Having worked with providers across the sector, Australia’s care economy – early learning, disability, and aged care – is operating under structural pressure that legacy systems simply cannot handle.

When labour costs routinely exceed 60–70% of operating expenditure (Childcare Services Cost Index), your workforce is not just your largest asset; it is the business.

Many organisations are trying to manage this with platforms never designed for the current reality of National Quality Framework (NQF), National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award (SCHADS), the Aged Care Award, and an expanding web of reporting obligations. The ecosystem is becoming increasingly fragmented, and the compliance burden is only heading one way.

Modern human capital and workforce management platforms can no longer be viewed as "back office" utilities. They are critical operational infrastructure:

• In childcare: It’s about aligning staffing precisely to room ratios and enrolment patterns.
• In disability: It’s matching skills to participants while optimising travel and utilisation.
• In aged care: It’s the only way to evidence care minute targets and manage agency dependence without blowing the budget.

The real shift here is moving from static rosters to demand-driven planning. We need to see time and attendance not just as a payroll input, but as a risk control – using geofencing and exception-based approvals to create an auditable record of care.

As it relates to workforce hiring and scheduling in particular, AI will also increasingly differentiate the providers that can more effectively leverage its capabilities. AI-driven scheduling tools use machine learning and advanced optimisation algorithms to analyse historical demand patterns, worker availability, skills profiles, and compliance rules, then generate schedules that balance operational requirements with workforce preferences.

This leads to significant operational and productivity gains: organisations report more accurate forecasting, reduced labour costs, faster schedule generation, and better alignment of staff to demand peaks without manual intervention. AI can also help organisations incorporate preference-based shift assignments, reducing last-minute changes that contribute to dissatisfaction and turnover.

At Tenet Advisory & Investments, we specialise in what matters: analysing your current operating model, selecting the right technology platform to match your complexity, and delivering it without disruption. When Workday is the answer, Echo – our dedicated Workday delivery business – brings the expertise and execution to make it real.

We know that technology won't solve workforce scarcity, but it ensures every available dollar and hour is used to maximum effect. We focus on programs grounded in operational reality – navigating award complexity and change fatigue to deliver genuine value, not just an IT upgrade.

The future of the sector depends on people, but their sustainability depends on the systems supporting them.

How is your organisation preparing for this shift? Please reach out to chat if you need support navigating these decisions.