Lendlease is a global real estate and investment management business with operations across Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia. Advocates for employee wellbeing since 1983, the company’s focus today is on ensuring employees have timely access to support at key life events.
“Wellbeing is in our DNA,” explains Mark Greenwald (Benefits and Wellbeing Manager at Lendlease).
“When our founder, Dick Dusseldorp, established Lendlease, his goal was to create a business that added value. Financial yes, but also value to the communities we work in and the lives of our employees.”
"Bippit gives our people the ability to speak with a financial coach at any time, whether they’re navigating a significant life event or just planning for the future."
In 1983, that vision led to the creation of the Lendlease Foundation which aimed to nurture the wellbeing of employees and their families. “We’ve always aspired to do more than just provide a salary. We aim to look after our people holistically and wellbeing is an intrinsic part of everything we do,” Mark adds.
Lendlease has long been recognised as a pioneer in employee wellbeing. In 2013 it became the first construction company to sign the Time to Change pledge, a commitment to mental health that laid the groundwork for future initiatives. For 2018 to 2019, Lendlease was awarded Mind’s no. 1 Workplace for Mental Wellbeing, and the company continues to hold itself to the highest standards in this area.
But their wellbeing offering extends beyond mental health. In 2019, the company introduced a ‘Life Event Hub’ focused on financial guidance.
Mark recalls: “We set up five different pages covering various financial events, such as starting a family or buying a home. We provided financial signposting, with links to things like the Government's childcare scheme, our free Will-writing service, ISAs and more.”
This proactive approach to financial support was ahead of its time, and it set the stage for the company’s next chapter: partnering with Bippit.
As Lendlease’s financial wellbeing journey continued, the company realised that significant ‘life events’ - e.g. marriage, house-buying, divorce, retirement - were deeply intertwined with financial stress. Employees needed more than just signposting: they needed real-time, tailored support that addressed their individual circumstances.
That’s where Bippit came in.
“We recognised that employees needed access to support when it was relevant to them. If someone is buying their first home in January, but our mortgage webinar isn’t until May, we can’t expect them to wait,” says Mark.
“Bippit gives our people the ability to speak with a financial coach at any time, whether they’re navigating a significant life event or just planning for the future. They get the support they need, as soon as they need it, to make informed decisions with confidence.”
“What's great about Bippit’s approach is that they focus on long-term, sustainable improvements to financial wellbeing. They pair our people with a suitable coach to encourage a long-term engagement. In the rare instances where this isn’t possible and our people want to switch coaches, they can do so. From a diversity and inclusion perspective, it's fantastic that there's this element of choice. The relationship that develops is stronger, and the information provided becomes far more powerful.”
Strong financial wellbeing support is about meeting people where they are. Everyone is different, and it’s tough to predict when the best time to deliver information is. This is something Mark has seen first-hand…
“When those significant life events happen, people often don’t have the headspace to deal with anything else. There’s a taboo around discussing finances, and it varies across different demographics.”
“Bippit helps normalise seeking financial support and planning ahead, just like one might for physical and mental wellbeing. Knowing what’s coming up - like starting a family - means our teams can make informed decisions at the right time, without being overwhelmed.”
“We recognised that employees needed access to support when it was relevant to them. If someone is buying their first home in January, but our mortgage webinar isn’t until May, we can’t expect them to wait."
"With Bippit, I hope we’ll reach more people when they need it so they never reach a crisis point. We're not saying to our teams: "speak with a financial coach when you're on the brink of bankruptcy." We're saying, "let’s get you set up to thrive financially, whatever that looks like for you."
"The more people engage, the more others will realise that these tools are for people like them. It creates a ripple effect."
As employee expectations evolve, so too must the tools that support them.
“The next step for us is using the data we have to provide even more personalised support,” Mark says. “If we know someone is going through a significant life event, we want to proactively offer them the guidance they need.”
“Financial wellbeing can feel quite ambiguous because it depends on your mindset and relationship with money. It boils down to having the confidence and choice to make informed decisions. To help with that, we need to ensure our line managers and wellbeing champions are fully aware of what’s available.”
"Financial stress impacts many other areas of wellbeing, so we need to get this absolutely right. I just want to see people thriving."
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