2005 WA Election Recruits New Logistical Technology
With over 1000 staff required for several weeks to count and collate votes from 1.1 million electors, the WA State Election is a daunting logistical task for even the most talented and experienced Project Manager.
Alliance Recruitment Perth, stepped up to manage not only the recruitment needs for the WA Electoral Commission (WAEC) during the 2005 WA State Election, but the total end to end project management of a 1000 staff. Central to project management Alliance Perth developed a unique software package, called Recruitserve, which was tailored specifically to streamline and accommodate the sheer quantity and turnaround of employees.
Alliance Perth first worked with the West Australian Electoral Commission in 2001 after winning the tender to supply all of their temporary personnel needs during the state election and over the next four years. The experience of 2001 served as indispensable knowledge for Alliance Recuitment in preparation for this year’s election.
Temporary personnel are required at various counting centres throughout Perth, in the key positions of Keyboard Data Entry Operators, Vote Counters (Clerical & Admin Staff), Electoral Supervisors and Stores Persons.
Key Facts:
- 1171 individual shift placements
- 77 different shifts over four sites
- 2 shifts per day on each site, between 8:00am to 4:30pm, and 4:30pm up to 11:30pm
- 3 month project - January to March 2005
- Recruitment cost: $1million, with approximately another $0.5million over the next six months
- Permanently manned recruitment help desk on-site all day, every day
The IT Solution
Alliance Recruitment identified that a core IT capability would alleviate issues experienced in 2001 and ensure streamlined, efficient information capture. The main aim of the capability was to ensure effective project management without the need for extra staff, making the project as cost effective for the client as possible.
Central to the IT capability, Alliance Recruitment developed a new barcode system to capture the constant information flow from the transient election workforce. The firm built upon its existing database capability and began to create a program with the ability to:
- Store detailed shift information
- Integrate a barcode card reader to capture shift details as well as print reports
- Link to system payroll function, enabling immediate access to payroll details
- Create detailed and simplified reports on staff movements and hours worked
- SMS and mass e-mail capability
The key issues the software solved were: monitoring of staff arriving and leaving, monitoring the location and movement of staff from site to site, communicating with staff on mass, and the ability to interface with payroll.
The real time capability meant that for the first time WAEC had access to an advanced project management system, which supplied information anytime, anywhere.
Each individual staff member was allocated a barcode and enabled them to ‘clock in and out’ during shifts. This information was immediately relayed to the information database and instantly updated with hours worked, shift allocation, wages owed and has enabled broader evaluation, such as excess staff and lack of staff allocation. Timesheets were also directly linked to the barcode device enabling access 24 hours a day.
Alliance Recruitment incorporated a project scheduler for all shifts to combat and prepare for unforeseen incidents.
The 2005 WA State Election
The West Australian election which was held on the 26 th February comprised of over 1.1 million electors who vote in the course of 10 hours on election day and 130,000 electors who vote via pre-polling stations and post in the 2 weeks run up to the election.
Temporary staff are engaged to work behind the scenes at various counting centres, collating and recording all the votes, Alliance Recruitment provided all staff and the unique IT capability using their own, self-developed software program.
According to WAEC spokesperson, Gary Harrington, Alliance Recruitment provided staff with a range of skills, in shifts over 12 weeks prior to the election.
“We are extremely happy with Alliance Recruitment ' operations. There are always issues with a project of this magnitude and there is a constant need for more staff to fulfil the growing requirements of the election – Alliance Recruitment manage this extremely well and without any hassle at all. Alliance Recruitmetn provides a quality recruitement and project management service,” said Mr Harrington.
State general elections are conducted in WA approximately every 4 years, WAEC is required to conduct a state general election of Members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. The WAEC is responsible for the impartial, efficient and professional management of the election, including the delivery of significant electoral information and an awareness campaign.
