Employer state of mind: Partnering with our employer communities

We’re stronger when our employer partners are stronger—and that’s good for every UniSuper member.  

We have a national team of dedicated employer partnership managers (EPMs) working closely with our university and school communities to help them achieve great outcomes for their employees and students. While we’ve diversified our employer base since UniSuper opened to all Australians in 2021, the work we do in the higher education sector offers a snapshot of what we can do for all employers seeking better financial and wellbeing outcomes for their people.  

Let’s meet three employer partnership managers – Nabeela, Victoria and Simone – to hear about some of the great initiatives happening across the country to support, education, First Nations peoples and health and wellbeing.  

Education 

Like our partner universities and schools, we’re passionate about education and helping people realise their potential. Griffith University’s Business School sought project briefs from external industry stakeholders that students could work on as part of a group assignment, with ‘on-the-job’ experience at the heart of their objectives.

We were among the external industry stakeholders to present a project brief, as Employer Partnership Manager QLD, Nabeela Furtado, recounts. It focused on employer engagement. 

“What the project is all about for the students is to come up with different tools, resources or ideas that we can use to promote UniSuper to staff and students. What is it we can do to bring education and awareness around super? We understand that if you have a higher awareness, you will have a better engagement,” she explains.  

“We had a catch-up in person with the students and the mentor and they were highly interested and engaged, asking various questions about our expectations. The next step is for them to develop an action plan, which they will present to us. 

“We then take the role of a client providing feedback and requesting any revisions. After making the necessary changes, the students will deliver their final proposal.”  

There will also be an award for the best project or delivery. The project is ongoing at the time of writing, and we can’t wait to see the exciting ideas Griffith’s business students present.  

Many would know that part of the university experience can unveil a change of direction. You might decide during a degree that it’s not for you, or you may return to university ‘later’ to cement a career change.  

Nabeela hopes the project gets students thinking about their pathway through industry insights—whether that means sticking or twisting.  

“Providing students with these project opportunities while they are still at university helps them gain a clearer understanding of what their future roles might involve,” she explains. 

“As they work on the project, they may realise, ‘this isn’t as engaging or exciting as I thought. It might be time to explore other options’.” 

We’re also getting involved in a range of panel-style engagements with other partners like Queensland University of Technology, looking at a day in the life of industry professionals.

Support for our First Nations members 

In July, we shone a light on how we engage with First Nations peoples amid the backdrop of NAIDOC week. You might remember mention of the Supporting Training of Aboriginal Researchers Staff (STARS) program— connected to Telethon Kids Institute, based at Perth Children’s Hospital, who have 80 aboriginal researchers.     

Telethon Kids is one of our larger employer partners in Western Australia, and we’re extremely proud to support it with funding and knowledge for the STARS program. Its researchers develop initiatives that positively impact health outcomes for aboriginal children and their families in both metro and rural communities.   

The STARS program is a diverse program which provides funding to support the development of Aboriginal staff, researchers, and students across the institute. But we have more to offer—we use our expertise to empower researchers’ financial know-how amid their busy lives, as Victoria Smart, Employer Partnership Manager WA, details.   

“The work that they do is absolutely amazing,” Victoria says with praise.   

“What started off as a standard sponsorship, has evolved further into ‘how can we support the important work that you do?’   

“We can’t help with the day to day work they do, but could we help with other things like financial literacy and making sure they’ve got resources and support behind them? 

“We offered to support the researchers at Telethon with sessions that cover financial education and wellbeing—support and resources on areas for them to consider which they may never normally get time to think about.”   

First Nations initiatives are a key focus at UniSuper, no less in Western Australia, and Victoria sits on our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) committee.

Health and wellbeing 

You might have heard us talking about 360Health. It’s a leading virtual care platform, available to all UniSuper members and their families at no additional cost. It allows confidential access to medical experts in a range of disciplines, all from the ease of a smartphone, tablet or computer.  

Our EPMs have been busy taking 360Health on the road, spreading the word about its services and how it could serve as an employee benefit. Employer Partnerships Manager VIC Simone Dudij has been close to 360Health in her professional life, even before starting with UniSuper—she’s a big advocate of the platform.  

Among them is Monash University, which has created its Wellbeing Champions program. Volunteer employees act as wellbeing representatives across campuses and faculties, supporting colleagues to live well.  

Simone identified an opportunity to work closely with those wellbeing champions, and together, they’ve started running sessions about the platform: “When I started meeting with our key contacts at Monash University to discuss the launch of the 360Health program and what would be the best way to engage and promote the program, it was suggested that we run sessions at each of the four campuses with the wellbeing champions. 

“We have only just started running these sessions, however … we are hoping that this will assist along with a multi-channel engagement approach in terms of starting the conversation and raising awareness of the program for our members and their families.”  

Many of us are all too aware of current cost of living pressures, whether it be housing, groceries or other essential expenses. Financial and time constraints can lead to stress, and often other important aspects of our wellbeing can take a backseat.  

Simone hopes that, with the help of the 360Health program, some of that pressure can be alleviated. She’s driven by an underlying passion to help people live healthier.  

“In today’s society with expenses and interest rate rises, cost of living—there’s so much financial stress and financial stress can then turn into wellbeing stress around health and underlying medical conditions,” Simone says.  

“Financial health and wellbeing health tie hand in hand. It is important that we support our members where we can.  

“Our values at UniSuper are around genuine care, 360Health aligns with our values and we are thrilled to offer this program to our members and their families. As a super fund, not only are we able to support great retirement outcomes, but we can now also support health and wellbeing, which is truly incredible.”  

If you’d like to connect with one of our dedicated EPMs to hear more about how we can support you and your employees, you can email Matt Adams, Manager, Employer Partnerships at UniSuper,on matt.adams@unisuper.com.au