Sydney Water is introducing Dayforce as part of a massive workforce transformation, citing the “dawn of a new era” in its investment in backend technology systems.
At the Dayforce Daybreak conference, Lynda McClelland, head of people experience initiatives at Sydney Water, spoke about the utility’s personnel strategy.
She explained that four years ago, when she joined, it became clear that a technology overhaul was needed to transform the workforce, alongside cultural changes.
The transition began with initial money from a payroll audit, with subsequent investments related to strategic goals. McClelland underlined the necessity of comprehensive planning and defined objectives during the procurement process, allowing the utility to proceed quickly through the design phase.
This multiyear effort to unify and simplify business architecture and processes resulted in the selection of Dayforce as the workforce management platform, with Deloitte serving as the systems integrator.
Deloitte began work on the project earlier this year.
McClelland highlighted that, while Sydney Water had invested heavily in customer-facing services and digital infrastructure over the past decade, there had been less focus on backend systems. Now, she noted that they recognize enabling systems as equally important as customer-facing ones, thanks to increased investment in internal functions.
She also showed how investments in backend technology have a direct influence on frontline services, boosting efficiency, employee satisfaction, and overall service quality.
McClelland emphasized the need of funding for ongoing enhancements once Dayforce goes online, understanding that unexpected obstacles and opportunities will surface once the system is operational.
