Great Southern Bank

Good news for future homeowners 🏡   We welcome news of the expansion of the Federal Government’s Help to Buy scheme, which could give thousands of Australians a better chance to own their own home.   By increasing income and property price caps, the scheme could enable more first homebuyers to enter the market with smaller deposits and lower mortgage repayments.   This expansion could be particularly good for long-term renters and younger buyers who are seeking more confidence to own their first home. Supporting homeowners is our passion and our purpose at Great Southern Bank, as we work to help all Australians own their own home - and our team are here to help customers understand the scheme. Learn more on our website: https://lnkd.in/gkqWDu4g. #HomeOwnership #HelpToBuy #FirstHomeBuyers

Connecting the dots for a great culture As a Senior Manager for Culture and Leadership (and this month’s Human of Great Southern Bank) Jean Kilner is responsible for initiatives that shape our culture, drive engagement, foster inclusion, and develop leadership capabilities. This week that was in the form of our Learning Week - an event she introduced to our bank four years ago that’s designed to help team members understand how they contribute to our purpose (of helping all Australians own their own home). "It’s a highly collaborative initiative, empowering our people with the skills and knowledge to drive our success. We have a whole week of amazing events and it's a fantastic opportunity for our team members to connect the dots between their daily work and our broader strategic priorities. It helps build commercial acumen and an enterprise-wide mindset, as our internal experts and leaders share insights on the work driving our bank forward," Jean says. Through Learning Week and other initiatives like her work on our values Jean has contributed to our bank being internationally recognised for exceptional employee engagement. "As a smaller bank, we punch well above our weight, and I’m fortunate to work with an incredible team and leader who make that possible. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see our efforts recognised with our second consecutive Gallup Exceptional Workplace award," she says. Being a people person must come from her experiences living, working and embracing cultures across South Africa, the UK and Australia – something she says is a personal life highlight, in addition to raising her three teenagers. After all the planning and coordination for Learning Week, we think it might be time for a 'Just for you' day (one of our work perks)! Jean says we'd find her "anywhere near water - whether it’s a beach, a lake for water-skiing, or just reading a book by a peaceful river." It was great to learn a little more about you Jean. Thank you for all the work you do to help our team connect the dots that empower our great culture. #HumansofGreatSouthernBank #GreatCultureLived #GreatPlacetoWork #LearningWeek #EmployeeEngagement [Photos: 1) Jean sitting at a table smiling, 2) Jean standing with Learning Week speaker Dr Catherine See, Chief People Officer Tracey Lake and culture colleague Mariko Kirkcaldie, 3) a short jetty overlooking a brilliant blue bay of water with boats in the distance]

We see great customer testimonials every day but it's not every day we read testimonials that give us a little laugh. After speaking to Michelle's manager Doreen it's clear that Michelle has this kind of impact on all of her customers. Some have even followed her from other financial institutions so that they could continue to bank with her! "The trust they place in Michelle is amazing as she has always prioritised customer service above all. She shows complete care and empathy no matter who it is. I can’t speak highly enough of her," says Doreen. We love the idea of creating an app to find super helpful banking professionals like Michelle out in the wild… but for now you'll find her in our Perth branch. Thank you for all you do to help your customers Michelle, it's clear you have an incredible impact. #CustomerObsessed #OurGreatPeople #CustomerService #Banking Rolf Glenn

Does this change your perception of property investors? It's not just high net worth individuals who invest in property. Our latest research reveals 48% of property investors are mum and dad investors who still have children at home and maintain an existing mortgage. And where do first home buyers fit in? Interestingly, 14% of our survey respondents were rentvestors (first home buyers who have purchased an investment property while continuing to rent in their preferred area). The numbers also revealed that property investors have higher financial confidence (41%), over both owner-occupiers (29%) and first home buyers (33%). Head of Credit and Lending Travis Allan says the survey results align to our data. "There may be a misconception out there that property investment is largely for high income earners. This research validates that’s not an entirely accurate view. In reality, property investment is accessible to a much broader group of Australians. We’re seeing young Australians rentvesting and established homeowners making strategic wealth-building moves with their equity to invest – 46% of our investor loan holders are between the ages of 30-50," Travis says. When it comes to type of property investors prefer, traditional housing options took first place: 68% choose to invest in houses; 17% opted for apartments and 12% selected townhouses. Do these stats change your perception of property investment? Are you considering an investment property purchase in future? #HomeOwnership #PropertyInvestment #Rentvesting #HomeEquity

A winning workplace! 🎉 For a second year running we’ve received the globally prestigious Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award for Engagement.  Only 62 organisations worldwide earn this recognition, which among other things honours our great customer outcomes, inclusive culture and engaged team. It builds on the flexible and supportive environment we’ve worked to create for our team members. As Tracey Lake, our Chief People Officer, said, “From career pathways to refreshing our values and empowering teams to drive real change, we continue to build a workplace where everyone can thrive.” Looking for an exceptional career? Check out our careers page 👉https://lnkd.in/g2cmJspn #Gallup #Engagement #GreatCultureLived #GreatPlacetoWork

Sunny Days, Sustainable Savings   We were delighted to welcome The Hon. Rose Jackson MLC, NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness, and local member Edmond Atalla to Mission Australia’s Mount Druitt social housing complex this week, where energy-efficient upgrades are making a real impact.   Through our $1 million partnership with Mission Australia, a recently installed shared rooftop solar system is helping tenants save an average of $45.46 per month on energy bills - freeing up more for essentials like food and medicine. Early results from similar upgrades in Forster show annual savings of $500 per household.   Thank you for visiting and seeing firsthand how partnerships like this, alongside government initiatives, create meaningful change for social housing tenants and the environment.   #Sustainability #EnergyEfficiency #ClimateAction #SocialHousing #PartnershipsForChange

Meet Sam. She's an everyday Australian with a side-hustle that's helping her to save for her home deposit - and, she's the star of the latest chapter in our brand campaign. We know that everyone’s journey to homeownership is different, so we're putting the spotlight on those unique paths. You might recall seeing small business owner Terry the tradie late last year (see the ad here: https://lnkd.in/gHGay_gF). Our No Place Like Home research recently revealed that more Australians are exploring ways to make additional money to combat cost-of-living and support their saving goals. The top choice for 40% of Millennials? To turn their hobbies into side hustles. Through sharing Sam's story, we're speaking directly to them. We recognise the supporting role we have in helping all Australians own their own home. Our clever tools, smart products and support for Government schemes are all ways we're guiding first home buyers to their 'Happily Clever After.' Do you know a side-hustler who is saving for their first home? We'd love to meet them! #HomeOwnership #HappilyCleverAfter #SideHustle #Savings

We're here to help customers impacted by ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred. Our latest news article outlines the support options we have available, including potential repayment pauses on loans, waived late fees and financial assistance. We also explain why it's important to be wary of scammers trying to take advantage of the severe weather, and how we're working to re-open impacted branches as soon as it's safe. You can find out more here: https://lnkd.in/dpTM6imz

Inclusion is only one of the keys to closing the gender pay gap. Did you know girls receive 27% less pocket money than boys? This International Women's Day we had the pleasure of hearing from the Managing Director of the Australian Gender Equality Council Dr. Terrance Fitzsimmons and Chair of our Board Deborah O'Toole in a conversation on closing the gender pay gap. In a compelling presentation Dr. Fitzsimmons presented data on the gender pay gap, speaking to what it represents, misconceptions and fascinating insights on the many contributing factors to how and where the gap is created. A panel discussion with Deborah facilitated by our Chief People Officer Tracey Lake followed. Key takeaways included: - Industry segregation has a significant influence on the gender pay gap where women are often in lower paid 'indoor' industries such as education and healthcare compared to men in higher paid 'outdoor' industries like mining and construction. - The lower percentage of women in senior leadership roles, particularly CEO roles, and their respective salaries also contribute to the pay gap. - Inclusion is a critical factor to high performing teams and profitability - a study showed that companies with more women in Executive teams are 21% more likely to experience above average profitability, due to the robust discussions and wellbeing they foster. Our team were also intrigued by Dr. Fitzsimmons' data related to young people. Did you know girls receive 27% less pocket money than boys? The average pay gap in the adult workforce is 22%. It's not a coincidence that these stats are so similar. Research shows that from a young age girls are doing 'indoor' chores for more time but less pocket money compared to boys who were doing 'outdoor' chores and earning more. The study also found that by the time children are age 12 they have largely made up their minds about their career interests. As a workplace that embeds inclusion into our values we know it is an incredibly important part of closing the gender pay gap. But inclusion shouldn't start in the workforce alone. Systemic change starts with young people - having conversations to build young girls’ knowledge and confidence when it comes to first pocket money, and then careers and equal pay later in life, is also key. Thank you Dr. Fitzsimmons, your insights are an important reminder of the role our industry plays in forging progress through conversations. If you have kids, are you paying them equal amounts of pocket money for their time, despite their gender or type of task? #IWD2025 #Inclusion #GenderEquality Paul Nicole

"She has been thoughtful, compassionate and respectful, and could not have provided better support for me during this difficult time period." Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things we go through as humans. Emotionally, the feelings of grief are overwhelming. Financially, the impact can also be significant. That's why it's so important to us that our team are as compassionate as Customer Service Specialist Belinda was for her customer in Toowoomba recently. "I support customers who have lost a loved one with the utmost empathy and compassion as they are often still working through their emotions when they come to see us. That grief, alongside the task of providing all the documentation needed, can be incredibly overwhelming," Belinda says. Belinda was able to guide her customer through the required paperwork and put them at ease on an account management question that often causes uncertainty. "In my experience many customers, when their partner passes, are very uncertain and don't want to notify us as they are worried their joint accounts will be frozen leaving them with no access to their money. It's something I reassure them on - access to joint accounts remains available for the partner still here with us." In taking extra care to ensure her customer was feeling confident about managing their finances Belinda also completed a banking review to simplify their accounts and boost their savings. We want to share a heartfelt thank you for your genuine care and consideration Belinda, it's clear you had a touching and meaningful impact. Apart from a comforting conversation with a member of our team, what else can you expect from us when a loved one passes? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gHNydBRY