Telstra is Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company, headquartered in Melbourne. Operating across mobile, fixed broadband, enterprise networking, cloud and managed services, the company delivers connectivity solutions for consume...
"I joined as a network engineer and I stayed because the work is challenging and people are friendly. You’ll get exposure to large-scale systems and real impact."
"I was in customer support and loved the team vibe, but you’re under pressure during peak periods."
"There are pockets of really creative teams where you can try new tech — and there are also highly process-driven groups where change is slow."
These voices reflect a common theme: working at Telstra gives you solid experience and chances to learn, but day-to-day life depends a lot on the team you join. If you like structure and scale, you will appreciate it; if you crave startup speed, you may find it frustrating at times.
The company culture at Telstra mixes corporate stability with pockets of innovation. There is a strong customer focus and an emphasis on reliability and safety. Teams that work on new products tend to be more experimental and collaborative, while operational teams follow tighter procedures. Diversity and inclusion initiatives are visible, and there is an effort to create more flexible and equitable workplaces. Overall, company culture at Telstra feels pragmatic: results-focused, with an increasing push toward agility.
Work-life balance at Telstra varies by role and team. In many corporate and engineering roles, you’ll find flexible hours and the option to work from home. In frontline roles like retail or network operations, shift work and on-call responsibilities can make balance harder. The company is aware of burnout risks and offers programs to support wellbeing, but your actual experience will depend on how your manager structures workloads. If you prioritize balance, seek teams that explicitly support flexible arrangements.
There is a clear structure in place that supports job security for most long-term roles, especially in core network and customer-facing operations. The company provides redundancy packages during reorganisations and follows formal processes for any workforce changes. There is an element of strategic restructuring from time to time as technology and market needs evolve. Overall, employees in specialised and essential roles will find stronger job security.
Leadership communicates vision and long-term strategy through regular updates and town halls. Executives present clear priorities around digital transformation and customer experience. Management quality varies across the organisation; some leaders are strong strategic communicators who empower teams, while others are more conservative and process-oriented. Governance and risk mitigation are priorities, and leaders often balance innovation with regulatory expectations.
Managers are generally competent and support development, with many offering regular 1:1s and mentorship. Reviews highlight that the best managers advocate for their teams, remove blockers, and enable cross-team collaboration. In some areas, middle management can be bureaucratic or slow to approve change, which impacts team agility. Prospective hires should ask about specific manager styles during interviews.
The company invests in learning and development through structured programs, internal training platforms, and partnerships with external education providers. There are clear pathways for technical certifications, leadership development, and role-specific upskilling. Employees can access formal courses, on-the-job training, and mentorship. The organization supports continual learning as part of career progression.
Opportunities for promotions are real but competitive. Internal mobility is encouraged, and many employees move laterally to gain experience before stepping up. Promotion cycles are formal, with defined competency frameworks. Advancement is often linked to demonstrated impact, cross-functional experience, and visible leadership in projects. Employees who proactively manage their development and network internally will find clearer paths upward.
Salaries are generally market-competitive and vary by function and location. Typical ranges are:
Compensation packages are structured and transparent, with periodic market reviews to remain competitive. Total rewards include base pay, superannuation, and additional benefits.
Performance-based bonuses and incentive plans exist for many roles. Sales teams have commission structures with clear targets. Corporate roles may have short-term incentive (STI) schemes tied to performance goals. Bonuses are linked to both individual and company performance and are administered through formal review cycles.
Health and insurance benefits are comprehensive and geared toward employee wellbeing. Typical offerings include private health support options, mental health resources, employee assistance programs (EAP), and income protection plans. There are also wellness initiatives and resources for family and carers. Benefits are designed to be competitive and to support employees across life stages.
Employee engagement is fostered through town halls, hackathons, wellbeing events, and community volunteering programs. Employee resource groups and diversity networks are active and well-supported. Social events vary by office and team size, but there are regular opportunities to connect across functions.
Remote work support is mature and includes hardware provisioning, secure remote access, and collaboration tools. The company offers guidelines for hybrid work and often provides stipends or equipment for home offices. IT support for remote workers is responsive, and training helps teams adapt to distributed work models.
Standard working hours are aligned with a full-time workload of approximately 38 hours per week. There are roles with predictable daytime hours and others that require shift work or on-call availability. Overtime is managed through formal approvals and time-in-lieu arrangements where applicable.
Attrition is moderate and tends to fluctuate with market conditions and restructuring initiatives. The company has conducted workforce restructures in recent years as part of strategic shifts and efficiency programs. These events are managed through formal processes, including consultation and redundancy support, which mitigate some of the disruption.
Overall, this organisation rates well for people seeking stability, structured development, and large-scale technical experience. It scores highly on benefits, learning, and infrastructure, while team experience can vary. For candidates evaluating working at Telstra, the recommendation is to probe team dynamics and manager style during interviews. On balance, a responsible rating would be 4 out of 5: solid, dependable, and offering real career value with some variability depending on team and function.
Read authentic experiences from current and former employees at Telstra
Great leadership, clear product vision and lots of cross-functional collaboration.
Occasional long stakeholder meetings, but overall manageable.
Autonomy on projects, strong mentorship program, access to modern tech stacks.
Salary growth is slow compared to startups, internal processes can be bureaucratic.
Friendly team and decent training.
High call volumes, inconsistent rostering, and limited pay increases; managerial support varies a lot between teams.
