National Transport Insurance was named among 16 of Australia’s best employers at an Aon awards lunch in Sydney last week.

The Aon Best Employers program, in its 17th year, is an accreditation and research scheme that examines “people practices” at high-performing organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

A survey this year reveals the top 16 have a significantly higher level of engagement across all areas of the employee hierarchy, an increased focus on customers, and the ability to connect employees with vision and purpose.

They also have a strong commitment to employee health, safety and wellbeing.

Other winners include Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand, FedEx Express (New Zealand) and Yarra Valley Water.

Aon Partner and Head of Employee Engagement Asia-Pacific and Middle East Stephen Hickey says winners “use change as a means to actively engage with their people, in contrast to many other organisations that are worried about change disengaging their people”.