a time when the total workforce has fallen by a quarter. The relative cost of the physical operation of the ICTs (that is, computers, software, operating systems) as a percentage of total costs has averaged around 4 percent over the period. This reflects the fact that computer capability has been increasing and costs dropping. However, the share of salaries expended on ICT staff relative to field staff reflects the growing importance of ICT staff to the success of the Centre. Innovative staff, both ICT and field staff, are rewarded for their contributions. Murray Wicks acknowledges that his staff are "good people with good ideas".
The EEC places a very high priority on the quality of its ICT staff. Whilst the typical new entrant to the ICT team is a new or recent graduate, and training in the firm's systems and culture is necessary, Murray Wicks says that the induction costs are small compared to the innovation value that the new staff bring in the form of new ideas and new learning. Peter Kelly confirms that the emphasis placed upon team culture, a learning-based and innovative environment and the balance of experienced and new staff in the ICT group ensures that appropriate skills, information and ideas are transferred between team members. The Centre has encountered no difficulties in recruiting staff with the requisite skills.
Training and Change Management
Whilst ICT staff have the responsibility for operation of computers and the development of systems, the organisational culture of the systems supporting the field staff in their work guides the valuation of the Centre's human capital. The operation of the ICTs, once specified, is routine. Human skills, particularly maintaining relationships via which information can be distilled and judgment, are the most important resources. These are the areas that contribute towards information accuracy. This is the responsibility of the field staff, who are required to be adaptable. The Electoral Enrolment Centre uses an 80/20 mix of administration and marketing competencies in fieldwork recruitment. The number of field staff employed by the Centre is dictated by physical presence required in each electorate rather than any aspects of technology. The Electoral Act requires ease of access for voters, and as stated above, this requires maintaining remote electorate-based offices. As the ICTs support the work of field workers, these staff must be trained in using the systems. This is achieved through a phased approach to training and involving staff in the development stage of new applications.
Prior to the introduction of the relational database, staff were required to attend a two-day workshop followed by on the job training a week prior to the launch date. The database was operational from the planned date although there were bugs in the program that were rectified as identified. The problems were prioritised and managed in a structured manner. The effective downtime was a period of two weeks whilst staff were trained and became proficient with the new system.
Transition was facilitated by newsletters that were sent to staff who were not part of the development team and the availability of a duplicate system on the intranet that enabled staff to familiarise themselves with the proposed format of the new database.
Buy-in for the new on-line based system was achieved through general recognition by staff that improvements in the process were required. Field staff were encouraged to generate solutions. An environment where staff are encouraged to contribute to all levels of business has enabled a culture where innovation and efficiency are valued.
Field staff have been the group most affected by the technology changes in the organisation. The size of this group has reduced thirty percent over the past ten years, as automated systems have replaced manual ones. However, the staff are more skilled and are maintaining a more accurate register than ever before. Despite the reduction in staff numbers, better performance is being achieved, indicating a significant improvement in the efficiency of utilisation of human capital as a result of the new ICT systems.
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