The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), Australia's ombudsman service for the financial services sector, has been named one of the top five best places to work in Australia's financial services sector in a prestigious national ranking.
AFCA was among the banking, superannuation, and financial services sector leaders in the 2023 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work rankings.
The Best Places to Work list recognises and ranks the best employers in Australia and New Zealand, by industry.
The 2023 list included rankings in 10 sectors, compiled from over 700 nominations. It was based on an assessment process managed by a leading behavioural science consultancy, Inventium – with the methodology underpinned by Inventium's Workplaces of the Future framework, which identifies 10 key factors that are critical to employees feeling motivated and engaged at work. The assessment included a staff survey and a written submission addressing questions relating to policies, practices, and programs that aim to support and draw the best from employees.
AFCA Chief Ombudsman and CEO David Locke (pictured) said that the ombudsman service's “People for Purpose” culture is essential to its operations, services, and the experience everyone has with it – including how its employees feel when they come to work daily.
“We are incredibly proud to be recognised in this way,” he said. “Our people are the driving force behind the services we deliver to the Australian community as the national financial services ombudsman. We want our people to flourish so they are best able to do this important and impactful work.”
AFCA revised its leave policy to enable its employees to spread parental leave over two years. It also removed “primary” and “secondary” caregivers from the policy traditional references. Additionally, enhanced benefits under the revised policy include eight weeks of paid gender affirmation leave.
Late last year, AFCA's commitment to flexibility was highlighted when its six-monthly staff survey found that 90% of people felt they had the flexibility they needed to meet both work and personal needs – 11% above the financial industry benchmark.
“At AFCA, we support our people to balance their work and personal commitments and to focus on their health and wellbeing,” Locke said. “It's also important to us that people feel they truly ‘belong’ at AFCA – that they can bring their whole selves to work. We want to not just respect but also celebrate the diversity of our people and the people we serve.”
