Menu
Like overall workforce challenges, providers in the care sector have traditionally relied only on their own data or high-level industry data to help inform their strategic planning, programs and services.
As part of Workforce Central, we will develop a research and data hub that will bring together robust, combined data to help member organisations identify system and process gaps and improvements. The data will be gathered from existing data sources within these organisations and across industry, in addition to new data and insights that will be gathered by the researchers from Foundation member Australian Catholic University (ACU).
The ACU research team, led by Professor Laurie Buys, will initially focus on the Care Worker Deep Dive research project to obtain a deep understanding of the needs and wants of existing and future workers.
Understanding what promotes and erodes the perceived quality of the worker experience will enable NaCWA to make evidence-based recommendations to alliance members. From these recommendations, providers can then build workforce programs that enhance employee satisfaction, retention, wellbeing, and motivation.
Whilst there is an abundance of demographic and statistical data describing the care workforce (from CEDA, NDS, HESTA, and the Department of Health & Aged Care to name a few), there is a lack of actionable data about the care worker relational experience within the care sector.
The NaCWA deep dive research program will engage care workers to give a voice to their experiences and demonstrate that their wellbeing and job satisfaction is valued. At the same time, there is a need to explore the interconnections and complexity of relationships and networks (including peers, supervisors, consumers and family) to identify the ingredients necessary for positive worker experiences, such as physical safety, emotional security, attention and importance.
The aim of the deep dive research program is to identify the workplace relationships and interactions that influence and/or impact the worker experience in the care sector.
The Care Worker Deep Dive Research outcomes and recommendations will be presented to Alliance members in the ‘Vision for Opportunity’ report by December 2024.
This initiative is funded by Jobs Queensland as an action arising from the Good jobs. Good people: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-2032.
The National Care Workforce Alliance acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live and work across Australia and pay our respects to elders past and present.