Novatech Innovating in Staff Wellbeing
Adelaide’s Novatech Creative Event Technology continue to lead the way in staff wellbeing and recognition in the production industry, capitalising on their location in Australia’s ‘lifestyle superpower’ capital city. Acknowledging that even Adelaide has been hit with rising house prices, going up more than 12% in the last year alone, and increased living costs, Novatech’s new employee initiatives are a commitment to supporting staff through this difficult time. The business intends to pay forward significant efficiencies expected to be achieved from the roll out of their marquee Digital Transformation Strategy, internally referred to as Project Novaflow – Standardise, Automate, Collaborate, Inform. Rather than adjusting client facing costs, Novatech is committed to funding these initiatives through digital business improvement projects and via normal business operating funds.
New key highlights for FY26
Initiative 1:
Private Health Insurance
In an initiative driven by Novatech’s ‘Employer of Choice’ goal and continued Health and Wellbeing commitment, all Permanent staff will be offered private health insurance through a corporate provider after three years of service. These will be full comprehensive policies inclusive of hospital and extras cover. Eligible staff will be offered single or family cover depending on their personal circumstance. Coverage will increase from Bronze, to Silver and then Gold cover depending on years of service to Novatech. Eligible employees will have the choice to top up with additional cover should the approved benefit not meet the staff needs.
Initiative 2:
Service Recognition Gold Card
An employee with 10 years of service or more will receive a ‘Service Recognition Gold Card’. Eligible employees will receive an annual monetary benefit on this card with varying amounts allocated as their years of service increases. This is an ongoing benefit increasing over time until the employee ends their employment.
Initiative 3:
Above award wage raises and allowances
All staff will be provided a 4% increase to their base rate, following 3.75% last year, and previous consecutive years of 5% increases. Other worthy mentions from prior years that align with this package are 15% production shift allowances for crew, 20% team leader allowance, 35% project manager allowance, and improvements to overtime provisions. Novatech continues to deliver some of Australia’s leading events across the country and into Asia Pacific all from their home in Adelaide. The aim of reviewing overall remuneration and staff benefits whilst innovating yearly is to ensure that Novatech is helping their staff where needed both at work and at home.
Over the past four years, Novatech has implemented industry-leading policies to attract, retain, and support staff – ranging from New Family Member Support payments for growing families, reimbursable Health Incentive Schemes, and the introduction of Reward & Recognition Leave providing up to two extra weeks off annually, to production shift and team leader allowances, ongoing above-award wage increases, and a Professional Development Fund. Most recently, new benefits such as private health insurance for tenured staff and a Service Recognition Gold Card have further strengthened this commitment. Novatech has set a benchmark for how the production industry can care for its people, and in the fiercely competitive battle to find, hire, and retain staff, Novatech’s employee-friendly policies are an example for other companies to follow.
