How Altus Traffic Streamlined Employee Onboarding To 48 Hours

Altus Traffic is Australia's largest provider of professional traffic control services. Founded in 2002, the business operates in 17 locations across Australia and services a range of projects in the infrastructure, maintenance, utilities, government and event management sectors. Altus employs a largely casual, project-based workforce of over 2,000 employees.

Before foundU, employee onboarding at Altus Traffic was admin-driven and paper-based, requiring candidates to spend days completing extensive paperwork before they could start their first shift. The team at Altus wanted to transition to an online system that would enable them to streamline onboarding and get new hires out on the road sooner.

After an extensive tender process, Altus Traffic chose the foundU platform because of its intricate onboarding module. As one of foundU's performance-tier customers, Altus Traffic can customise their onboarding journeys and incorporate compulsory induction courses as they need it.

Claire Agnew, Altus Traffic's Head of People, reports that implementing foundU has enabled them to streamline employee onboarding significantly, with most new hire onboarding completed in just 48 hours.

Admin-driven, paper-based onboarding

Altus Traffic can recruit up to 30 casuals on any given day, adding to a complex payroll of over 2,000 staff.

Before foundU, the team at Altus Traffic operated an admin-driven onboarding process that required new hires to spend days completing paper-based tax file declarations, bank detail forms, contracts and policies. Once a new hire had submitted their paperwork, staff were required to manually upload the data into separate rostering and payroll systems that do not speak to each other.

"There were about four or five different processes Human Resources has to undertake to onboard new hires," Claire said.

Given the remote location of their Traffic Control workforce, Claire says they needed a system that would enable Altus to have a real impact on how new hires are inducted into the business.

"Induction might be the only opportunity to see our Traffic Controllers and have a real impact on the training they're provided to be able to implement their role on the road," Claire said.

"We knew by having an online process, we would have the ability to really focus on the face-to-face critical training Traffic Controllers need to perform their role. Our workforce is largely blue-collar and they need a simple, easy-to-use system where everything is in the one place."

Testing to get it right

After choosing foundU as their new workforce management platform, Altus Traffic underwent an implementation process that included a range of testing and customisation.

“In the early stages of implementation, we had a dedicated person who set up a number of exploration meetings to work out what we needed and how the system could be developed and customised to our needs," Claire said.

"We did a lot of testing to develop it and see how far we could take it. Once we were 95% there, we decided to roll it out and deal with any headaches after. But to be honest, it's been really fluid."

Claire also says the foundU customer success team has been crucial to them getting the most of their foundU platform.

"Our account manager has been fantastic - she's available, we have regular meetings where we talk about how we want to continue to improve the system," Claire said.

"It's been really good to have a dedicated person who is able to help us on a day-to-day basis on anything from development right through to candidate experience."

Streamlining employee onboarding to 48 hours

Since implementing foundU, Claire estimates they have streamlined employee onboarding to just 48 hours per candidate.

"It's really what we have needed," Claire said.

"In terms of the time-saving aspect of the system, we can have someone apply and be out working on the road for us within days. We can say now that if someone came in tomorrow, they would be able to complete their onboarding and induction, and potentially be working with us the following day."

Claire also says being able to incorporate induction courses through LMS integration has also enhanced their employee onboarding experience.

"It [LMS integration] was probably the biggest draw card for us," Claire said.

"Having the integration between our recruitment and the onboarding component, and have the training alongside with it... it really gives you that one shop to suit all. Candidates can go to the one place to complete their online onboarding and training, as well as use the app to update their information when they need to. It makes it easier for everyone."

Overall, Claire reports that Altus Traffic are enjoying using the foundU platform and do not plan to switch anytime soon.

"When you look at other workforce management platforms, they typically excel in some areas and are poor in others," Claire said.

"I don't see that with foundU. It covers off everything - all the modules compliment each other and you have the ability, if you choose, to customise it to your needs." 

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