It is critically important all our people at Telstra – no matter role or location – feel empowered to help us deliver in a competitive and continually evolving market. A big part of that is about being able to connect to a future created by you.
Being recognised by LinkedIn as one of the top companies to work for in Australia for 2018 shows we are on the right track, but there is always more that we can do to become an even greater place to work. We need to continue find new ways to attract and retain the best talent to help us reach our vision of becoming a world class technology company that empowers people to connect.
As our company evolves, the size and nature of our workforce is also changing, with some positions transitioning and new roles being created. We are responding to these changes through highly responsive learning and development programs, more flexible and remote-working opportunities, and leadership development programs. We have also identified what is needed to accelerate our cultural transformation, change the way we work and differentiate us from our competitors.
So why do I believe Telstra is a great place to work? For me, it’s the combination of many elements, from what is expected of our people day-to-day, to how and where we work, and the support we provide to develop interesting and satisfying careers.
Here are some of the things we are doing to create a workplace that encourages our people to enjoy coming to work and to challenge themselves at Telstra.
Helping our people to thrive
We are focused on offering our people more than what they have come to expect a ‘job’ could be.
That means being supported by leaders and colleagues to transform their careers in a way that suits them best. This can be through new opportunities across or up our business or by learning from leaders in their field.
Our people are given accountability over their roles and encouraged to develop their skills both on the job and through a broad range of learning opportunities. When there is a gap identified in someone’s knowledge, they are given the tools and resources to grow. It’s about being trusted to deliver and encouraged to say ‘there is a better way’.
This approach has helped us find and retain some of the best people, who love what they do and work on incredible projects they might not have found elsewhere.
A diverse and inclusive workplace
‘Bring your whole self to work’ is a mantra we also work to, and we actively embrace diversity and inclusion across our business.
For us, diversity means difference, in all its forms, both visible and not visible, and includes differences that relate to gender, age, cultural background, disability, religion and sexual orientation, as well as differences in background and life experience, and interpersonal and problem solving skills.
There is no single way to embrace diversity and encourage greater participation of under-represented groups, particularly for a business of our size and scope. Instead, real change is the cumulative effect of both developing a deep understanding of the entrenched practices that prevent participation and finding different ways to address barriers.
Alongside this approach we find ways to celebrate diversity and build strong internal connections across the business. We have many employee networks where our people can build relationships and influence, learn and support each other. These include our Brilliant Connected Women network for women and men to champion gender equality; our Enable network for employees with a disability and carers, our Spectrum network for LGBTI+ employees, and our network for Telstra Indigenous employees.
Flexible working for all roles
We’re busier now than ever before and we know that the traditional 9 to 5 workday doesn’t work for everyone. Through our ‘All Roles Flex’ initiative, we have made flexibility a key aspect of our working lives. Being able to work from home or alter start and finish times, for example, is par for the course at Telstra.
Building a workforce of the future
The industry around us is changing – quickly. Success can only be achieved by having the right people doing extraordinary things together.
We are building solutions that give our business even greater visibility of the skills needed to deliver on our strategy, and our people greater clarity on the skills they need to grow and thrive at Telstra.
In particular, we will be looking to increase our capability in a range of talent segments, including Software Engineering, Network Engineering, Infrastructure Design & Engineering, Information & Cyber Security, Data Analytics and Management, Product & Service Design and Solution Architecture.
While we are focused on our future we will never lose sight of what makes us a great place to work for all of our people.
