Two of Australia’s insurance sector names have secured places on a new industry-specific workplace ranking, with Allianz Australia and EML Group both appearing on Great Place To Work’s inaugural Best Workplaces in Finance & Insurance list for 2026, released June 25.
The list covers 15 organisations across the broader finance and insurance sector and arrives at a point when workforce retention has moved from a background concern to a front-line business problem for Australian insurers. According to Gallagher Bassett’s Carrier Perspective: 2026 Claims Insights – a survey of 250 senior insurance leaders across Australia, the UK, and North America – talent shortages rank as the third-most significant challenge facing Australian insurers in 2026, up from seventh place the previous year. Over three-quarters of Australian insurers reported difficulty finding qualified candidates in the past 12 months, and 68% said they plan to increase investment in training and development, up from 48% in 2025.
Against that backdrop, a verified, employee-led workplace ranking carries a different commercial weight than a self-nominated award.
Great Place To Work compiled the list using its For All methodology, based on confidential employee feedback from certified organisations across Australia. To qualify, a company must first earn Great Place To Work Certification by surveying its employees and meeting a defined trust threshold. Rankings then reflect what staff report about their day-to-day experience, alongside a short culture audit submitted by the organisation. In total, the survey captured responses from 18,712 finance and insurance employees across the country.
The gap between listed employers and the broader market is measurable. Among employees at the 15 organisations on the list, 93% said they are proud to tell others where they work, compared to 60% at a typical Australian company. On long-term retention intent, 88% said they plan to stay with their employer for a long time, against 56% at a typical workplace.
That retention differential has direct cost implications in a sector where experienced claims managers, underwriters, and technical specialists are difficult to replace. Great Place To Work Australia and New Zealand general manager Rebecca Moulynox described the list as a reflection of competitive workforce dynamics specific to the sector. “Every finance and insurance business in the country is fighting for the same people right now, and the companies on this list have worked out that the best way to win that fight is to be somewhere people want to stay. This is a sector that talks a lot about trust with customers. What these companies show is that it starts on the inside, with the people who turn up every day,” Moulynox said.
Of the two insurance sector organisations on the list, EML Group placed higher, landing second overall. EML is a workers’ compensation scheme agent and personal injury claims manager with more than 1,000 employees. According to Great Place To Work data, 90% of EML Group employees describe it as a great place to work, compared to 60% at a typical Australian company. EML says its technology team is developing tools to reduce administrative burden on case managers, allowing them to concentrate on outcomes for clients and injured workers. The organisation also appeared on the 2026 Best Workplaces for Women list.
In workers’ compensation, where case manager capability directly affects claim duration and return-to-work outcomes, that staffing pressure falls with particular force on operations of EML’s type. The organisation’s second-place ranking on a list compiled from confidential employee responses – rather than employer submissions – provides an independently verified data point on workforce conditions that is directly relevant to scheme performance.
Allianz Australia, one of the country’s largest general insurers with more than four million policyholders and a provider of workers’ compensation insurance support to approximately 25% of the top 200 ASX companies, also earned a place on the list. The company’s inclusion reflects its stated investment in employee wellbeing, flexible work arrangements, and an inclusive culture. Allianz was also re-accredited as a Great Place To Work for the third consecutive year and placed seventh in the Large Employer category on the broader Best Workplaces in Australia list for 2025.
Anna Stavropoulos, chief people and culture officer at Allianz Australia, linked the recognition to the insurer’s broader operating model. “At Allianz, we pride ourselves on the workplace environment we’ve created. Our goal is to ensure our employees are empowered to think boldly and bring fresh ideas to the table, with a culture of care that fuels curiosity and ambition at every level. This environment enables our people to deliver care and value for our customers when it matters most,” Stavropoulos said.
“This recognition reflects the energy and drive our people bring to work every day. We’re committed to continuing to invest in the capabilities, tools, and mindset that will keep Allianz at the forefront of the industry, whether it’s through embracing new technologies, developing the leaders of tomorrow, or building a culture where innovation and performance go hand in hand,” she added.
The Gallagher Bassett findings – with talent shortages rising six places in a single year on Australian insurers’ priority list and training investment intentions jumping 20 percentage points – point to an industry in which the competition for capable staff has moved from a cyclical concern to a structural one. For Allianz and EML, appearing on a list determined by confidential employee feedback rather than employer self-assessment gives that positioning an independently verified dimension at a time when the sector’s own research confirms the stakes of getting workforce culture right.
The full list of 15 organisations is available at greatplacetowork.com.au.
