The technology was introduced as a reaction to the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) in 2011. The new regulations saw BCC facing costs of up to £10 million in increased wages and possible legal challenges around agency pay and employee rights.
The Agency Gateway System allows the council to create its own supply of agency workers without relying on third party procurement companies. Before this was introduced, BCC was working with up to 46 different agencies. The council can now track all its agency staff more effectively, incorporating them into workforce planning for the first time.
Councils in the West Midlands, including Wolverhampton, already use the framework created by BCC. Sue Wait, head of people resourcing at BCC and project leader, said that there were plans to take it further afield.
"We were unique at Birmingham Council, I don't know anyone else who has built their own system and agency workers supply," she said. "We're hoping that soon this could be a national supply chain. It could be a great resource for any public sector organisations in the UK."
The £40,000 web-enabled agency management tool won the HR Excellence Award for Most Innovative Use of Technology in 2013. The council is still reaping the financial benefits, with savings of over £4 million to date. Despite this, Wait claimed that getting buy-in from the top wasn't easy.
"At the time, the mindset was to eliminate services, not create them, so at first they were not keen at all," Wait said. "The turning point was when we explained we had to do something as the situation with agency staff just couldn't go on. Now the people who opposed the plans initially are claiming it as one their greatest successes."
Birmingham City Council's system was rewarded with the most innovative use of technology award at last year's HR Excellence Awards. To enter the HR Excellence Awards 2014, go to www.hrexcellenceawards.com. The closing date for all applications is 13 March.
