Why Better Scheduling is Critical for Providers
In-home aged care providers across Australia face growing challenges. With a rapidly ageing population, increasing demand for personalised care, and a complex regulatory environment, managing operations efficiently is more important than ever. One of the most important items in an in-home care organisation’s toolbox is a scheduling and rostering tool that will solve these complex problems.
Providers are now expected to deliver flexible, client-centred care models, meet stricter compliance obligations, and manage increasing complexity in rostering and workforce planning, all without adding significant new cost pressures.
Here we will dive into the impact scheduling has, the problems that arise when scheduling is not adequate, and how you can future proof your organisation’s scheduling abilities.
Solving Increased Demand with Limited Resources
Australia’s aged care sector is experiencing unprecedented demand. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, by 2066, over a quarter of Australians will be aged 65 and over. Yet, the workforce is not growing at the same pace and may, in fact, be shrinking. A study published by PubMed found that over 65% of aged care workers have experienced emotional exhaustion indicative of moderate to severe burnout. Frontline workers are spread thin and providers must do more with less.
And for older Australians, consistency matters. Familiar faces build trust, reduce anxiety, and improve health outcomes. Low retention rate and poor scheduling practices, such as frequent changes in carers or appointment times,can erode client confidence and satisfaction.
A well-structured scheduling system ensures that clients receive services from regular, familiar carers wherever possible. It also improves punctuality, reduces missed appointments, and creates a predictable, reassuring service experience for clients and their families.
In addition, efficient rostering ensures that carers are assigned to clients in ways that maximise time, minimise travel, and avoid burnout. It also enables providers to scale sustainably without sacrificing quality of care.
Pushing providers toward more transparent, high-quality, and person-centred service delivery, having an optimised, data-driven scheduling approach isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a compliance and sustainability requirement.
Adhering to Compliance and Risk Management
Australian aged care providers must meet strict regulatory standards, especially with the enactment of the updated Aged Care Act 2024. The aim of this act is to move from a provider-centric framework to focusing on individualised needs. New rules around mandatory care minutes, reporting, and data auditing put additional pressure on provider time as they navigate balancing financial operations and following compliance.
Better scheduling helps ensure that providers allocate workers with the right skills, qualifications, and availability to each client. It also allows better documentation and audit trails, showing that care plans are being followed appropriately and staff are deployed within their competencies.
Increasing Retention for Staff Wellness and Financial Performance
The aged care workforce is under pressure. High turnover rates, emotional labour, and a physically demanding workload contribute to sector-wide burnout issues. Poor scheduling only makes this worse leading to long hours, inefficient routes, and last-minute changes that cause frustration.
Every unnecessary kilometre driven, every minute wasted between appointments, and every last-minute cancellation also affects a provider’s bottom line. In a sector where funding margins are tight, whether through Home Care Packages (HCP) or Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP), operational efficiency is not optional; it’s critical.
Conversely, good scheduling practices respect workers’ preferences, allow for predictable rosters, and optimise shift patterns to reduce unnecessary travel. This reduction in idle time, travel costs, and overtime payments enable providers to maximise billable hours while maintain high standards of care. And, a happier workforce means better client outcomes and reduced recruitment and training costs for providers.
Over time, even small improvements in scheduling can significantly improve profitability and sustainability.
Workforce Optimisation Software for Better Scheduling
In-home aged care providers in Australia are under pressure from every direction: rising demand, workforce shortages, tight budgets, and higher regulatory expectations. Amid all these challenges, better scheduling is a critical lever for success.
By focusing on smarter rostering, providers can deliver better client experiences, meet compliance requirements, support staff wellbeing, and run more financially sustainable operations.
Today’s scheduling challenges can’t be solved with outdated paper rosters and spreadsheets though. Providers are increasingly turning to workforce optimisation software to handle dynamic scheduling needs.
Modern platforms such as Biarri’s Rostering and Scheduling Solution deliver exactly what the reforms now demand, optimised workforce planning that matches the right caregiver to the right client at the right time, reduces travel inefficiencies, increases service delivery consistency, and strengthens compliance reporting readiness.
Biarri’s mathematical optimisation solution simplifies the complexity of smarter rostering to help providers navigate compliance and funding issues while still delivering the highest standard of client centred care.
Investing in smart scheduling technology isn’t just a convenience; it’s a strategic advantage in a competitive market.
Book a discovery meeting with the Biarri team to explore how together we can optimise your in-home care operations.
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