Making benefits more relevant to more employees
For Defence, attracting and retaining members is a long-term workforce priority. The organisation is targeting an annual ADF inflow of 9,000 members over the coming decade, while seeking to increase median permanent ADF service length to 12 years. For HR and People
Leaders, that puts renewed focus on the experiences that shape how members and employees feel about working for Defence.
Employee benefits are a valuable part of that experience. They can provide practical financial value, support wellbeing and contribute to the broader employee value proposition. Their impact, however, depends on how closely they connect with the needs of the people they are designed to support. And those needs are becoming increasingly varied.
Financial wellbeing is shaping the employee experience
Financial wellbeing continues to be a significant workforce issue. Gallagher’s 2026 ANZ Workplace Wellbeing Index found that 63% of employees surveyed were financially unwell, with financial wellbeing closely connected to engagement, retention and overall wellbeing.1
The research also shows how differently employees can experience financial wellbeing, even within the same organisation. People in similar roles and earning similar salaries may have very different levels of financial security depending on their circumstances, commitments and stage of life.2
For a workforce as diverse as Defence, this matters. A graduate starting their career, a parent managing household costs and an employee approaching retirement may all be looking for something different from their financial benefits. The challenge for HR is to make a consistent benefits program relevant to people whose needs are anything but consistent.
What employees value is rarely fixed
Gallagher found that 37% of employees seek out information about their benefits because of their personal finances. Starting a new job prompted 34% to look for information, while the same proportion did so in response to life events such as buying a home or car, getting married or planning a family.3
These moments provide a useful lens for HR teams. Rather than expecting employees to absorb the full value of the benefits program at one point in time, there is an opportunity to make relevant support visible as people's circumstances change. A new member may need a simple introduction to salary packaging. An employee needing a car may suddenly want to understand novated leasing or an employee facing greater financial pressure may be more receptive to education or support they previously overlooked.
The gaps offer a clue
The three largest gaps between the benefits employees rated as important and those they said were offered were all financial. Financial education was important to 56% of employees but offered to 35%. Financial management resources were valued by 54% but offered to 37%. Salary packaging also showed a gap, with 57% rating it as important compared with 45% who said it was offered.4
Salary packaging and novated leasing are already available to employees. The opportunity is to maximise the financial wellbeing support delivered around an employee benefits program. A good example is the My Maxxia app. My Maxxia incorporates tools to help employees track their tax savings and benefits usage meaning employees can see the direct financial impact of their choices in real time.
The app provides proactive ‘nudges’ that remind employees of savings opportunities. Whether it’s a prompt to review their salary packaging options or a reminder of their tax savings, these notifications are designed to maximise the value employees derive from their benefits and educate employees as part of their everyday interactions.
Relevance also extends to how benefits evolve to meet changing employee needs. Maxxia's novated leasing innovations provide examples of how a consistent benefits offer can deliver different kinds of value. Personalised pricing can help employees explore leasing options suited to their circumstances. A parental payment pause can provide greater flexibility when family circumstances change, while upgrade alerts can help employees consider their options as their vehicle needs evolve.
From benefits offered to benefits valued
For Defence, keeping employee benefits relevant means recognising that value will look different across the workforce and change over time. The strongest programs make it easier for employees to understand what is available, see what is relevant to them and get more value from the support already in place.
For HR and People Leaders, that creates an opportunity to look beyond the benefits offered and consider the experience around it: how employees discover benefits, how their needs change, and how education, digital tools and ongoing engagement can help the program stay relevant.
With experience supporting large and complex workforces, alongside participation insights and benchmarking capability, Maxxia can help Defence build a clearer picture of what employees value and where there may be opportunities to strengthen engagement.
1 - 6. Gallagher, Workforce Trends Report, 2026
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