At Invest Blue, we have a saying ‘life is short, work somewhere awesome” and we really really mean it! We are a passionate group of people and we really love the work that we do for our clients. From the outside, financial planning may not seem like the most inspiring industry, but we sure do find a lot of meaning in our work. We love nothing more than empowering people to realise their goals and dreams so that they can live their best possible life. Along with this, it has been a mission of ours to be known as a Top Place to Work in Australia.

Periodically, we undertake an external review conducted by Great Places to Work® to access our workplace culture performance. We have chosen GPTW® due to their integrity and scale. They conduct research in more than 55 countries and survey more than 10 million employees annually. Receiving benchmark data on this scale is truly meaningful as it ‘forms the basis of the world’s largest and most respected research of workplace excellence, management and the role of trust in workplace culture.’ Not only do we know where we stand we also gain insights into what we can do to maintain our standing or improve.

In our last study in 2018, we learned that our people wanted to see us improve workplace communication and community engagement. We have undertaken specific projects to improve these areas and were delighted to see in this year’s results that we had demonstratable improvements.

“The reason why we participate in Great Places To Work® is to learn how we can improve. It is great to see that the two areas that we consciously focused on improved substantially in our latest survey.” remarks Kasey Patterson, Head of People and Culture.

The main piece of advice we have been given this year from GPTW® is to stay the course. There was not any specific recommendations or areas we needed to improve in the benchmark data, so we are doing what it takes to be a great place. The hard part now is to maintain that culture, to keep doing what is working well and to hold our unique environment as we continue to grow.

What our people had to say:

The following are some direct quotes from our people when they were asked about their work with Invest Blue:

I will never forget the statement our Director said, “Take care of your people because they are the ones who take care of your clients.” And this is why I try to do my job well because I am well taken care of.
Invest Blue has a different culture and it’s what makes it different! We are a family here. We treat each other with the utmost respect regardless of the position!
I admired Invest Blue for celebrating not only the big wins but also the small ones. I love how they encouraged us to develop ourselves and be the best version we can be.
There is a sense of family and unity here in Invest Blue. I am very proud that I am part of it.
The feeling of being a part of the family/team, as an individual you are made, feel an important part of the company.
Our core values, our regular daily, weekly, monthly rhythm or how we communicate as a team in our office and to the broader business. Being made to feel valued and a part of a big family.
The feeling of family and camaraderie is unique to any other place I have worked in my career. I feel that the business genuinely cares about team members as people and we all have a common purpose.
Invest Blue genuinely cares about its people. There is a real focus on family, with Invest Blue offering flexibility and promoting work/life balance and wellbeing. I feel that Invest Blue has a unique culture. This is particularly evident anytime we all have the opportunity to come together – it really feels like one big extended happy family gathering. I think the fact that Invest Blue has been able to maintain such a strong culture as we’ve grown in size and despite our offices being geographically separate, says loads about the company.

The last two years

Since 2018, we have grown substantially and are now sitting in the mid-sized business category with over 120 people across more than 15 locations. We now serve Australian families from Rockhampton in the North to Melbourne in the South. Our industry has undergone extensive review. The current pandemic has thrown so many challenges at our clients, our families and our industry. Through all of this, we remain dedicated to being a top place to work because we know it matters for our people and for our clients. When your workplace is a great place to be, you are better able to do incredible work for your clients.

The big announcement

With COVID-19 impacting the globe, there would be no awards night this time. A big shame as there was quite the celebration last time! But the better part about this situation is that the whole company across all our locations, from workstations 1.5m apart or home offices, we dialled in to watch the results together.

We are very proud to have placed 9^th in this years study. With the amount of volatility in our Industry and the world with Coronavirus, this is a remarkable result.

What this means for us and or our clients

Being in the top 10 great places to work is an incredible result. We know what it feels like to work here, and it is indeed a special place to be. One of the key reasons a company will thrive during times of turbulence or unexpected shocks is by having the right people doing the right things. By placing so highly in this study, it reflects the quality of the people that we have and their engagement with the work that we do. I am very proud of this achievement as it bears testament to one of our core business philosophies, that people come first. When you have great people, you have a great business and this award confirms we have truly great people. #wearefamily.” – David Stephen, Managing Director

What makes a good company great, is its people, and at Invest Blue we have the most amazing people who are driven to help our clients achieve their goals and dreams and live their possible life. Thank you to the whole Invest Blue team for making Invest Blue one of Australia’s’ best workplaces. Invest Blue truly is a great place to work and as we love to say – life is short work somewhere awesome! – Kasey Patterson, Head of People and Culture.

In what has been a tumultuous time these last 12 months not just for our industry but worldwide, to see our results of being a top 10 great place to work has only just cemented that our culture and people still feel cared for and supported. This year we have really looked at holistic initiatives to ensure everyone is supported in their roles so they can live their best possible life whilst at Invest Blue. We believe passionately in our people and also in making sure our clients live their best possible life and this accolade is reflective of everyone’s hard work and dedication to staying true to our vision of being recognised as a great place to work. We are all so proud. – Elyse Toomey, People and Culture Assistant

Our culture is as great as it is because of the way each of us works with each other and treats each other. It’s because we all have a voice and share ideas and opinions. The core values that were set down as this business grew from a handful of people 22 years ago to the 120+ people who work here today are truly lived. This culture shines through in our stories about our people and from our clients.

Invest Blue is an awesome place to work because the people who work here make it that way. So thank you, workmates, #lifeisshortworksomewhereawesome.

Image Source: The main image was taken on our 2019 Celebrate the Wins trip to Hobart. We save our pennies so that once a year we can all get together in one place (pre-COVID) as many of us work together on a daily basis across different sites. Last year we were honoured to take place in a bike building challenge that then allowed us to donate brand new bikes to foster children through Kennerley Kids.

If you would like to discuss your options with one of our advisers, you can book a complimentary initial consultation here.

What you need to know

This information is provided by Invest Blue Pty Ltd (ABN 91 100 874 744). The information contained in this article is of general nature only and does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Therefore, before making any decision, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice with regards to those matters and seek personal financial, tax and/or legal advice prior to acting on this information. Read our Financial Services Guide for information about our services, including the fees and other benefits that AMP companies and their representatives may receive in relations to products and services provided to you.