It’s official! We’re a ‘Great Place to Work’ 

October 21st 2024 | Categories: Invest Blue News |

When businesses are recruiting employees or promoting themselves, they often refer to their positive workplace culture, valued team members and exciting opportunities for internal career progression but at Invest Blue, where we know all of this to be true, it’s been officially recognised. Once again in 2024, we’re proud to have been granted certification in the highly respected, global Great Place to Work program. It’s the only workplace culture certification program in the world and one we’ve participated in (and been successful in) since 2016.  

We caught up with Kasey Patterson, Head of People & Culture to find out more about the award, aligning philosophies and why Invest Blue likes to do things differently…. 

Kasey, Great Place to Work certified yet again. It’s a remarkable achievement.  

It is. To have reached that high performing benchmark since 2016 is a huge achievement and this year we finished in the top 30 of our category, a category for businesses with anywhere between 100 and 999 employees. It’s a particular honour in 2024 for two reasons; firstly, we’re one of only two financial services in the top 30 (the other being a mortgage broking business) and secondly, because it reflects a period of tremendous growth for us. Last year the Great Place to Work survey went to Invest Blue’s 194 people and this year, the same survey went to 311 team members. To be able to retain our certification through a period of such growth and the many changes that come with that, is fantastic.  

Speaking of growth, you’ve personally seen the business grow from one regional office in NSW to 31 offices across Australia?  

I have. I joined the Invest Blue team almost 20 years ago when it was just the one Armidale-based team.  

The Great Place to Work certification is testament to the fact that Invest Blue is not like other businesses in same sector. What sets it apart?  

We try to be different from other financial advice firms. It’s fair to say that we have high expectations of our people, but we balance that with our many initiatives. For example, one of our core values is ‘Celebrate the Wins’ which is about acknowledging our clients as they achieve their goals and dreams. However, we also love to celebrate internal wins. It’s important to take a moment to enjoy the progress we’re all making along the way by highlighting professional and personal successes. 

We strive to deliver an exceptional client experience. Of course, we work hard on making sure we do everything in a complaint manner that goes with a highly regulated industry, but we balance that with making sure we’re a positive and progressive workplace too.  

The financial industry remains quite a traditional one, but we’ve implemented many wonderful incentives over the years, some of which are unique within our industry. For example, we have an annual ‘Celebrate the Wins’ trip where everybody comes together to recognise the success of the business and of individuals. We formally introduced a 9-day fortnight last year which has been extremely positive. Additionally, we have lots of quirky little things like morning teas and interoffice quiz challenges that bring a bit of fun and joy to the workplace.  

Tell me a little more about the 9-day fortnight. 

We considered this an important initiative as research indicated that it increased productivity, employee morale and engagement. We looked at a lot of data before introducing a 6-month trial. We then observed that all of the key data was trending positively and in August last year we introduced the 9-day fortnight as an ongoing benefit for our people. Over a year on, everything is still tracking in a positive way. We’ve gathered terrific feedback from our team members on how they value this change and heard such varied accounts on how this extra time away from work is being spent.  

How much importance is placed on finding the right people and ensuring they feel valued? 

We have a philosophy that you can teach someone the skills to be able to perform their role but it’s a lot harder to change their values and what really matters to them as an individual. We recruit on the alignment to our ‘why’ which is to empower people to live their best possible life. That’s something we want clients and team members alike to aspire to and ultimately, achieve.  

We seek those whose values resonate with our core values. If someone’s views and values are well aligned, we can provide the learning and support to ensure they have the right capabilities to perform a given role. We’re also pretty forthright in letting people know that Invest Blue is a fast paced, ever-changing business constantly striving to be better whilst always delivering an exceptional client experience.  

As far as feeling valued, even as we’ve continued to grow, we’ve maintained our small team structure. We believe that this small team philosophy of six to eight people enables everyone to feel that they have a voice and can have a significant impact on the team and the teams’ results.  

We’re actually really disciplined (fanatical even) about the way we communicate and share info. People want to know that their voice is heard and that they can make a contribution. These things are important to someone when joining a new workplace and we’re strategic about making sure these elements (i.e. small teams, a particular communication style) stay the same even as we grow and evolve. 

We strive to ensure that our people feel like they belong, and that their contribution matters. We have many incentives and benefits in place to show thanks and appreciation for a job well done.  

As the company grows and evolves is it a challenge to keep true to the key principles that guide the business?  

Yes, it can be a challenge. It’s why we’re investing a lot in our leaders. We know that across a geographical spread with 31 offices it’s really hard to have eyes and ears on the ground in each of those sites and so, we make sure leaders and managers are equipped to create environments where their teams can succeed. The small teams approach enables us to offer that sense of belonging and to uphold our core values across the whole business.  

Invest Blue has also been officially recognised by the Great Place to Work program as one of the ‘Best Workplaces for Women’. Can you please elaborate on this?  

We pride ourselves on creating a flexible and inclusive environment for all. Internal surveys show that the experience we offer for women is a very supportive one for them and for the past two years we’ve been recognised as a great place to work for women. 

This industry is typically male dominated, and we have a fair way to go as far as having equal representation of male and female financial advisers. With that said though, we’re working hard to attract more female financial advisers. We also have a number of internal programs specifically catered to career progression. For example, someone may start with us in an administrative position and with our support, follow on with higher education and step into a financial planning role.  

What’s next in store from a People & Culture perspective?  

Our next exciting chapter is our House of Learning division which will focus on setting our people up for success in their roles and supporting them to level up on their own goals. This will ensure that we offer enduring and enriching careers as well as long-term career opportunities for our people.  

Thank you for such excellent insight, Kasey.  

A bit about Kasey Patterson 

Kasey joined Invest Blue in 2004 and has been the Head of People & Culture since 2015. The small team looks after everything HR related such as recruitment, onboarding, learning and development, governance and leadership as well as the ‘fun stuff’ like benefits, incentives and events. Kasey loves the diversity of her role and the team mentality of ‘life is short, work somewhere awesome’. She has enjoyed being part of the company’s growth journey and is passionate about ensuring Invest Blue remains a great place to work. She says that despite being in the same role for some time now she continues to learn every day. 

Want a Complimentary Consultation?

Fill in the form for a complimentary consultation with a Financial Adviser and start living your best possible life.

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 relation to products and services provided to you.