2000 EEO Trust Work & Life Awards Winners
Large Organisation Award Winner
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Merck Sharp & Dohme has enhanced its retention and recruitment of talented staff as a result of its comprehensive work and life activities. The company now has a commitment to a comprehensive range of objectives including a supportive workplace culture. Senior staff act as role models and are open to challenges about the ways the company can improve with feedback from a staff survey used to refocus its work and life strategies. Each set of its work and life initiatives are based upon objectives set by employee feedback during its 1999 work life focus groups.
These objectives included such aims as recognising the importance of families in employees' success; helping employees to capitalise on development opportunities being offered by the organisation so as to ensure they continued to feel valued and motivated; developing an environment where performance, trust and communication superseded the 9 to 5 tradition; and creating a culture where employees felt respected and secure in addressing their own work and life issues.
Some of the initiatives that came from these include: families being included in the organisation's culture, for example there is a family open day at the office and publications on health and well being tips are provided to employees and their families; employees are welcome to bring their children into the office whenever the need arises; a Parental Leave kit is sent to all expectant parents and employees on parental leave are encouraged to keep in the loop by undertaking ad hoc or planned work while on Parental Leave, which can include a return to work part time to take up the balance of their Parental Leave.
In addition, the company offers a school holiday programme in conjunction with Fletcher Challenge; has undertaken a feasibility study along with surrounding Manukau businesses to develop a childcare facility; designed and offers an eldercare kit; designed and offers an in-house stress management course for work and life balance stresses and offers information and videos in this area; and provides a breastfeeding/expressing room for nursing mothers.
The company is also undertaking research to quantify the increased travel commitments of employees as Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) continues to globalise. This will look at the impact on employees' lives and make recommendations for the future.
The benefits the company has measured from this and other initiatives includes a reduction in staff turnover from 22% in 1996 to 11% in 1999; an increase in employee satisfaction; and an improved ability to attract and retain top talent.
Small to Medium Organisation Award Winner
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The wellbeing of staff is seen as fundamental to Heaney & Co's success. Its innovative six weeks Paid Family Leave policy is the commendable result of listening to male and female feedback and ensuring that the policies it develops are inclusive. Its commitment to avoiding the excessive long hours work culture common in the legal profession results in staff being able to balance personal and family well being with professional success.
The firm has created a formal Equal Employment Opportunities Policy so as to signal to all staff members the partnership's commitment to EEO as well as to create a work environment which encourages and supports the maximum participation of all staff in all levels of the organisation, while valuing and rewarding their diverse contributions. This policy has allowed staff to be rewarded for their overall contribution and not just their generation of fees. The firm's Parental Leave policy provides payment for the first six weeks of absence; suspension of any incentive scheme; treatment of employment as continuous; and a commitment that as far as is practical to have the absent staff member's work remain the same on their return.
Heaney & Co's Family Policy defines family as one that varies from member to member so recognising that life commitments change over time. This policy provides informal guidelines such as an approach that as long as the work is achieved it does not necessarily matter where and how it is achieved; no expectation that any individual staff member will necessarily be in the office between 7am and 7pm; and the provision of computers and remote access from home for staff members who wish to utilise this service. Around 40% of professional staff currently use this facility.In addition, any staff member can choose not to travel for work when it is required and another staff member will voluntarily and willingly accept the task. While if a staff member has to travel with a baby, arrangements can be made to make it appropriate for the baby to travel with him or her. Family members including young children are always welcome in the office with facilities available to keep young children occupied; there are social opportunities for staff both with and without families; and regular updates and home visits by staff members to those at home on family leave.
The law partnership of Heaney & Co was formed in 1996 by a group of law practitioners who wanted a work environment in which they would be able to balance their personal and work lives. The firm is to be commended for its frank handling of its work arrangements with clients and deserves the positive client feedback and market profile it has received.
Beginners Award Joint Winner
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The judges of the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2000 were impressed by Hesketh Henry's integrated approach to work and life in a competitive legal environment and to the noticeable senior management commitment to change at a fundamental level. This is evidenced in a number of ways. Its work and life policies are promoted to applicants at the earliest interview stage of their recruitment; these are included in the performance appraisal process; senior management recognises these policies as imperative in retaining high calibre staff - not just from leaving for overseas experience but on wanting to come back to the firm on their return - and they are equitably provided to all staff, from partners and senior solicitors through to support staff.
The firm's understanding of family responsibilities is broad, encompassing the wider extended family and the individual's community. This is particularly relevant in a bicultural and multi-ethnic society like New Zealand's, where people often have commitments to iwi, church or other communities. Staff use flexibility and a supportive workplace culture to meet a wide variety of personal and family needs in times of crisis, celebration and in their day to day balancing acts. Its work environment is structured to facilitate work and life balance in several ways. These include ensuring meetings and work flow are scheduled as much as possible to be within the core office hours of 8am to 5.30pm; updating staff regularly of any new developments related to family friendly issues through in-house emails and newsletters; encouraging staff to talk to the Human Resource Manager or Team Leader about any family problems that may affect their work performance; and being able to invite family members to visit the firm during work hours. In addition, performance is measured and rewarded for what is achieved, not for visibility or for hours worked in the office.
In terms of Parental Leave, all employees are entitled to four weeks Paid Parental Leave available to all staff if they return to the firm within a year. There was strong staff resistance to differing entitlements to paid parental leave as happens in some other law firms. The leave is paid in a lump sum one month after their return however, longer periods can be agreed to on a case-by-case basis.
Various changes to the work environment have been put in place to make it family friendly and these include: children's toys; a changing table in the sick bay and a high chair in the canteen; a bed; a rest room for occasional family visits; a private room (no glass) for mothers to express milk and breastfeed; access to a phone for family calls and a car park paid for by the firm and available on a case-by-case basis on application to the Human Resources Manager.Both men and women have been attracted to working for Hesketh Henry due to its reputation as a leader in balancing work and life.
Beginners Award Joint Winner
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Woolworths NZ Ltd has made considerable achievements in a challenging retail environment. It works in consultation with team members and union representatives to act on issues of concern to employees.
The supermarket chain employs over 9,500 people nationwide within 80 supermarkets, two meat processing plants, three warehouse operations and one support office. Its stores and warehouses operate seven days a week - there are only three and a half days a year its stores are not open - and some of these trade 24 hours a day.
It has led the industry in introducing two weeks Paid Parental Leave to both men and women, Bereavement Leave which allows team members to mourn for someone who is not a relative, and by offering up to three days Domestic Leave after six months continuous service. It also provides leave for examinations, Territorial involvement, Court attendance, sports representation and Public Service Leave.
In 1996 Woolworths conducted a study which highlighted the need for a sexual harassment policy. Since then there has been a focus on raising awareness of the issue, particularly of its business costs to the store and Woolworths as a whole. As a result there has been a 70% increase in female team leaders since 1995 with no complaints or personal grievance claims made to the Human Rights Commission since the policy was instituted in 1996.
Woolworths monitors the benefits of its EEO initiatives to both the team and the company. It has introduced innovative policies such as a student transfer scheme which actively promotes students transferring to stores in cities where they study during their academic year and back to their home town stores during their holidays. Team turnover costs the company an estimated $8609 per team member. Since 1996 team turnover has reduced by 7.94%, and on average this has saved the company approximately $6 million.
Another innovation in the private sector is its translation of its EEO policy into Māori and the inclusion of versions in both of New Zealand's official languages into the Welcome to Woolworths induction booklet.
Joint 'Walk the Talk' Award Winner
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Anske Janssen holds three pivotal roles with Shell in New Zealand: SSI New Zealand Country Manager, SSI Australia Country Manager and Account Manager for SSI's largest customer in Oceania.
For the past 13 years, she has been deeply involved in the company's transformation to a 'work-life friendly' organisation. Although her current roles involve a considerable amount of trans-Tasman travel, Anske always works out feasible ways to ensure she gives the best to both her family - she is married with eight and ten year old sons - and to her work. She is a major user of SSI's teleworking policies and infrastructure. When in Wellington she works from 9am to 3pm, leaving early to spend time at home with her boys after school and making up the time by working from home in the evenings or longer hours when she is away.
Anske has championed two major projects, which have significantly influenced the company. These are 'Diversity in Shell' and 'Women in Shell'. During 1996 Anske became project manager for the resulting 'Achieving the Balance' project, which sought to implement the initiatives that emerged from 'Women in Shell'. These projects later led to development of Shell's EEO policy in 1997.
Over the last year, Anske has assisted working on developing flexible work arrangements for her staff. As an illustration of this, she recently assisted a team leader in working out a regular flexi-work arrangement when he took custody of his children on a week on, week off basis. He now works short weeks when he has the children, and longer weeks when he doesn't. Other SSI Staff now use flexi-work arrangements to pick up children from school, and to pursue non-work aspirations such as competing in sport events.
Not long after the introduction of the company's paid parental leave policy, one of Anske's larger teams faced the situation of having several men with pregnant partners, wanting to take leave at the same time. Anske spent time with the team facilitating discussion, providing clarification, and helping them to resolve the difficulties in a fair and equitable manner. Her openness to discuss and address such issues, along with her approachability are qualities that make her appreciated by her teams on both sides of the Tasman.
In addition to the personal support she offers her team, Anske doesn't hesitate to provide organisational support sponsoring staff sporting teams, contributing to the children's Christmas party, sponsoring events such as the IHC Dragon Boat sponsorship, and approving staff time out for Clean-Up New Zealand Day.
Joint 'Walk the Talk' Award Winner
Doug Stevens started work at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1986 as Head of the Transition Education Department with special responsibility for the pre-vocational programmes for long term unemployed. Over the years, the nature of the courses run in this department have changed and it has become the Department of Social Sciences. During this time, Doug has been instrumental in developing a range of initiatives at MIT and in the wider community including courses and seminars on such issues as: Boys in Schools and Issues in Men's Health, a one day seminar on Fathers, Families and the Future; a series of public seminars on Raising Boys and a workshop on Bully Busting attended by 200 parents and teachers.
Within his department he has encouraged all staff to bring a balance between their work and life commitment and has fostered a highly respected departmental culture of trust and respect. Many of the department's staff have dependent children while some have responsibility for elderly relatives. Doug has developed a system where they can take time off when necessary to look after them, such as when they are ill or for special events, knowing that other staff members will accommodate this. When a staff member needs to temporarily look after a dependent, he arranges for a computer and/or modem to be installed so they can work from home. As a committed father, with 10 and 13 year old daughters, he is also an excellent role model of work and life balance: using flexible work arrangements to assist with after school soccer practice; sharing in school holiday care and helping his wife when she started a small, home-based business.
In the early 1990s, Doug along with his colleague, Tina Fitchett, lobbied and finally won approval for the building of a child care centre on one of the campuses. Opened in 1995, the Child Care Centre was developed to be a model facility by Doug and Tina. It also has an extensive and stimulating outdoor area which Doug raised close to $100,000 from industry to develop. Today, it is one of the largest child care centres in Australasia catering for the children of teaching staff, students and the local community as well as providing training facilities for teaching students from several departments in MIT.
Doug has also arranged for the provision of holiday employment for staff's high school and tertiary student children. This has given staff's children meaningful employment, helped with their social development, and allowed their parents to work without being concerned about what their children may be doing if unsupervised. The Department of Social Sciences at MIT is within the South Auckland region and so has a large number of Māori students. Doug has arranged for one of his fulltime staff, Riki Paniora, to act as a 'consultant' on bicultural issues with a 10% reduced academic work load to accommodate this. Riki discusses issues as they arise and advises the department on a range of matters relating to the Māori staff, students and wider community.
Winner Manäki Tangata Innovation Award
Literacy Aotearoa inc. won the inaugural Manäki Tangata Innovation Award for an impressively broad interpretation of work and life balance that includes personal, cultural and family needs.
The organisation provides accessible, quality literacy services and as far back as 1988 began a process of fundamental change in its organisation to address its continued under-representation and participation by Māori. It did this by developing an extremely innovative model of cultural inclusivity, utilizing a structural model based on Te Tiriti o Waitangi to frame work and life initiatives.
For the organisation's employees, these changes have meant challenging the norms. Not just in the provision of their services, but also in their work and life provisions as they have meant working actively to recognize and implement Māori as well as Tauiwi (non-Māori) practices and values as legitimate norms.
The supportive work environment it has created is aligned to the organisation's value and goals and benefits all staff. In terms of the literacy services that Literacy Aotearoa inc. provides, these changes have meant increasing the numbers of Māori tutors with a strategic response to the high literacy needs amongst school leavers, many of whom have few or no formal qualifications. As a result of these changes, the number of Māori students using the organisation's services has risen from 8% in 1992 to 32.2% in 1998, an actual increase in numbers from 418 to 3150.
There has also been a dramatic increase in the numbers of women and younger people seeking literacy tuition, while in the past eight months Literacy Aotearoa inc. has been contacted by 18 organisations, either tribal authorities or local Māori groups, interested in joining the organisation.
Literacy Aotearoa inc's innovative interpretation of well being, reflecting the importance of culture and identity to employee and organisational success is remarkable in an international context. The judges commended the organisation for its unique contribution to manäki tangata, to caring for people.
Winners and entrants
Large Organisation Award
Merck, Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) Ltd (winner)
Ford Motor Company of NZ Ltd
HortResearch
Royal New Zealand Navy
Shell in New Zealand
Small to Medium Organisation Award
Heaney & Co (winner)
Department of Social Sciences - Manukau Institute of Technology
Miller Bradley
Beginners Award
Hesketh Henry (joint winner)
Woolworths (NZ) Ltd (joint winner)
3M New Zealand
Auckland Healthcare Services Ltd
Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research)
Literacy Aotearoa Inc
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Simpson Grierson
Walk the Talk Award
Anske Janssen - Shell Services International (NZ) Ltd (joint winner)
Doug Stevens - Department of Social Sciences, Manukau Institute of Technology (joint winner)
Oliver Sutherland - Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research) (runner-up)
Andrea Grant - Merck Sharp & Dohme
John Kay - Landcare Research NZ Ltd
Kevin Tate - Landcare Research NZ Ltd
Manäki Tangata Innovation Award
Literacy Aotearoa inc - Centre for Excellence for Literacy Nationwide (winner)
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