Defence Bank offer specialised banking solutions to Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families. With 38 branches across Australia, they are a member-owned bank reinvesting profits into improving products and services to benefit members. A significant proportion of frontline employees are connected to the ADF. As at October 2019, 25 per cent of branch employees are a spouse to either a current or ex-serving ADF member, with a further four per cent having a connection to the ADF.
In February 2019, Defence Bank launched a new purpose “to serve those who protect us”, which has been an important driver in its commitment to members and continued support of the Defence spouses that are employed. In a recent survey, 88.9 per cent of employed spouses agreed that Defence Bank's new purpose resonated with them.
To demonstrate their continued commitment to spouse employment, Defence Bank has implemented a number of initiatives in response to a feedback survey on employee’s experiences. A dedicated intranet webpage of information on services and benefits was built for Defence families; a new “posting advice form” was created so that spouses could advise of an upcoming Defence postings, expanding on existing manager led conversations and creating a pool of career opportunities.