In 2005, Australia Post launched a comprehensive workplace financial education program known as Money for Keeps for its diverse workforce of nearly 35,000 staff throughout Australia.
Full of practical actions that Australia Post staff can take to become more effective money managers and consumers of financial products and services, Money for Keeps followed a survey which confirmed that staff had considerable interest in such a program. Australia Post partnered with Swinburne University of Technology to develop the program and ensure that it had a sound educational design.
So far, Money for Keeps has delivered an interactive CD ROM, quarterly booklets and quarterly newsletters that are sent to employees' homes, a dedicated website, fortnightly e mail fact sheets (also delivered in hard copy to workplaces), face to face seminars in key centres, and a range of promotional products such as branded post box shaped money boxes and fridge magnets.
The program is designed to meet the needs identified by Australia Post employees and aims to engage both Australia Post staff and their families. Material is targeted to different demographics within the organisation, from young people leaving home through to mature age workers dealing with retirement issues. The series of booklets, which act as a consolidated reference for each of the quarterly topics that the program is built upon, so far has included information on budgeting, credit and debt, savings, and an introduction to taxation.
The newsletters, fact sheets and web articles provide 'bite size' introductions to different concepts within the topic, support and reinforce the booklet themes, and keep staff up to date with the latest information, resources, tips and hints on good money management.
The program is constantly being monitored and adapted to grow with the needs of staff. Marty Schiel, who manages Money for Keeps within Australia Post says:
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'Money for Keeps is intended to make working for Australia Post more rewarding by helping our people and their families to make the most of their money. The results of our survey 12 months after launching the program are encouraging. Of those staff who participated, 75% said their budgeting has improved; 80% said their management of credit and debt has improved; and 78% said the way they save has improved. We are now planning the next stage of the program, ensuring that it continues to meet the needs identified by our people.' |