Your HR system tracks leave but has no idea who's on swing at Newman
Custom HR (Human Resources) software for a Perth resources or construction firm runs AUD $70k to $180k over 4 to 7 months. You build custom when your workforce runs on FIFO rosters and site-access compliance, and BambooHR, Workday or Gusto can't model who's on swing, whose tickets are current, or who's cleared to be on a given mine site.
BambooHR, Workday, Gusto and ADP are built for an office workforce with predictable hours and a fixed location. Your workforce is the opposite: FIFO crews on two-and-one rosters, contractors and employees mixed on the same site, and a wall of compliance, inductions, tickets, medicals, fatigue rules, that determines who's even allowed on a client's site. A standard HR tool tracks annual leave fine but has no concept of a swing roster or a site-access matrix, so the real workforce data lives in spreadsheets.
That gap is dangerous, not just inconvenient. If your HR system can't tell you that a worker's high-risk-work licence expired or their site induction lapsed, you find out at the gate when they're turned away, or worse, after an incident. Compliance you can't see is compliance you don't have.
- FIFO rostering lives in spreadsheets your HR tool can't replace
- Workers get turned away at the gate over lapsed tickets or inductions
- You manage contractors and employees on the same sites
- Compliance expiry is invisible until it's too late
- Your workforce is office-based with standard hours
- BambooHR or Gusto covers leave, payroll and onboarding fully
- You have no site-access compliance burden
- You're too small to justify a custom build yet
- FIFO rosters and swing cycles modelled properly, not forced into a leave calendar
- Every ticket, induction and medical tracked with expiry alerts before they lapse
- Site-access clearance visible before a crew flies, not at the gate
- Contractors and employees managed together on one compliance view
- Feeds payroll and your ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) so rostered hours flow through cleanly
- More expensive than a BambooHR or Gusto subscription
- Compliance rules change, so the system needs ongoing updates
- You take on responsibility for sensitive workforce and medical data
- If your workforce is mostly office-based, this is over-built for you
The honest cost picture for Perth
| Project scope | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Roster + compliance module on existing HRIS | $70k to $110k | 4 to 5 months |
| Full custom HR + compliance platform | $120k to $180k | 5 to 7 months |
| Compliance-tracking tool only | $45k to $80k | 3 to 4 months |
Feature priorities for Perth teams
HR services we deliver in Perth
Digital Heroes builds the full HR stack for Perth teams. Typical engagements cover time and attendance, applicant tracking system (ATS), BambooHR alternative, Workday integration and leave management.
Exactly what you get
You get an HR system built for a FIFO, compliance-heavy workforce. Swing rosters modelled properly, every ticket, induction and medical tracked against expiry with alerts, and a site-access clearance matrix that tells you who can fly to which site before the charter leaves. Contractors and employees sit on one compliance view, fatigue rules are checked, and rostered hours feed payroll and your ERP without re-keying.
How to choose a developer in Perth
Hire a team that understands the gate is the test. Ask how they model a two-and-one roster and how they stop a lapsed ticket from grounding a crew. Ask how they handle contractors and employees on the same site. If they keep describing leave requests and org charts, they've built office HR, not resources HR. The right partner knows that in WA, compliance you can't see is a worker turned away and a charter wasted.
Timeline: what happens, and when
- !They treat rostering as a leave calendar. Ask how they model a two-and-one swing
- !No compliance expiry alerting. Ask what stops a lapsed ticket reaching the gate
- !No site-access concept. Ask how they track who's cleared for which mine site
- !They ignore contractors. Ask how employees and contractors share one compliance view
- !No payroll integration. Ask how rostered hours reach pay without re-keying
Teams investing in hr in Perth usually scope it next to pos, warehouse management, helpdesk & ticketing, since these systems share data and budgets.
Rohan advises mid-market and enterprise teams on ERP, CRM and custom software, and has led delivery on dozens of business-software builds.
Writes for Digital Heroes, shipping business software for 2,000+ brands across 55+ countries since 2017.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't BambooHR or Workday do?
They're built for office workforces with fixed hours and locations. They have no real concept of FIFO swing rosters or site-access compliance, so resources firms end up running the real workforce data in spreadsheets alongside them.
How does compliance tracking prevent gate refusals?
The system tracks every ticket, induction and medical with expiry dates and alerts you well before they lapse, so you fix it before a worker is turned away at the gate on an expensive charter.
Can it manage contractors and employees together?
Yes. A custom build can hold both on one compliance and site-access view, which standard HRIS tools, focused on employees, don't do well.
What does it cost?
AUD $70k to $180k depending on scope. A compliance-tracking tool alone runs $45k to $80k, or you can add a roster-and-compliance module to an existing HRIS.
Does it connect to payroll?
It should. Rostered hours from FIFO swings should flow into payroll and your ERP automatically, instead of being re-keyed, which is where errors and overpayments creep in.