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Organisations across the Tasman are under pressure to lift the employee experience while juggling skills shortages, rapid digital change and rising expectations.
The best companies to work for in Australia and New Zealand aren’t just getting HR right – they’re moving beyond transactional processes to create integrated strategies that link recruitment, development, wellbeing, and inclusion directly to business outcomes.
Human Resources Director’s 5 Star Employers of Choice 2026 draws on detailed organisational submissions and anonymous employee feedback across benefits, compensation, culture, employee development and diversity and inclusion.
Several themes emerged from HRD’s research. Leading employers are treating recruitment as a way to build critical capabilities, not just plug vacancies. Once people are on board, development and wellbeing become central to the value proposition.
For HR leaders, the findings offer both a benchmark and a roadmap: concrete examples of how organisations in Australia and New Zealand are building future-ready workforces while lifting engagement, retention and trust.
Employee expectations in Australia and New Zealand have shifted from what employers offer to how consistently they deliver. “Employees today are looking for fairness, flexibility, growth and trust, and they are increasingly willing to disengage if the lived experience doesn’t match the promise,” says Bianca Herbst, business director – New Zealand corporate and professional recruitment, at Hays.
Across recognised employers, overall sentiment is positive but not uniform. Employees generally give high marks to team culture, purpose and relationships with their immediate manager. Scores are more mixed on career progression, workload and perceptions of fairness.
Many organisations describe multi year people strategies that focus on capability, leadership, wellbeing and inclusion. In practice, employees don’t always experience those strategies consistently.
In HRD’s data, strong results tend to appear where:
expectations are clear and consistently reinforced
leaders are visible, fair and accessible
flexibility is trusted rather than grudging
development opportunities are easy to see and act on
Weaker results are common where:
career paths feel opaque or limited
workloads remain unsustainably high without reprioritisation
policies exist but are poorly communicated or unevenly applied
Differences between Australia and New Zealand are more tonal than dramatic. New Zealand employers often stand out for relational culture and flexibility; Australian organisations more frequently report larger-scale development programs and structured capability builds. In both markets, employees are increasingly quick to spot when diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), wellbeing or flexibility are more marketing line than lived reality.
For HR leaders, the message is clear: designing policies is no longer enough. The real differentiator is the degree to which employees experience those policies as accessible, fair and meaningful day to day.
HRD’s 2026 winners share a common thread: benefits and wellbeing initiatives are most powerful when they are culturally coherent and clearly connected to how work is done.
Bizcap has overhauled its recruitment through a partnership with Ploomo’s hiring intelligence system, replacing CV-driven, intuition-heavy processes with a structured, data-rich approach.
Each recruitment process starts by defining success in the role: skills, behaviours, decision-making style and cultural contribution. Candidates are then assessed against consistent criteria, reducing subjectivity and bias. Ploomo’s platform provides deeper insight into how candidates think and operate and feeds data back into understanding team dynamics and long-term performance.
The impact has been significant. Bizcap reports a 92% 12-month success rate for hires made through the system. In one team, turnover has dropped from 76% to below 15% within 18 months.
Development is built around shared ownership. Employees are encouraged to “own their journey” – volunteering for stretch tasks, asking questions and seeking courses that build their skills. Regular leader check-ins focus on goals, feedback and capability gaps, with development actions ranging from on-the-job coaching and job shadowing to targeted training and supported external courses. Leadership capability is a key focus, with managers expected to coach effectively, give clear feedback and embed continuous improvement.
A new paid parental leave policy underlines Bizcap’s commitment to wellbeing and inclusion, providing greater financial security during major life events and signalling that family time and career progression can coexist. Clear, consistently applied benefits have strengthened perceptions of being valued and respected.
DE&I is introduced from day one via in-depth HR onboarding that covers values, behavioural standards and expectations for a respectful workplace. Managers and senior leaders are actively involved, so new starters see inclusive leadership in practice. Employees are encouraged to speak up early through clear escalation pathways and an open-door approach across people and culture leaders.
As one of Australia’s major telecommunications providers, TPG Telecom is reshaping its people strategy around the capabilities needed for its next chapter of growth and tying that directly to customer experience.
TPG’s recruitment strategy is geared towards “building the critical capabilities of the future” across 5G and network engineering, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital product and design, and customer experience transformation. To attract this talent, the business is investing in a faster, simpler and more transparent hiring process – enhanced digital platforms, consistent assessment practices, stronger hiring manager capability and clear communication at each stage.
Real-time recruitment dashboards, talent market mapping and a refreshed employer brand help TPG position itself as a purpose-driven, innovative employer in a competitive market.
Once people join, development is treated as a multi-layered, everyday practice rather than a one-off program. TPG’s leadership development suite blends practical skill-based learning, strengths assessments, targeted coaching and flagship adaptive leadership programs. The focus on strength-based growth is designed to help leaders use their own strengths, unlock those of others and create environments where clarity, inclusion and accountability drive performance.
Employee satisfaction has also been lifted by policies that speak directly to flexibility and equity. Summer Fridays, which allow most employees to finish early on Fridays in the warmer months, have been extremely well received and have boosted morale. An updated, fully inclusive parental leave policy has led to a substantial increase in male employees taking parental leave, normalising shared caregiving and reinforcing TPG’s commitment to family support and equality.
A comprehensive, multi-channel approach underpins TPG’s DE&I work. A central DE&I hub houses policies, resources and learning materials, while formal training, organisation-wide updates, leadership video messages and year-round events keep inclusion visible. Leaders are equipped with practical toolkits and conversation guides to bring DE&I to life within their teams. Looking ahead, TPG’s Customer First, People Always focus will see continued investment in future-critical skills, flexibility, psychological safety and a workforce that reflects the diversity of its customer base.
Mark Moran Group has built a distinctive people strategy around deeply personal support, continuous learning and a genuinely family-like culture.
Recruitment is largely driven internally: more than 90% of hires – and over 90% of the management team – come through the referral scheme, supported by external advertising where needed. A strong casual pool helps minimise agency use, protecting continuity of care. Site-based roster clerks manage interviews and onboarding paperwork, which then flows to people and culture to finalise contracts.
From day one, new starters enter a structured 12 week onboarding program. They meet the management team, receive a detailed welcome pack outlining values, policies and key contacts, and have an individual meeting with HR to ensure they feel supported. Over their first months, they spend time with each head of department, complete mandatory and role-specific training (online and face to face), undertake buddy shifts and attend weekly support meetings with an educator or manager. Check-ins at four and 12 weeks, followed by performance reviews at six months and annually, keep expectations and development on track.
Education is anchored by internal educators – former registered nurses with deep clinical experience who have moved into training roles. They deliver tailored education across compliance and specialised areas such as dementia and palliative care, using a mix of formats to match different learning needs.
Employee satisfaction is further supported by a rich ecosystem of recognition, wellbeing and community building initiatives. A longstanding Employee Recognition Program and the Mark Moran Group Appreciation Award celebrate staff who go above and beyond, with quarterly and annual awards, financial incentives and storytelling in the staff newsletter. A comprehensive wellness program offers mental health resources, confidential EAP access and dedicated mental health leave in recognition of the emotional demands of aged care.
The culture is reinforced through regular celebrations and shared experiences: Shining Light Hospitality workshops, R U OK? Day events, Dashain and Diwali celebrations, Breast Cancer Awareness activities, Halloween fun and more. Birthday vouchers, discounted Friday dining at Mark Moran Group’s restaurant, broad retail discounts, and off-site or international team-building trips further build connection.
Underlying all of this is a warm, supportive ethos that shows up in how the organisation responds to personal milestones and challenges – rallying around staff during illness, contributing to life events and treating each team member as part of an extended family. DE&I expectations are embedded from day one through interactive training and reinforced through ongoing communication. The result is a workplace where employees feel recognised, equipped and genuinely cared for.
The best companies to work for in Australia and New Zealand are not pinning their hopes on a single flagship initiative. They work across the whole employee lifecycle – rethinking recruitment, investing in everyday development, modernising benefits and flexibility, and making inclusion part of how work gets done.
TPG Telecom, Mark Moran Group and Bizcap showcase four areas where their leading performance is evident.
Recruitment is shifting from a reactive, vacancy-driven exercise to a deliberate capability build. Among recognised employers, two elements stand out:
starting with a sharp view of the skills and behaviours needed for the next phase of growth
using structured, evidence-based tools to reduce bias and improve long-term fit
Organisations are increasingly defining “what success looks like” in each role, including technical skills, working style and cultural contribution before going to market. Many are also using recruitment data to understand which channels and profiles are most likely to succeed and stay.
TPG Telecom and Bizcap show this shift in action.
Among top-rated employers, development is not a nice-to-have; it is core.
Hays’ Herbst says, “Employers of choice actively support continuous learning, upskilling and clear career pathways, recognising the pace of skills change driven by AI and digital transformation.”
Common features include:
clear expectations of what good looks like at each level
a mix of formal programs, coaching, stretch assignments and cross functional opportunities
dedicated internal educators or learning specialists who understand the work
leaders who are expected to coach, give feedback and hold career conversations
TPG Telecom uses a multi-layer leadership development approach grounded in strengths and adaptive capability. Bizcap places joint ownership of development at the centre, with employees encouraged to “own their journey” and leaders using regular check-ins to align ambitions and development actions.
At Mark Moran Group, development is tightly woven into the delivery of care. Educators with long clinical tenures have transitioned into dedicated training roles, designing and delivering education that spans mandatory compliance through to specialised learning in dementia, palliative care and leadership. Training is delivered both online and in person to suit different learning styles, with a strong emphasis on applying learning in everyday practice.
Benefits are shifting away from generic packages towards more thoughtful ecosystems of support. The examples in this report highlight three common threads:
flexibility that is trusted and practical
wellbeing support that recognises emotional and mental load
recognition that is specific, regular and meaningful
“Flexibility around how, when and where work is done is now a baseline expectation, alongside clear boundaries that support wellbeing and prevent burnout,” adds Herbst.
Employees in Australia and New Zealand are increasingly quick to judge whether DE&I is real or rhetoric. The employers profiled here are at different points on the journey but share three habits:
introducing DE&I expectations early and revisiting them often
backing policies with education, tools and visible leadership behaviour
linking inclusion directly to service quality and customer or resident outcomes
At TPG Telecom, DE&I is supported by a central hub of policies and resources, formal training, organisation-wide communication and visible executive sponsorship. Leaders receive toolkits and conversation guides to help bring inclusion to life in team routines and decision-making.
Mark Moran Group frames DE&I as inseparable from the quality of care. Onboarding includes both DE&I fundamentals and the firm’s specific expectations for respectful, inclusive behaviour. Training uses real-life aged care scenarios to help staff understand the impact of bias and exclusion.
Bizcap focuses on creating an environment where a diverse group of people can be themselves while working towards a common goal. In-depth HR onboarding covers values, behavioural standards and expectations for respectful conduct. Managers and senior leaders are heavily involved, so new starters see inclusive leadership modelled from the outset. Open channels for feedback and clear escalation pathways reinforce that inclusion and improvement are everyone’s responsibility.
Across all three, DE&I is presented as an everyday practice – not a standalone initiative. “Leading employers focus less on headline metrics and more on whether people feel safe, respected and able to contribute fully at work,” Herbst says. “Inclusion is demonstrated through action, accountability and safe, respectful workplaces, not just policies or statements.”
Start with a clear view of the capabilities and behaviours you need in the next two to three years, then design recruitment around that. Bizcap’s hiring intelligence system and TPG’s future-focused talent strategy both show the gains from combining structure, data and human judgement.
For HR: Define success profiles for critical roles – including behaviours and cultural contribution – and track not just time to fill, but 12- and 24-month success and retention.
At TPG, Bizcap and Mark Moran Group, development is embedded in daily work. Leaders are expected to coach and give feedback; employees are expected to engage with learning.
For HR: Move beyond ad hoc courses towards coherent development frameworks that clarify expectations at each level and blend formal learning with on-the-job stretch.
Benefits that matter are those that help people manage the real pressures of their roles and lives – whether that is mental health leave in aged care, flexible summer hours in a telco or enhanced parental leave in a growing financial services firm.
For HR: View benefits through an employee lens. Prioritise flexibility, mental health support and inclusive family policies, and equip leaders to apply them consistently.
DE&I has the most impact when it is woven through onboarding, leadership development and everyday communication, rather than sitting in a stand-alone policy or campaign.
For HR: Integrate DE&I expectations into role descriptions, performance processes and leadership programs. Provide leaders with practical tools and examples and hold them accountable..
Finally, all three employers explicitly connect how employees feel at work with the experience of residents, customers or clients. TPG’s “Customer First, People Always”, Mark Moran Group’s hospitality lens and Bizcap’s focus on high-performing, stable teams all reflect the same belief: employee experience and customer experience are two sides of the same coin.
For HR: Frame people initiatives in terms of their impact on customer outcomes, safety, quality and innovation. Use that narrative to secure sustained executive sponsorship.
HRD’s 5-Star Employers of Choice 2026 show that leading employee experience is less about copying the latest trends and more about getting the fundamentals right consistently.
Fair and transparent recruitment, genuine listening, inclusive leadership, clear development pathways and benefits that reflect real lives – when these elements line up, the result is higher engagement, stronger retention and more resilient, future ready organisations.
For the best companies to work for in Australia and New Zealand, the challenge is to benchmark honestly, identify the gaps that matter most and involve employees in co-creating the next chapter. Those who can do this are building workplaces where people and performance thrive.
The entry process for Human Resources Director Australia and New Zealand’s 2026 5-Star Employers of Choice comprised two steps: an employer submission followed by an employee survey. First, organisations had to complete an in-depth submission to explain their various offerings and practices.
Next, employees from nominated organisations were asked to fill out an anonymous form evaluating their workplace on a number of metrics, including benefits, compensation, culture, employee development, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
To be considered, each organisation had to reach a minimum number of employee responses based on overall size. Organisations that achieved a 75% or greater average satisfaction rating from employees were named 5-Star Employers of Choice for 2026.
