EY is working to ensure that Defence’s workforce of more than 80K people across 55 national and overseas locations are leveraging the opportunities created by digital transformation to become engaged, efficient and ready to transform opportunity into action.

One of the key differentiators of EY’s approach and the change experience being delivered is to create communications, learning activities and interactions that are “deliberately different” from other programs happening within Defence. “We know being ‘deliberately different’ is the ideal way to ensure digital transformation cuts-through and resonates across the 14 organizations that make up Defence. It speaks to people from a place of understanding and with an eye toward a shared vision for the future of Defence,” says Natalie Johnson, EY Global Change Experience Leader. Stand-out messaging, immersive events, personal storytelling from senior leadership and pointed communications ensure the program not only has buy-in from personnel, but that the program is continuously creating passion and zeal for the “One Defence” vision, which calls for committed people with the right skills in appropriate jobs.

Implementing a human-centric and deliberately different change and digital transformation program within a military organization is a unique, albeit prudent approach. A human enterprise defines its purpose and creates an ecosystem of long-term value, including the well-being of human stakeholders. By placing ADF’s people at the cornerstone of every change decision, Defence has embraced technology as a way to reach its “One Defence” vision.

EY’s approach is continuously defined by data and analytics – the EY team has unified data sources across Defence’s 14 organizations, building cohesive analytics, informing insight and adding a layer of visibility into not only the respective units which comprise Defence, but into the organization as a whole. 

Through rich insights, Defence stakeholders are able see change effectiveness and where needed, respond with agility. “Securing stakeholder buy in for this program has been made easier, given the robust data and analytics capabilities the EY team has delivered. We can see where transformation is happening in near real-time,” says a member of the Defence Program leadership.

Most importantly, the deliberately different and human-centric approach is shaping nearly every facet of Defence’s digital transformation.

“When you put people first, the change experience is authentic. This substantially increases the likelihood of an exceptional outcome; for Defence, we scaled our approach to one of the largest organizations in Australia; an incredible opportunity,” adds Natalie Johnson.

By removing the constraints of legacy technology, the Defence is transforming and vastly increasing capabilities, while simultaneously enabling it’s more than 80K personnel to become continuously change-capable. The result, a formidable military capability that stands ready to lead in the transformative age.