Five Australian companies nailing employee experience

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, what we want (and expect) from our workplaces has evolved.

We want to work for organisations that offer greater work-life balance, flexible working arrangements, learning opportunities and meaningful work that aligns with our personal values. 

In short, the ‘employee experience’ an organisation offers has never been more important. So, which Australian workplaces are delivering when it comes to employee experience – and what are they doing that makes their workplace so great?

1. Seek – investing in leadership training

An “intensive and confronting” two-year leadership program offered to executives at Seek helped the online recruitment firm nab top spot in the 2024 AFR BOSS Best Place to Work – Large Organisation Awards. 

The ‘Leading SEEK program’ combined a mix of virtual reality with virtual and in-person learning to provide the 50 geographically dispersed participants with an impactful learning experience and opportunity to foster new connections. 

Seek’s significant investment in its people paid off – for both the company, and participants. Nearly one-fifth who took part in the leadership program have since been promoted or have taken on expanded roles, while a survey showed all participants felt the program had a “positive” effect on their leadership and led to deeper working relationships with colleagues.

2. Fluent Commerce – a ‘fair dinkum’ approach to flexible working

‘Fair Dinkum’ is the core value of Sydney-based distributed order management system company, Fluent Commerce. As an agile, hybrid company with 180 employees spread across nine countries, ‘Fair Dinkum’ underpins the company’s approach to flexible working arrangements, and saw the company win Best Employee Experience Strategy at the 2023 AHRI Awards. 

Although its team can work in person, there are no mandated in-office days. Many of its employees work remotely, from Melbourne to Paris, London to Los Angeles. 

To strengthen connections between a global workforce, Fluent Commerce’s people team have designed a range of initiatives. These include ‘Journey to the Summit’ induction sessions for new starters to access senior management, monthly people newsletters featuring the latest ‘Kudos winner’ as chosen by colleagues, and popular ‘Crunch ‘N’ Learn’ lessons. Many of these employee initiatives have been designed through an employee feedback process. 

“Flexibility is more than two days a week working from home, it’s a mindset that allows our folks the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to four weeks, and be trusted.” Alex Pusenjak, Global VP, People & Culture at Fluent Commerce

3. Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA) – Inclusive workplace

Adelaide company Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA) is setting the standard for providing an inclusive employee experience for neurodiverse people.

Recognising that the aptitudes of some neurodiverse people – such as attention to detail, pattern recognition and memory retention – suit the profession of data analytics, the company has launched an employment and training program for young, neurodiverse people to become geospatial data analysts.

As part of the program, ASA has made accommodations to ensure their office environment is a welcoming space for participants and delivers an outstanding employee experience. 

For example, cleaning products and soaps are fragrance-free, emails are surmised in dot points, frequent breaks are encouraged, personal success officers are available to support participants and flexible work hours are offered.

4. Prospa – Prioritising open communication

Prospa, a fintech company dedicated to supporting small Australian businesses, was named a ‘Great Place To Work’ in 2023 – and it’s easy to understand why. 

The company provides frequent opportunities for its staff to connect with leadership, celebrate achievement and share their ideas. There are bi-weekly CEO update emails and videos, and monthly ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions with the CEO (at times featuring Chief Happiness Officer, Carlos the Cavoodle); employee ‘shout-outs’; and all employees, regardless of their position or seniority, are encouraged to submit ideas, suggestions, and innovative concepts through Prospa’s ‘Concept Paper’ process. 

In fact, one employee’s suggestion to review existing benefits to meet changing market conditions resulted in the introduction of the ‘Life and Learning Allowance’ and enhanced parental leave.

The Life and Learning Allowance allows employees to invest up to $1,750 annually across four pillars: 

• Growth, to develop professional skills
• Wellbeing, to improve mental and physical wellbeing
• Impact, to contribute to effectiveness at work and in the community; and
• Lifestyle, to improve quality of life of employees.

“I’ve never worked for a company where it is so clearly accepted that there is more to life than work. And I think that makes us do better work.” Prospa employee

5. Carlisle Homes – More than just ‘fun and games’

A workplace culture centred on fun, camaraderie, and strong employee bonds has seen Carlisle Homes, a Victorian-based residential builder, recognised as another ‘Great Place To Work’. 

Each year, the company runs a ‘LifeChanger’ team-building trip that involves team members from various departments embarking on an intense immersion, such as a three-day hike through Tasmania’s Walls of Jerusalem. 

Allowing its employees to stretch beyond their comfort zone fosters unlikely relationships that are leveraged in daily operations, strengthens connections, enhances cooperation, and helps employees achieve greater success. 

In the office itself, the company creates a fun workplace culture though enjoyable office spaces complete with game zones, arcade machines, table tennis, pool, shuffleboard, and a communal kitchen for team bake-offs.