Data to the rescue: How HR analytics software helps solve public sector people issues

Public sector payroll reporting and HR analytics can offer strategic solutions to problems faced by the public sector today. 

The UK public sector is experiencing more workforce instability than it has for generations. Among the key challenges are recruitment problems, talent shortages and the highest levels of industrial action for 30 years. Much of this is linked to demands for higher pay as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite. The private sector is luring good people away as the public sector pay gap widens.

This troubled situation is putting increasing levels of pressure and strain on public sector people professionals. Their focus is no longer on just making HR more effective. It’s also on how this helps the organisation operate more effectively.  

Unsurprisingly, more public sector organisations are seeing value in integrating human capital management systems with other business applications. Linking effectively with payroll and finance creates a single source of truth that people can access from a single location.

The power of public sector HR reporting

Introducing HR analytics software can provide HR leaders and other senior executives with workforce data insights, presented as accessible, easy-to-understand graphics. 

Possible insights include monitoring budgets in relation to staffing levels and understanding which roles you need Identifying roles that have been unfilled for a long time without much business impact could offer an opportunity to streamline.  

This data analysis enhances strategic workforce planning and decision making, making it easier to pinpoint issues and problem-solve. It also helps HR professionals create a talent plan that aligns with the organisation’s wider business strategy, optimising workforce investments.

Where can public sector teams make smarter decisions with HR analytics software?

1. Staff turnover and retention

The focus here is on identifying where the largest and smallest risks of staff churn exist, or where the highest and lowest levels of attrition take place. This can be segmented by job role, function and location. You can use such insights to determine root causes and what measures could address the situation e.g. upskilling, training or providing better benefits. 

2. Talent management

With HR analytics software that can manage complexity, you can identify which new hires are likely to be high performers. Doing so helps determine whether they would benefit from specific support, which includes being fast-tracked. The tools can also be used to create profiles in order to understand which individuals are most likely to underperform or even leave the company, and when. Then you can take appropriate measures, such as putting in appropriate pay structures.

3. Forecasting

You can model a range of possible internally and externally driven changes that the organisation could experience This helps HR professionals understand the potential impact on workforce recruitment, engagement, and retention.  

Taking this approach also enables HR to provide senior leaders with insightful, data-driven recommendations. For example, if restructuring is on the cards, it’s important to understand where the highest costs lie and where the most effective cost-cutting could take place without harming the business. 

Zellis delivers strategic HR and payroll insights for the public sector

Luckily, Zellis’ award-winning payroll and HR software makes all of this possible. The market-leading system for handling payroll, HR, benefits and employee recognition integrates smoothly with your other key business applications. Data is shared seamlessly and securely between them and important workflows are automated. There’s also access to the most advanced cross-system reporting and analytics tools. 

The Zellis Intelligence Platform, a key part of the solution, works by aggregating and analysing data from across all your Zellis and third-party systems. It delivers HR insights to mobile phones or via dashboards and notifications in Zellis’ MyView self-service applications. This makes it possible to quickly and easily unearth workforce trends, predict future developments, and take effective data-driven decisions. 

We have over 50 years’ experience delivering for public sector HR and payroll teams

• 200+ public sector customers across the UK and Ireland
• 110+ government and local authorities
• 70+ colleges and universities
• 1 million+ public sector employees paid via our solutions

There is a strong synergy between our digital transformation plans and Zellis HCM Cloud – especially its focus on employee experiences, automation, and ease of integration with solutions we already use.

Peter Davies, Deputy Chief Executive, Monmouthshire County Council

Learn more about our solutions and public sector payroll reporting here.