Human Resources - Winter 2019 (Vol 24, No 2) - Workaholism: A hidden risk

New Zealand’s Magazine for Human Resources Professionals

Winter 2019

Workaholism: A hidden business risk PLUS: Anti-social media Complying with the Holidays Act HRM Research – what’s going on?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2

From the HRNZ Chief Executive Welcome to HRNZ. Nick McKissack

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From the Editor Welcome. Steve Sheppard

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Workaholism: A hidden business risk Just another modern folly theme or a serious problem? Dr Ulrike Meissner

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HRNZ Member Profile – Estelle Curd From HR Manager to Miss Universe New Zealand

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Professional Development Spotlight Remedying Holidays Act Headaches.

Julia Shallcrass

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Transforming leadership development Using Adult Development Theory as a guide.

Aenslee Tanner

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Why workplace well-being is worth its weight Organisations that want to survive and thrive in the modern world need to prioritise the well-being of their most valuable asset – their staff.

Lauren Parsons

All hands on deck Why ‘involvement’ is every HR professionals new favorite word. Chris O’Reilly

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Research Update HRM Research – what’s going on? Jane Bryson

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Employment Law Lessons from FGH v RST: The challenges of managing performance when the employee has health issues. Chris Scarrott

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24

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Neuro-diversity: The Human Resources team – both the problem and the solution?

How often have you dismissed a CV out of hand because of a spelling mistake – or a typo?

Mike Styles

29 How to make the most of your first two hours of your workday You can schedule your day according to the best time to do that work. Donna McGeorge

Two dimensional-problem solving in diverse teams Problem-solving skills are hugely desirable now, and they are increasingly important in the future.

38 Stefan Doll Anti-social media: What can an employer do 39 if an employee is misbehaving online?

It can be difficult to draw the line between the private expressions of opinion and offensive material which brings the employer’s reputation into disrepute.

40 Claire Mansell

Regional Roundup Southland Branch. Therese Doyle Student Perspective HR has the opportunity to empower people.

Jackson Barber HRNZ PD Programme

Part Two: A Viking With A Mother’s Heart – Leadership the Shackleton Way Continuing the tribute to Sir Ernest Shackleton’s gift to leadership from the last issue of Human Resources. David Parmenter WINTER 2019

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FROM THE HRNZ CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Welcome to HRNZ Nick McKissack is Chief Executive of HRNZ. Nick is passionate about people development, and sharing the success of members and organisations leading the HR profession in New Zealand.

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”

meaningful change for you, our Members. Our focus will always be about supporting our Members.

– Andy Warhol

As the year unfolds you’ll be seeing new professional development courses, an improved website, and different approaches to our Conference and Summits together with a myriad of smaller changes as we respond to feedback from Members around the country.

T

he Human Resources Institute of New Zealand has adopted a refreshed strategic direction. This is intended to guide a programme of change that will support our Members to better respond to future challenges in the workplace. We are all aware that the future of work is predicted to look very different to today.

Here at HRNZ we’re interested in understanding what this future means for HR professionals in New Zealand.

Through our diverse and inclusive network we’re looking to understand emerging issues and connect our Members with the tools they need to bring success to their organisations and the people they work with.

People are at the centre of everything we do, so our new approach will reflect this We have completed a refresh of our brand to project a more future and people orientated focus.

Our kaupapa is about people powered success.

But this is more than a new look and new logo. It’s about creating 2

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People are at the centre of everything we do, so our new approach will reflect this. We look forward to showcasing Members and sharing their success. We are excited about what the future holds and trust you will be too.

We are excited about the opportunity to showcase HRNZ in action at The HR Conference 2019, to be held at Te Papa, Wellington on 14–15 August. Our people focus is reflected in the conference theme – Faces of the Workplace.

Jamie Tuuta (former Māori Trustee); community advocate Kristina Cavit (the Kindness Institute); inspirational change advocate Dr Paul Wood (from Delinquent to Doctor) and New Zealand’s Olympic Chef de Mission Rob Waddell ONZM. Alongside the aforementioned keynote speakers’ presentations will be practical concurrent sessions with NZHR Awards Winners and leading practitioners. Oh and did we mention…? The Conference Dinner will be at Parliament, providing a unique experience.

The Expo Hall provides a great opportunity to check out the latest HR products and services from leading organisations. And while you’re there be prepared to share your knowledge and challenge your thinking with interactive activities.

I hope to see you at New Zealand’s premier HR conference for leading HR professionals.

Conference delegates will be presented with a variety of perspectives on workplace challenges in New Zealand and insights from global HR leaders.

Confirmed keynote speakers include four day week innovator Andrew Barnes (Perpetual Guardian), renown Futurists Andy Hines (Hinesight) and Gihan Perera; business leaders Rachel Taulelei (Kono), Alex Hilbertidou (GirlBoss) &

Nick McKissack Chief Executive HRNZ Nick.mckissack@hrnz.org.nz

From the editor W

elcome to the new look Human Resources Magazine.

We trust you like the refreshed look and feel, to better align to the HRNZ brand.

Each issue will continue to have a feature article where we take an in-depth look at HR Trends. In this issue we look at Workaholism: A hidden business risk. Dr Urlrike Meissener discusses research that has shown how operational frameworks and management behaviour cause or promote workaholism.

At HRNZ we are all about People Powered Success, so we are focusing on promoting HRNZ Members. This issue we feature Estelle Curd, From HR Manager to Miss New Zealand.

You will also see the new Regional Roundup and Student Perspective sections, providing insights and perspectives into what makes our industry tick.

Based on reader feedback, we have introduced regular columns on Employment Law, Diversity, Leadership Development and a Research Update section, which will discuss latest academic research in the field of HR. And of course there’s the thought leadership behind professional development. Each issue a HRNZ PD course presenter will share their knowledge. This issue Julia Shallcrass offers insights into Remedying Holidays Act Headaches.

We hope you like the changes. As always feedback is welcome. And… If you know a HRNZ Member doing amazing things in HR please let us know so we can share learnings and celebrate their success.

MANAGING EDITOR Steve Sheppard Ph: 04 802 3954 Email: steve.sheppard@hrnz.org.nz ADVERTISING Fiona Powell Ph: 021 1712 301 Email: advertising@hrnz.org.nz DESIGN Selena Henry, Crux Design SUBSCRIPTIONS New Zealand: $82.80 for four issues, including GST. Overseas: NZ$100, including airmail postage.

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Orders and address changes to HRNZ PUBLISHER Human Resources is published quarterly

by Human Resources Institute of New Zealand PO Box 11-450, Wellington Ph: 0800 247 469 comms@hrnz.org.nz www.hrnz.org.nz Twitter: www.twitter.com/hrnz Linkedin.com/company/hrnz

Happy reading!

Steve Sheppard Managing Editor Steve.Sheppard@hrnz.org.nz

The views expressed in Human Resources are not necessarily those of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, nor does the advertisement of any product or service in this magazine imply endorsement of it by the Institute.

Copyright © Human Resources Institute of New Zealand Inc.

ISSN 1173–7522

The HR Conference + Expo 2019 Register now for NZ’s Premier HR conference Te Papa, Wellington 14-15 August 2019

nzhrconference.co.nz

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WORKAHOLISM ULRIKE MEISSNER

Workaholism: A hidden business risk

Work addicts have commented on the operational consequences of addiction to their company in a recent study.

The consequences of workaholic behaviours imply a high risk potential for businesses. The size of the business doesn’t matter. Any employed person can be affected. The research has shown that operational framework and management behaviour cause or promote workaholism.

W

orkaholism – Just another modern folly theme or a serious problem?

The ever-advancing technological possibilities and changes in work organisation contribute to the boundaries between work and leisure being increasingly blurred.

Teleworking from home, being constantly available via mobile phone or the internet, or flexible working hours can promote workaholism.

An operational framework has been 4

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established, which enables employees to quickly and flexibly respond to requests from superiors. There is a big temptation to make phone calls or to check emails at the weekend, or while away on holiday. Therefore, if there is a problem around work addiction, one should place a focus on operational frameworks to consider and recognise the responsibility that they could be an addiction cause or promoter.

Fifteen years ago, workaholism was often associated with high professional performance pressure, but also with career and prestige.

People usually jokingly said they were a ‘workaholic’. It was perceived positively in society and accepted.

Increasing education, however, has led to a shift in perception. If the topic workaholism is brought up within a company or human resources management meetings, immediately the discussion centres on symptoms of the condition and the negative impact it has on those affected and the companies they work for. This is a clear indication for an increasing acceptance of workaholism as a problem and even as an illness.

This changed perception also documents itself in the worldwide

increasing numbers of Workaholics Anonymous groups, which have, for example, eighty-seven groups in USA, twenty-eight in German speaking cities, and five in New Zealand thus far.

However, it still does not play a role in entrepreneurial everyday life. Workaholism as a serious problem for companies, is largely consistently hidden. The fact that operational conditions and executives also play a role does not attract attention in operational practice or in health management for employees. Of course, this also has a significant negative impact on the lack of assistance for the affected persons themselves.

Why are workaholics a business risk?

Workaholics are, to a certain extent, of positive benefit for a company.

Their high level of motivation often comes with a high level of productivity and this is highly appreciated by companies. In this phase (Phase 1A), workaholics seem very effective and efficient. They are rewarded by the company with recognition and prestige and their careers are being promoted. From the company’s point of view, they are the ‘best employees’.

At a later time, workaholics will, however, reach a point (Phase 1B), when they are still being effective and making a positive contribution, but efficiency is beginning to suffer and those affected, compensate for this declining efficiency. For example, with additional time at work in the form of overtime or weekend work. During this phase, companies typically ignore the associated problems. After all, they are still their best employees, and they are willing to generously overlook any anomalies.

If the utility curve falls into negative figures in Phase 2, the company incurs costs or loss of benefit.

In this phase, workaholics work neither effectively nor efficiently; the error rate and the number of wrong decisions rise. In addition, further operational implications become apparent; colleagues of workaholics hand in their notice or become ill, and motivation and productivity within the team decline.

A general feeling of uncertainty and helplessness develops within the company about what is happening and how to react to it.

If companies let the process run its course, it will end in an absolute crisis in Phase 3; the workaholics will continue to work neither effectively nor efficiently; the number of

mistakes will increase, and those affected will drop out due to severe illness, sometimes for the long term. On top of the increasing staff turnover, increased absences as well as declining motivation, further significant economic losses may occur. This includes failure to conclude contracts, customers walking away, and important projects stagnating. When this point is reached, the company may find itself in a situation that existentially threatens their economic viability, and it will become increasingly difficult to solve the problems created.

The trajectory in Figure 1 clearly shows the risk potential workaholics pose for companies. The later employers react to workaholic behaviour, the higher is the risk and the probability of severe economic damages occurring.

What is workaholism?

Workaholism is a compulsive and pathological fixation on work, in which addicts surrender or sacrifices themselves. Addicts surrender the responsibility for their own actions and lose control over them.

One can recognise workaholics by the following behaviour traits: They are always busy, and nothing is ever good enough for them. They

have a perfectionist expectation of themselves and very often of others too. There is a desire to have everything under control, therefore it is unacceptable for them to delegate tasks. Work always has a higher priority than family, and relationships suffer because of their work. Working day and night, at the weekends and on holidays is common. Nervousness, grumpiness and impatience are their constant companions. If one confronts workaholics with their unusual working behaviour, denial is the main defence mechanism. The compulsion of workaholism expresses itself in the addicts being constantly driven by work and thus they effectively have lost control over their actions, a situation which they would never admit to. To hold on to the supposed control over their actions, they work out sophisticated time management systems and task lists.

Workaholism is a dynamic process, moving through different stages and may ultimately end in death. Typical physical symptoms are nervous tics, dizziness, trembling hands, headache, weak immune system (which leads to a higher susceptibility for virus infections), permanent exhaustion, heart disease, back pain, sudden hearing loss. Typical behaviour symptoms are mood WINTER 2019

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WORKAHOLISM ULRIKE MEISSNER

swings, depression, mental illness, concentration problems, outbursts of anger, unrest, forgetfulness, impatience, sleep disorders and inability to relax.

The later employers react to workaholic behaviour, the higher is the risk and the probability of severe economic damages occurring

How do workaholics comment on the operational consequences of addiction?

An investigation was performed, questioning exclusively selfconfessed workaholics with regard to behavioural characteristics of workaholism, and commented on the development and promotion respectively of workaholism through a company. The study has shown results which are essential for the action that has to be taken by companies: • The test subjects have shown a low level of absences. This makes the identification of workaholism harder for companies, because these can only be identified through observable behaviour and not through the type of diseases.

• The following main operational framework conditions have been stated from the test subjects. The cutting of the work budget leads to higher work density, insecurity

and existential fears, and this in turn constitutes a corporate policy factor forcing the development of workaholism. Further to this, too much overtime, the fear of losing employment as well as the fear of not being able to withstand the professional pressure, were named as factors promoting workaholism.

• Companies should be aware that practised corporate culture and management behaviour may cause general fears in employees, and also promote the development of workaholism. According to this survey, this especially applies to the organisation of the operational framework conditions. The behaviour of managers plays a key role here: managers, on the one hand, have a hand in creating the operational framework conditions and, on the other hand, can actively exert influence on the employees through their management

behaviour and, thus, also on the development or promotion of workaholism.

• In addition, the following economic and human resources risks were identified: delay of work processes, unfinished tasks, deadline delays, controlling behaviour towards colleagues, mistakes, wrong decisions.

If one compares the absences results of the study with the New Zealand ‘Wellness in the Workplace Study 2017’ one can see the same tendency: the most frequent absence reasons are mainly minor illness like cold, flu, or headache. One can also see, that the general stress level staff experienced has increased about over 30 percent. In addition, the operational framework conditions are also recognisable in the New Zealand Study: the main causes of stress have been identified through general workload, pressure to meet work targets, management style and work relationships, long hours, and financial concerns. This is a clear indication that New Zealand companies have to accept the fact that they also could be affected

FIGURE 1: COST-BENEFIT-GRAPH WORKAHOLISM Benefit

Phase 1A

Phase 1B

Low risk

Best Employee

Ignorance

Phase 2

Phase 3

Middle risk

High risk

Uncertainty

Crisis

?

Costs Source: Own illustration 6

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Risk

from workaholism in their daily business, and that this could be one reason why business seems not to run smoothly.

What action has to be taken from managers and HR Departments to identify and prevent work addiction?

With regard to managers, emphasis is on the importance of information, and the training of superiors as to workaholism traits, in order to soften the ‘taboo subject’ of workaholism, and to develop a culture of trust. Moreover, the study has identified the necessity for management to develop a system as to how the observed behaviours of employees (for example unrest, tension, mood swings, irritability/ impatience, exhaustion, forgetfulness, hyperactivity) may be analysed.

HR departments should deliver proper instruments to support the managers such as personnel information talks, a work-ability-index, a work addiction risk test, and analysis of absenteeism or staff fluctuation. The basis of all such instruments should be a reliable HR Risk Management System, which shows the needs and the abnormalities of the company.

The aim is to make risks visible and predictable, so that they can be approached preventatively, be

limited or avoided. The measurability of human resources risks requires a systematic identification, measurement and controlling of human resources risks. The task of the HR Department is to adjust the HR Risk Management System for the identification of work addictive behaviour. From this, appropriate measures can be derived to offer help to those who are affected from workaholism, and to support the management in handling, in an appropriate human and business orientated way, the challenge of work addiction.

Too much overtime and the fear of losing employment are factors promoting workaholism Conclusion

Ultimately, not only the workaholics themselves but also the companies have to pay a high price. This research shows, that denying workaholism as the cause of operational problems is a gross negligence. The existence of companies can be jeopardised and therefore, the effects of workaholism require active management actions.

Economic interests of companies and assistance for work addicts are no longer mutually exclusive. The entrepreneurial intent must be to recognise the issue of workaholism as a disease, to avert operational damage for the company and to actively address the problems of workaholism.

Dr Ulrike Meissner is an international Consultant for HR Risk Management and Demographic Change as well as an HR OnlineLecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Fresenius, Germany. She is active in Europe and New Zealand. Her published books cover the fields HR Risk Management and Workaholism. She worked in Germany many years as senior HR manager in an international environment and held the professorship for “Human Resources Management” at the University of Applied Sciences OstwestfalenLippe, Germany. Ulrike can be contacted through www.um-ehr.com Further information about the study can be found at www.um-ehr.com or in the book from Dr Ulrike Meissner: “Business Risk Workaholism – Management Challenges and Action Guidelines for Professional Practice”, published 2018 by Peter Lang International Academic Publishers.

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HRNZ MEMBER PROFILE

From HR Manager

to Miss Universe New Zealand Universe competition against women from 93 other countries.

The Miss Universe pageant is hugely popular in Thailand so security was tight around the contestants. “One time we were walking through the airport because we were flying to an island outside of Bangkok, and there were people waiting for us at 6 o’clock in the morning just screaming. It was an unreal experience and felt quite bizarre,” she says.

Estelle Curd

I

t takes guts and determination to put yourself out there, especially on a world stage… meet HRNZ member Estelle Curd whose day job is Human Resources Manager for the Armstrong Motor Group. In August last year, Estelle won the title of Miss Universe New Zealand taking her on to participate in the international Miss Universe competition. Estelle gave us the inside scoop of her journey…

For Estelle entering Miss Universe, New Zealand was the opportunity to expand her knowledge, skills and do something outside of her comfort zone. The Miss Universe New Zealand competition is a threemonth journey. It includes a casting weekend in Auckland, a ten-day retreat to Thailand, raising money for charity, writing reports on endeavours and gathering public support.

On the day of the New Zealand competition, the winner is decided by 50 percent public vote and 50 percent by a judging panel. “You can never count your chickens before they hatch. I definitely didn’t know I was going to win,” says Estelle. “I was lucky that I had a lot of support from my family and friends.”

After taking out the New Zealand competition, Estelle flew to Bangkok in December for two weeks to compete in the international Miss 8

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The girls’ popularity didn’t come without challenges. “You live in this bubble because you’re not allowed to go outside by yourself and you don’t have any of your own time.

Everything is managed by the Miss Universe organisation. We had security and chaperones with us at all times which was difficult to adjust to, especially when you are used to having lots of freedom. For example, if you wanted to leave dinner and go back to your room, you were unable to unless you were supervised.”

Estelle admits there are a lot of misconceptions about the people who compete in Miss Universe.

Estelle says, “People love to ask me, ‘Was it really catty?’ It’s the complete opposite. Everyone is really lovely.

Realistically it’s just a two-and-a-half week long job interview. Everyone is putting their best foot forward”.

Many people also think that the women in Miss Universe only get to represent their country because they are beautiful. Estelle says, “that’s simply not the case. The women I met were studying to be doctors, lawyers and had created foundations or charities for a whole range of meaningful causes. They are very successful and powerful women.”

Competing with women from 93 different countries, Estelle immersed herself in the cultures that surrounded

her daily. “Every morning all 93 of us would have breakfast together. We would have the opportunity to have really enriching conversations about what goes on in different parts of the world. It was incredible to learn and understand the cultural and political views of different women. Hearing stories of political and economic instability in some countries made me really appreciate being from New Zealand”.

Estelle didn’t leave without teaching them a thing or two about little old New Zealand. Starting with where we are located. “Some women had no idea where New Zealand was! I was talking to Miss Jamaica over dinner about geography and she proceeded to show me where New Zealand was on the map. Unfortunately, she showed me Tasmania, although she was sure that I was confused!”

On the day of the Miss Universe competition, it runs a little differently than how the viewers at home may think. “It’s an American production and it screens live over there at 7pm on a Sunday, but because we were filming the competition live in Thailand, it meant that we were actually filming at 7am in the morning!

Our call time to be at the stadium was 1am. Before we left we had to pack our suitcases because the winner had to be ready to fly to New York as soon as they were announced. By this point, we had all had very little sleep in the past seven days and we were all running on adrenaline.”

It’s a surreal experience and Estelle highly recommends it. “I didn’t go on to win Miss Universe but that didn’t lessen the experience. I was able to have a once in a lifetime experience, meet incredible women from all over the world and represent my country on a world stage. I’m so proud and grateful that I got that opportunity and I look forward to what’s to come.”

Presentation skills.

Public speaking.

Storytelling.

Influence and persuasion.

For teams, leaders, and leading teams.

FIND YOUR SPOTLIGHT thepickeringgroup.co.nz

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AENSLEE TANNER

Transforming leadership development Using Adult Development Theory as a guide

A

nn’s a responsible, hard-working engineer, a highly intelligent and motivated team player. She continually keeps herself updated on the latest developments in her field and has developed a reputation as a go-to person for reliable, quality delivery. Whenever a manager, team member or customer asks her to do something, she gets it done without a fuss.

Eager to grow her career, Ann proactively prepares herself by enrolling in a few management courses and subscribing to the leading management and business journals.

When Ann’s boss announces his retirement, she seizes the opportunity to apply for the role.

Based on her excellent track record of performance and in-depth knowledge of the company’s product suite, she is promoted to lead the engineering division.

Originally excited about the opportunity she’d been presented with, Ann quickly begins to feel in over her head. As an individual contributor, she’d been able to turn to her boss and customers for direction and feedback to know what to do and whether she was doing a good job in her role. Now, she’s inherited the responsibility for setting and driving 10

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an agenda for the team in a highly competitive and rapidly changing market and feels overwhelmed trying to meet the needs of all the different stakeholders vying for her attention.

How is Ann supposed to choose a direction when the context is evolving so fast and everyone seems to want something different from her and her team? How can she possibly know if she’s doing a good job when she no longer receives the praise she’d become so accustomed to using as her gauge for success? Nothing in her management training has provided her with the answers she’s craving now.

Nothing in her management training has provided her with the answers she’s craving now Before long, Ann’s team begins to complain of confusion as her decision about the team’s direction and priorities seems to flip-flop each time she meets with a different stakeholder. As team members become disengaged and her division’s performance begins to slip, the executive team informs Ann that she needs to step up and hold her team accountable. Well-meaning advice that

Ann just isn’t yet sure how to execute on.

How did this happen? Ann’s smart, motivated, and well-informed – why hasn’t this appointment turned out the way everyone hoped? Does she need more information on how to manage a team? Or is she perhaps missing a key ingredient in the support she needs to turn into the thriving leader she has the potential to be?

The missing link in leadership development

In his book, In Over Our Heads, Harvard professor and developmental psychologist Robert Kegan describes the stages of increasingly complex cognitive development that humans have the potential to grow into over the course of their lives, what’s known in the research literature as Adult Development Theory (ADT).

To transition from doing what others expect of her to becoming completely self-directed is an enormous increase in developmental demand As opposed to the process of learning more information or adding to what someone knows, for example teaching

management principles through a book or training course (a process referred to as Horizontal Growth), ADT posits a process of transformation in one’s meaning-making system, which involves a change in the way a person knows what she knows (a process referred to as Vertical Growth).

At each successive stage of development, a person gains access to greater mental complexity, an even broader world view, an ability to take a more diverse range of perspectives on difficult challenges, and is able to see more options in any situation.

If we return to the example of Ann, the primary way she was accustomed to knowing something like if she was doing a good job or making the right decision was based on the feedback she received from other people (in Kegan’s model this stage of development is referred to as the Socialised Mind). If her boss asked her to do something, that was the right thing to do. If a customer praised her efforts, she knew she’d done a good job.

While a perfectly useful way of making sense in straightforward situations where clear directives simply need to be followed, as Ann stepped

into leadership, she quickly felt the limitations of this stage of development or way of knowing.

Suddenly Ann’s context shifted to demanding that she be able to locate her own internal voice to navigate and decide between competing stakeholder interests; that she be able to access her own internal compass for making sense in complex, uncertain situations; that she be able to make a decision independent of others’ feedback or guidance as to what the right thing to do in an unprecedented situation is (Kegan refers to having these capacities as the Self-authoring stage of development).

As straightforward as it may sound, it’s crucial to recognise that expecting Ann to suddenly transition from doing what others expect of her (or what societal, cultural or organisational norms say she should do) to becoming completely self-directed – particularly in a complex, fast-changing environment – is actually an enormous increase in developmental demand.

The good news? With effective support (what Kegan refers to as creating a ‘holding environment’) Ann has every possibility to develop a more complex

meaning-making system that will help her meet the demands of leadership.

The trajectory of adult development

The figure over the page illustrates the three consecutive stages of increasing mental complexity (with periods of transition between each) that Kegan’s model suggests we have the potential to grow through during adulthood if we invest in our Vertical Growth: the Socialised Mind, the Self-authoring Mind, and the Self-transforming Mind.

As we advance to each successive stage, we include and transcend the previous stages meaning we have access to the earlier meaning-making systems as well as to that of our current stage, leaving us with an increased range of capacities, options and perspectives than we had previously.

For example, someone with a Selfauthoring Mind can choose to operate in a self-directed fashion or follow the guidance of an authority figure, whereas someone with a Socialised Mind will only feel like they truly know what the right thing to do is if they have received direction or endorsement from a source outside themselves (an authority figure, a trusted expert, cultural norms, etc).

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AENSLEE TANNER

What does more complex meaning-making look like in practice?

As you can see, at earlier stages of development, feedback tends to be experienced as a personal attack. If one continues to develop, however, defensiveness eventually shifts to an openness to other perspectives and even a welcoming of feedback for self-improvement. At the latest stages of development, those with a Self-transforming Mind demonstrate an unparalleled ease and agility in handling feedback and conflict, experiencing it as not fundamentally different from praise.

Self-transforming mind Mental Complexity

To provide you with a sense of what it looks like to operate from different stages of mental complexity – and how the range of possibilities and choices a leader has access to expands at each stage – let’s dive into a specific example. The chart below, based on research from developmental expert Susanne Cook-Greuter, focuses in on how leaders at different stages of development perceive feedback.

THREE PLATEAUS IN ADULT MENTAL DEVELOPMENT

Source: Adapted from Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey and Verticle Leadership Development – Part 1 by Nick Petrie

INCREASING STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

2. Avoid snap judgments Tempting as it may be jump to conclusions about someone’s stage 12

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Hold feedback as a natural part of living systems; necessary for learning and change; see it as not fundamentally different from praise; radical acceptance and compassion for one’s own and others’ humanity.

Increasing stages of development

1. Development isn’t a fixed trait ADT offers us a framework to understand our potential to grow increasingly sophisticated internal meaning-making systems that are a fit for the growing external complexity we’re facing in the world of work. As such, it would be inappropriate to use ADT as a tool for simply classifying people into static categories labeled ‘low potential’ and ‘high potential’.

Development is a dynamic process, a journey that, with the right support, we can all embark on.

• Agenda-driving • Self-directed Socialised • Guided by own mind internal compass • Takes a stand • Team player • Sets and regulates • Faithful follower own boundaries • Aligns with others • Seeks direction • Reliant on authority Time

Caveats in using ADT

ADT offers a powerful roadmap that can help us understand how we can better support leaders in their development, but it’s important to recognise that as with any model, there are limitations and ethical considerations to be aware of. While not exhaustive, here are three key ones for your reflection:

Self-authoring mind

• Expanded worldview • Longer-term thinker • Sees systems, patterns and connections • Embraces contradiction and paradox • Contextual and integrative thinking

Invite feedback for self-actualisation; conflict seen as an inevitable part of viable/multiple relationships, can own one’s own contribution to others’ experience.

Welcome feedback as necessary to uncover hidden aspects of their own behaviour; acknowledge own conditioning, interested in diverse perspectives.

Welcome feedback (especially if it helps them to achieve their goals and to improve); committed to change behaviour and belief in ability to control it.

Take it personally, defend own position, look for evidence to support own view; dismiss feedback from those who are not experts in the same field.

View feedback as disapproval or as a reminder of norms; discomfort at being “shown up”; inclined to save face; internal dialogue about intent Experience feedback as an attack, provocation; can quickly shift blame or be singularly dismissive; inclination to counter-attack or retaliate.

Source: Dr Susanne Cook-Greuter, as presented on https://integrallife.com/ stages-leadership-maturity/

of development, it’s impossible to know what stage someone is capable of operating from simply from observing them.

If you want to support the Vertical Growth of leaders in your organisation, there are a variety of sophisticated, research-based measures designed for this purpose, which can be administered by qualified practitioners. Examples include the Subject-Object Interview, the Growth Edge Interview, the Global Leadership Profile, and the Leadership Maturity Assessment Profile.

3. Bigger isn’t necessarily better Vertical Growth is not a matter of bigger (ie more mental complexity) is absolutely better but rather about how fit-for-purpose our current stage of

development is for what our context is demanding of us.

To illustrate this point, consider the metaphor of driving a car.

Being able to operate a stick-shift does provide you with a certain advantage in that you have the capacity to drive both manual (more complex) and automatic (less complex) vehicles, a capacity that the automatic driver does not have.

However, being able to drive a manual vehicle does not necessarily mean you’re a better, more moral, kind or intelligent driver than someone who can only drive an automatic.

Remember, just as a more complex idea is not necessarily more valuable than a simple one, no stage of development is inherently better than any other.

A person’s current stage of development is a kind of diversity that is so hidden, almost no one recognises it – but it nevertheless affects everything a person is able to think or do. With knowledge of Adult Development Theory, we can better design experiences that are both supportive of peoples’ current meaning-making systems as well as of their growth.

Aenslee Tanner (ACC) is a certified leadership coach specialising in adult development and Growth Edge Interviewing. Her research-based coaching methodology draws on adult stage (vertical) development and complexity theory, neuroscience, positive psychology, and high-performance sport. Learn more at aensleetanner.com

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rganisations that want to survive and thrive in the modern world need to prioritise the well-being of their most valuable asset – their staff. With the high pressures and the constant demands our fast-paced world puts on people, companies that create a thriving wellness culture, will set themselves up to outperform others.

The Health and Safety at Work Act, 2015, legally requires employers to take all practical measures to ensure both the physical and mental health and safety of their staff. Not only is it logical to keep your staff safe, and the obvious ethical choice, it also makes great business sense. There are huge financial benefits to be reaped from creating an environment where your people can perform at their peak.

By taking a positive and proactive approach to well-being, rather than a ‘bottom of the cliff’ approach, you can create high-performing teams. Most of all, you’ll be positioned to attract and retain key talent and knowledge within your organisation, a critical success factor during the current talent shortage we’re experiencing.

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So what is well-being?

Collins Dictionary defines well-being as “the condition of being contented, healthy or successful” whereas the Oxford Dictionary says well-being is “a state of being comfortable, healthy and happy.” I much prefer the “and” conjunction used in the latter definition.

Focusing on well-being at work helps individuals, organisations and society as a whole The World Health Organisation says mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

What are the challenges?

In the modern workforce, an increasing number of roles require a great deal more thinking and mental capacity than ever before. We know that people that are mentally and emotionally fit and healthy are better able to perform their work.

A major British study revealed that 48 percent of workers have experienced a mental health problem in their current job. But only half of those who had experienced poor mental health at work had spoken to their employer about it.

This suggests that 25 percent of workers are struggling in silence.

Statistics New Zealand showed that out of every ten people, two ‘always’ or ‘often’ felt stressed at work. An international survey by Regus found 60 percent of New Zealand respondents were seeing more stress-related illnesses at work, such as headaches and panic attacks and 33 percent were having difficulty sleeping because of work worries.

In 2012, 680,000 individual New Zealanders were prescribed sleeping pills. When you exclude children, that means around one in every five adults is resorting to medical intervention to assist their sleep, which begs the question – how many other New Zealanders are also having poor sleep? Quality sleep is essential to well-being and fundamental to your brain and body’s ability to function, so

this is key to having high-performing team members.

Poor sleep contributes to anxiety and depression, something that is also on the rise, with one in five people experiencing some form of mental illness in any given year. The 2013 New Zealand Health Survey also showed that only half of New Zealand adults are physically active for the amount of time recommended by the national guidelines.

Alongside all of this, technology and social media are creating a world where we’re constantly accessible, yet less connected, on a human level.

Multiple studies show that social media use increases anxiety, depression and loneliness. Connection is fundamental to well-being and research shows that social connection is equally as predictive of life expectancy as obesity, high blood pressure or smoking.

Why culture and environment matters

Imagine if you created an environment where staff were equipped with tools to boost their resilience, manage stress well, work efficiently and effectively

and remain highly engaged team players. We know that attitudes are infectious and that the team culture and atmosphere you create directly impacts on performance.

A study in a UK hospital by psychologist Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, took the customer service principles from the Ritz Carlton hotels and introduced them in the hospital environment. At the Ritz Carlton, staff are trained so that whenever a customer is within ten feet, they make eye contact and smile at you, and within five feet, they say hello.

Achor’s team trained the 11,000 staff to do the same with their patients. At first the doctors didn’t even want to participate. Their reaction was that they were “paid to save lives, not smile at people!” However, because the other support staff got on board and there was constant interaction throughout the hospital, it soon became reciprocated throughout the team.

Six months later, the likelihood of patients to be referred to that hospital based on the quality of care they received skyrocketed, which was one

of their essential KPIs and doctors happiness levels were the highest they had been in a decade. All this, simply from a one-second, positive initiative.

Achor asserts that when your brain is in positive mode, rather than negative, neutral or stressed, you are 31 percent more productive, that health improves by 39 percent and stress reduces by 23 percent. Clearly it’s worth investing time and effort into creating a positive workplace environment.

Why a sustainable workforce benefits society

We have a moral and ethical responsibility to take care of our people.

They can’t be treated like inanimate objects, working on high-speed, 24/7 like a machine. A stressful environment creates friction and wear and tear, and measures need to be put in place to ensure the sustainability and peak performance of your team.

Because people’s work is such a significant part of their lives, the way your leaders show up each day and the way you do business matters to society. New Economics state that focusing on well-being at work helps WINTER 2019

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individuals, organisations and society as a whole. The evidence shows having good mental well-being makes staff more creative, more loyal, more productive and provides better customer satisfaction than those with poor levels.

What are the returns?

By focusing on mental health and creating a positive workplace culture that supports people not only do you avoid the negative impacts of stress, fatigue and burn-out, you also benefit from a stronger, more effective workforce and retain that talent for longer.

Safework Australia showed that businesses that improve their mental health environment rating from poor to good, can save $1,887 per employee, per year, from lost productivity.

Picture the financial impact on your organisation when you extrapolate that amount out based on your number of staff.

Low engagement is a huge problem in New Zealand, currently costing $7.5 billion, every year. Improving well-being increases engagement, and reduces absenteeism, and presentism (being present at work but unproductive). A 2014 Australian report showed that absenteeism due to poor mental health is halved in workplaces that employees consider mentally

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healthy environments.

Another Australian study showed that mentally healthy workers worked 143 effective hours a month, compared to unhealthy workers’ 49 hours.

They also took only two days annual sick leave, compared to unhealthy workers’ 18 days.

A 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers study showed that the ROI is $2.30 for every dollar spent, creating a psychologically healthy workplace, from reduced lost productivity. Whereas a 2017 Deloitte study showed that ROI ranged from $4.00 to $9.00 with $4.20 return per dollar spent being the average across all sectors. They state that these figures are “conservative given the declining cost of technology-based interventions over time, increase in wages, crosscountry differences and limited consideration of the full breadth of benefits.

The critical role of leadership

First and foremost, it is vital that any initiatives are led from the top. In 2017, the WHO cited leadership commitment and engagement as the most important factor to achieve healthy workplaces.

Yet a 2014 Australian report showed that only five in ten employees believed their most senior leader valued mental health and a 2016 British report showed only 60 percent of employees

feel their line manager is genuinely concerned for their well-being.

It takes great managers to engage employees. Gallup showed that direct managers account for 70 percent of variation in staff engagement, which is vital because engaged workers are 28 percent more likely to participate in a wellness programme offered by their company, than other employees.

Participation is cited as the most critical success factor. You need to have a majority of staff taking part in initiatives in order to create real cut-through in terms of culture.

Leadership commitment and engagement is the most important factor to achieve healthy workplaces Senior leaders need to set the example in order for staff to feel comfortable following their lead. Creating a safe and positive environment starts with your organisational culture, and wellbeing needs to be aligned with, and embedded into, your vision and values.

Culture is much more than just the words on the wall and on paper in policy documents. It’s about the way things are done – what is tolerated, accepted and encouraged. If the latest

initiative recommends taking regular movement breaks away from your desk, but managers appear to frown on team members actually doing so, staff won’t adopt the desired culture you’re aiming to achieve.

Leaders need to ask themselves “what behaviours do we want to see demonstrated and how can we encourage and reward that?” What gets measured matters. What if you started measuring the number of standing and walking meetings as opposed to seated ones, the number of positive recognition exchanges between colleagues each month, the number of times people brought their own lunch each week or how many days they could meet their targets in less than seven hours and head home early.

Leaders need to ask themselves “what behaviours do we want to see” Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand-based Trust and Wills firm trialled a four-day work week.

CEO Andrew Barnes proposed that staff work together to create efficiencies that would allow them to meet certain productivity goals, working just four days a week and as a reward, enjoy the fifth day off, remaining on full salary.

In Barnes’ TEDx talk he shares how their trial proved they could not just maintain but actually increase productivity while reducing time commitment and that doing so actually reduced stress. In fact, because productivity, engagement, job satisfaction, work-life balance and employee well-being had never been better, they have now adopted the practise full-time.

The NZ Mental Health Foundation states that in order to create change, leaders and managers need to model the behaviours they are communicating.

Being authentic and sharing people’s stories is one way that organisations are breaking down barriers and creating a paradigm shift about well-being, making it okay to ask “are you okay?”

It is also vital to ensure initiatives are proactive rather than reactionary.

Deloitte have shown that employers can achieve better financial returns by “providing more interventions proactively at organisational culture and proactive stages enabling employees to thrive, rather than intervening at very late stages.”

Once senior leaders have made a commitment, set the example and created a proactive well-being culture the next step is equipping managers.

A British study showed that while employers want to do the right thing in terms of well-being, line managers lack the training required to effectively support staff with only 24 percent of managers having received some form of training on mental health at work.

By leading from the top and integrating well-being practises at all levels of an organisation, substantial change can be created.

Initiating positive change

What kind of difference do you want to make to your organisation? By creating a positive, energised workplace culture, you will boost morale, improve team dynamics and gain a reputation as a desirable employer. Not only will your people perform at their best, you will easily recruit and retain fantastic people, all driving your company to success.

References available on request.

Lauren Parsons is an award-winning Wellbeing Specialist, Author, TEDx Speaker and Consultant who helps businesses enhance their staff’s health and well-being, creating vibrant, energised, high-performing teams. With 18 years’ experience in health and well-being, Lauren believes everyone deserves to thrive.

Founder of Get Fit Feel Fabulous and the Snack on Exercise movement and author of real food less fuss and Seven Myths to Overcome, she now lives in Palmerston North and travels regularly to speak at conferences on how to boost health, energy and productivity. Get your complimentary copy of Lauren’s eBook Live Well, Work Well at www.bit.ly/LPLiveWell.

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Call the team for a chat

09 424 8367 Email info@edenfx.co.nz or visit www.edenfx.co.nz

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DIVERSITY STEFAN DOLL

Two dimensionalproblem solving in diverse teams

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ost employers ask for good problem-solving skills. Job applicants are eager to prove that they have them. The World Economic Forum aimed to predict how technological advancements like AI and automation will transform our labour markets.

Problem-solving skills are still on top of the list with 36 percent of all jobs and across all sectors needing this skill.

Furthermore, “… social skills – such as persuasion, emotional intelligence and teaching others will be in higher demand…” and “…cognitive abilities (such as creativity and mathematical reasoning) and process skills (such as active listening and critical thinking) will be a growing part of the core skills requirements for many industries.”

Problem-solving skills are hugely desirable now, and they are increasingly important in future.

Today, the easy problems have been solved already. The complexity of problems requires a range of specialists to collaborate. Very rarely, solutions are developed and implemented by one person in isolation. People usually meet to discuss the design, testing, and implementation of an idea. Of course, in business we have a variety of discussions to find the best solution, from what coffee we should provide our staff to how do we overcome bottlenecks on the production line.

When two or more people come together with the goal of finding the best possible solution they need social skills as well as problem-solving skills. Only with good capabilities in both skills-sets, a team has a chance to reach their best solutions, strategies, and decisions.

The intersection of problemsolving and social skills

In New Zealand and other western cultures, we are trained to solve problems from an early age. However, we have not been trained on how to do this effectively in a group of diverse people which is what most work situations require. Diverse problemsolving teams often lack the right social skills, and yet, social skills are a critical second dimension to the success of problem-solving teams.

Problem solving skills

Those are skills people have in relation to the problem. For example, engineers have skills to identify the cause of an engine failure. People know their subject and can make valuable contributions by applying logic and creativity, analytical and lateral thinking.

Social skills

Those are skills that take care of the social dynamics between people while solving the problem. For example, people effectively collaborate with good communication, EQ, empathy, and the ability to actively solicit and integrate diversity.

Problem-solving skills, social skills, and team dynamics together determine the quality of the solution.

The team cannot utilise the full benefits of its diversity without displaying inclusive communication, EQ, empathy and an ability to integrate diversity. Every team is diverse when we understand diversity as the different ways we think, feel and act. Some teams are just more diverse than others. In that sense, every team needs those skills. Team members have different strengths in those skill sets. As a team they can complement each other but ideally, each team member has at least a basic skill level in both.

What can we do to enhance the problem-solving and innovation

capabilities of diverse teams in our organisations? Here are some tips on how to boost the social skills.

Encourage diversity of thought with the expectation that there will be (and should be) tensions in the team Invite diversity of thought

Teams have often a good functional diversity, for example, the managers of Production, Sales, HR, Finance come together, or a range of technical specialists in an R&D team. Research suggests that adding social diversity, for example, a mix of gender and ethnicities can further increase the problem-solving abilities of the team for two reasons. First, they bring more diverse perspectives to the issue. Second, adding social diversity “…makes people believe that differences of perspective might exist among them and that belief makes people change their behaviour’. Increased social diversity makes us more creative, more diligent and harder-working because compared to a more homogenous group we anticipate differences of opinion and challenges. We prepare better and are mentally more awake and present because our brain is forced to process complex and unexpected information

TWO-DIMENSIONAL PROBLEM-SOLVING IN DIVERSE TEAMS Problem-solving skills • Subject matter expertise • Logic & analytical thinking • Creativity & lateral thinking

Quality of solution

Team dynamics

Social skills • Inclusive communication • EQ & empathy • Ability to integrate diversity

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and we expect that it is harder to collaborate and reach an outcome or agreement. Diversity gives our brain a powerful workout.

Diversity of thought can flourish in an inclusive environment, a space of psychological safety, where the contributions of individuals are encouraged, heard, and appreciated no matter how different they are.

This can be achieved by applying an opportunity mindset. A mindset that allows us to listen to different views with curiosity, not with judgement.

When people see differences as an opportunity they can resolve those differences and potential conflict in a constructive way.

When we know each other on a personal level we are more likely to be empathetic when we resolve differences Get everyone to participate

Make yourself heard if you have a different view or a contribution to make and help others to do so. Sometimes people mistakenly assume they are not loyal to their team when they express a different perspective or dissent. The opposite is the case. Sometimes they don’t want to rock the boat and shy away from a discussion. In that case, the team runs the risk of approaching a problem only from one perspective.

A strong desire to reach consensus increases tunnel vision and blind spots. At best, the team arrives at suboptimal solutions, at worst they lose serious money and reputation.

How can we get everyone to participate and share their views?

Ask in the meeting invite to come prepared with some thoughts on a specific topic. Introverts will feel more comfortable as they had time to think through their contribution and extroverts have time to bring some structure to their thoughts that makes it easier for others to follow.

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first, without the whole team starting to discuss them. Only questions to clarify understanding are appropriate in this first round of participation.

The timekeeper, facilitator, or chair intervenes when people are taking up more time. Each contribution should be recorded on a whiteboard or postit to ensure that even the most diverse perspectives are not skimmed over.

The second round of participation is about reflecting on the contributions made, sharing what resonates and why, prioritising, deciding on what should be further explored and what information is still required.

Increase tolerance for disagreements

Diversity of thought is often smothered by the urge to have consensus. We can encourage diversity of thought with the expectation that there will be (and should be) tensions in the team. For example, there should be a healthy tension between Marketing and Operations because the needs and desires of those departments are often in conflict. Marketing is coming up with fancy ideas on packaging to attract customers while Operations would like to keep it simple and consistent to be more efficient. If the team articulates the natural tensions between them it becomes normal to voice different views. Team members also learn about each other’s stressors which helps to increase their tolerance towards differences.

Diverse perspectives keep flowing better when we normalise disagreements. We can give team members added responsibilities around boosting the collective social skills of the team. For example, one person takes on the role of a Process Observer. While it is important for everyone to be mindful of team dynamics, someone can take the additional responsibility of helping others to listen, speak uninterrupted, and advocate for the use of inclusive language. The Process Observer is also more likely to intervene when judgements and assumptions are

made or when people are getting personal. One team member can take on a ‘Devil’s Advocate’ role to avoid group think. They are mandated to share what could go wrong and why a solution would not work. When those roles are rotated between the team, each member becomes more agile in taking different perspectives and not one person is associated with, for example, the ‘Devil’s Advocate’.

Get to know the team on a personal and emotional level

Connecting on a personal level is the foundation for a safe, empathetic, and caring environment. People who are working together on a regular basis benefit from knowing the person they are working with beyond their positions and relevant skills.

What are they interested in outside of work? What happens in their lives?

What is important to them? The personal, human connection allows people to speak up and listen with an open mind. The personal connection enables people to be honest, humble, even vulnerable, which are all expressions of a psychological safe environment. When we know each other on a personal level we are more likely to find the right words in case we disagree, and we are more likely to be empathetic when we resolve differences.

In summary, problem-solving teams require problem-solving skills and social skills. Diverse teams successfully solve complex problems when they understand how to interact in an inclusive way, expect to have different views and disagreements, and connect on a personal and emotional level.

References available on request.

Stefan Doll is founder and principal consultant at the Diversity Institute (www. diversity institute.co.nz).

As published author, trainer, consultant and leadership coach he has helped many clients to build healthy, productive teams and organisations in a diverse environment. Contact: stefan@diversityinstitute.

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EMPLOYMENT LAW CLAIRE MANSELL

Anti-social media

What can an employer do if an employee is misbehaving online?

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uring work hours, they are your star employee and the public face of your business. One day, you get a call from a concerned client sending you a link to your employee’s Facebook page. It turns out that your employee has been posting nasty comments all over Facebook. Your client tells you that if you can’t get your employee under control they will be taking their business elsewhere. When you approach your employee they simply shrug and tell you that they have the right to free speech.

Don’t stress, you aren’t the only person who has been in this position.

Many employer’s may be surprised to find out that they have the right to investigate behaviour which occurs outside work if that behaviour brings the employer’s reputation into disrepute.

This may seem straightforward, but can be hard to apply in practice. Recently, Forsyth Barr faced a similar situation with a senior analyst, Mr Hallwright.

Mr Hallwright was convicted following a road rage incident. The incident attracted significant media attention which identified both Mr Hallwright and his employer. Despite the event occurring outside work hours and not being directly related to Mr Hallwright’s employment, Forsyth Barr was justified in terminating his employment on the basis that his actions brought its reputation into disrepute.

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The Court in Hallwright v Forsyth Barr said that an employer may be justified in taking disciplinary action against an employee if it can show that the employee’s behaviour: • damaged its business; • is incompatible with the proper discharge of their duties; • impacts other employees; or • undermines the necessary trust and confidence between the employer and employee.

Online behaviour is also captured.

Both the Authority and the Employment Court recognise the power of social media to distribute information to a wide audience, even if the employee has a “private” social media account which can only be accessed by their “friends”. The current Chief Judge of the Employment Court puts it this way:

was a “very expensive paperweight who is highly competent in the art of time wastage, blame shifting and stationary [sic] theft’ could be subject to disciplinary action.

“Facebook posts, even those ostensibly protected by a privacy setting, may not be regarded as protected communications beyond the reach of employment processes. After all, how private is a written conversation initiated over the internet with 200 “friends”, who can pass the information on to a limitless audience?”

Likewise in the case X v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections, the Employment Court found that the employer was entitled to investigate personal Facebook posts in which the employee made nasty remarks about another staff member (who also happened to be his ex-girlfriend).

The employee attempted to argue that the Facebook post was private correspondence and he was merely relaying to his Facebook friends what he understood to be facts. The Judge stated that “While the Facebook post was not published to the world, Mr X must have known the identity of his Facebook friends and that they were, largely, other employees of the Department. He must also have known that his post was capable of being distributed more widely than just to them.” The employer successfully argued that the employee’s behaviour was a breach of its social media policy and so it was entitled to investigate that behaviour.

The Authority has applied this principle a number of times. First instance, it had no issue finding that a public servant who posted on Facebook that she

What type of social media posts will bring the employer into disrepute?

It can be difficult to draw the line between the private expressions of

opinion and offensive material which brings the employer’s reputation into disrepute. When deciding this issue, the Courts will ask whether a neutral, objective fair-minded and independent observer appropriately apprised of the relevant circumstances could consider the actions to have brought, or risk bringing, the employer into disrepute. It is also not the employer’s subjective view that is relevant, but whether the wider public believes that the employer’s reputation has been negatively affected. The best way to know this is to hear it from the horse’s mouth. This is what occurred in Hallwright where clients contacted the employer expressing their concerns about Mr Hallwright’s behaviour. The disrepute must relate to the employer, not the individual employee. Unpopular (but not offensive) political views, or details of a family dispute which no reasonable person would associate with the employer are unlikely to bring it into disrepute.

Whether or not the employee is Facebook “friends” with other colleagues will also be important.

The Employment Court in X v Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections was influenced by the fact that the employee in question was friends with a number of his colleagues on Facebook. The derogatory comments about his ex-partner (and colleague) were likely to create a toxic work environment. In that case, the comments were directed to one person, however comments directed at a group of people could also create a hostile work environment. Racist, sexist, homophobic or islamophobic comments on Facebook which can

be viewed by fellow employees could create a hostile work environment in much the same way as if those comments had been made at an afterwork social event. This is particularly so if those colleagues are directly targeted by the comments.

While it is established that an employer can take into account social media posts, this does not extend to an employer being able to force employees to give them access to their private Facebook account. In Hammond v Credit Union Baywide a photo from a former employee’s private Facebook page was found to be personal information under the Privacy Act 1993. The disgruntled former employee posted a photo of a cake with the words “F**k U Credit Union” iced on the top. The Human Rights Review Tribunal was critical of the fact that the Human Resource Manager coerced a junior staff member into giving her access to her Facebook account so that the Human Resources manager could take a screen shot of the photo.

As the Human Rights Review Tribunal had previously found that the Facebook posts were personal information, the Human Resources Manager’s actions were a breach of privacy.

On its face, it’s hard to reconcile Hammond v Credit Union Baywide with the decisions from the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. While an employer can take into account social media posts when disciplining an employee, they can not directly ask for that information if the employee has a private account. The employer will need to become aware of that information either because they are “friends” with the employee

on Facebook, or because they have been made aware of that information through other employees, clients or customers. In practice, this may not pose as much of a problem as it first appears. An employer can only take disciplinary action against an employee whose behaviour on social media is affecting their ability to carrying out their role. If an employer is unaware of the employee’s behaviour, or that behaviour has not been brought to its attention by other employees or customers, it is unlikely that it is affecting the employee’s ability to do their job.

Vitriolic Facebook comments, even on a private Facebook account, could potentially be grounds for disciplinary action up to dismissal. Whether an employers actions are justified will depend on the specific nature of each case. Amongst other things, employers will need to weigh up the nature of the social media posts, the effect that those posts could have on its reputation, the nature of the employee’s role, and whether or not the employer or its staff can directly view those comments.

Employees who are in senior positions or who represent their employer in public will face greater scrutiny. A well drafted social media policy will also assist employers in this regard, particularly if it has been created in consultation with employees.

What type of social media posts will bring the employer into disrepute?

Going back to our star employee with the habit of online trolling. The employer would be well within its rights to start an investigation which may lead to disciplinary action, particularly if it had a well drafted social media policy.

The response that this was just “free speech” wouldn’t cut it.

Claire Mansell is a Senior Associate with Martelli McKegg Lawyers who specialises in employment law.

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LEADERSHIP DAVID PARMENTER

Part 2: A Viking with a mothers heart Leadership the Shackleton way

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ontinuing the tribute to Sir Ernest Shackleton’s gift to leadership from the last issue of Human Resources.

6. See and own the future The future has to be owned by the leader.

The Boss could visualise things ahead and plan accordingly. Extensive planning needs to be performed. The extent of the Boss’s detail in planning included: different gear to avoid the problems he had experienced in past expeditions; provisioning food and equipment that saved their lives many times; packing cases made of ply wood (a new material) that could be reconstituted into building material for a hut.

Bold in planning but careful in execution

The Boss was bold with planning but careful in execution. While the vision must be bold every conservable risk was minimised to ensure a safe outcome. He was over provisioned. His original plans were to be away for just over a year but had wisely provisioned for two years based on 4,000 calories a day.

Equip the team

In providing for the team only the best was good enough for the Endurance 24

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expedition. And where necessary new equipment was designed. The food on board was fit for a King. Unusual treats that were capable of being stored for years were taken. In the bleakest moments the Boss used a treat to say to his men “There is more of this when we get home”.

ice floe, to the seemingly impossible transverse of South Georgia.

7. Develop, engage and trust

Communicate the (organisation’s) critical success factors clearly to the team to help enforce alignment

Removing barriers of rank to build cohesion

The Boss broke down any and all barriers that would get in the way of a cohesive team. He devised rotas where all team members, including himself, were involved. All members including the Boss did the dishes and cleaned the floors. When it came time to ration the fur lined sleeping bags to the team, straws were drawn, the three main leaders drawing a blank in a rigged draw, benefiting the younger men. The Boss insisted on courtesy and mutual respect between all members of the team.

Motivate others

The team were prepared to take on any task the Boss wanted as they knew he would be in the line with them. It could be the fruitless task spending weeks trying to break the ship free from the ice, the hauling of the lifeboats over the

Fitness and health of the team Being focused on the fitness and health of the team he devised many activities on the ice floe to keep the team in good health.

Shackleton knew the importance of getting the team totally aligned. He recognised intuitively that this happened through understanding the critical success factors and ensuring each day the team planned their daily duties with this in mind.

Cross train and rotate teams to develop staff

Shackleton cross trained and rotated the teams to develop staff. He changed all the given rules for previous expeditions. All staff were required to master new skills, to act as backup in case of injury. For example, the surgeon was skippering the Endurance when it docked at Buenos Aires on the fateful voyage.

Match tasks to the individual capabilities and personalities

Shackleton went to great lengths to suit tasks to the individual capabilities and personalities.

Know your staff inside out

The Boss knew his staff inside out and spent time with each member of his team to find out what made them tick, how he could best lead them, and how he could serve them.

8. Constantly innovate The Boss always learned from prior experiences. He designed special clothing, the equivalent of a breakthrough as cortex is today. He also designed a tent that quickly could be erected in a blizzard. These two innovations no doubt saved the lives of his men.

The ‘James Caird’ lifeboat that made the crossing to South Georgia was modified, and these modifications saved them all as a rogue wave 40 foot plus swamped the boat during the journey.

The wave was so large the Boss first mistook it for a cloud!

Embracing learning

From an early age, Shackleton looked for experience. At the age of 14, he was a cabin boy on his first sea voyage.

He learned from working with both accomplished and not-so-accomplished captains. He sought to go on as many polar adventures as he could, to prepare himself to get to the South Pole.

The Boss trained himself to become an exceptional leader. He learned from prior mistakes, he was a student of other explorers’ experience and he too had as a hero the Norwegian Roald Amundsen. He admired and sought to emulate the skill, preparation, and attention to detail displayed by Amundsen in the 1911 race to be the first to the South Pole.

9. Embody the values

Value people over results

He valued results, but he valued life and people more. No goal was worth the loss of life. He took no unnecessary risks. He never attempted a goal if the return journey was not guaranteed. In an earlier expedition, the Boss could have been the first to the South Pole but he knew that some of the team would have died doing it.

Love thy neighbour as thyself

The Boss was a religious man. He took the bible with him from his first trip on the sea as a cabin boy. He knew many of the scriptures and had a profound love of the common man. He respected his colleagues, their life and time.

Maintain humility

Whilst the Boss loved the limelight, enjoyed the public adoration and the attention from the fairer sex, he was very humble when communicating to his team, knowing that through humility greatness can be achieved.

In his public relations, he only laid claim to what was rightly his achievements.

Embed hostmanship

He treated his crew as equals. He knew that helping was the most important task and thus welcomed the interruption.

Shackleton time and time again gave up comforts for his men. During the trip he gave up the fur lined sleeping bags, his bed for a sick member, his gloves at a point where he risked severe frost bite. He always shared the provisions faultlessly to all, no matter what their contribution. Jan Gunnarsson calls this trait ‘hostmanship’ in his book ‘Hostmanship: the art of making people feel welcome’.

Never comprise integrity

The Boss set high values and when these were compromised, he was unforgiving. The four staff that had

jeopardised the safety of his men were later severely punished on return to the UK by the withholding of the Polar medal.

10. Finding and using a mentor Shackleton realised the importance of mentorship and this is what he said in his book, South: The Endurance Expedition:

Leonard Tripp, who has been my mentor, counsellor, and friend for many years, and who, when the Expedition was in precarious and difficult circumstances, devoted his energy, thought, and gave his whole time and advice to the best interests of our cause.

11. Be a serving leader The Boss looked after the comforts of the team. He was a mother hen. He genuinely cared for his team members as if they were his own flesh and blood.

He saw a leader as one who served rather than one who was served. He dutifully took his turn performing the most menial of chores and expected his leadership team to do the same. He was “a Viking with a mother’s heart”.

Ken Blanchard’s book “the Secret” neatly records that a leader exists to serve others rather than be one who is served to. The boss would be the first to nurse an ailing member, he would be the first to make a cup of brew if he knew his staff were at the end of their tether.

He saw such service as a strength not a weakness in his leadership.

References available on request.

David Parmenter is an expert in performance management. He has four books published including “Key Performance Indicators” (soon to be in its 4th edition) and “The Leading-Edge Manager’s Guide To Success”. His work on KPIs has received international recognition.

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Neuro-diversity

The Human Resources Team – both the problem and the solution?

F

irstly, a question for you all.

How often have you dismissed a CV out of hand because of a spelling mistake – or a typo?

Well, we all have to – don’t we? How else do we reduce a big pile of CVs to a small pile?

Sadly, we could be excluding the most productive and creative job applicants, and inadvertently penalising some very capable people. Yes, certainly every employer wants staff who pay attention to detail and who proofread key documents to ensure they are perfect.

But consider a couple of points. Firstly, William Shakespeare is reputed to have spelled his own name 27 different ways. Secondly there is a significant number of capable people who could proofread their CV ten times and not pick up a mistake that would be obvious to you and me. I am referring to the ten percent of the population who have learning differences like Dyslexia.

So – just what is dyslexia

Dyslexia is a condition whereby those who have it struggle with text (reading, writing and spelling), but who are otherwise as intelligent as the rest of the workforce. Dyslexia affects both males and females equally and lasts a lifetime.

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A child with dyslexia grows up to be an adult with dyslexia. The great majority of people with dyslexia will have been short-changed by the education system, many are unemployed or underemployed in the workplace. Many people with dyslexia will not know they are dyslexic, and those that do know will be making every endeavour to hide their dyslexia. Many adults with dyslexia also have a related condition called Irlen’s Syndrome, sometimes called Visual Stress. (See later.)

called Visual Stress. Those who have it often struggle to read black text on a white background and find highly contrasting colours difficult to manage. (Up to 50 percent of those who are dyslexic also have Irlen’s) • Developmental Co-ordination Disorder. Formerly called Dyspraxia.

Shows up as poor motor coordination, balance and spatial awareness.

• Dysgraphia. Poor control of writing and fine motor skills.

The family of learning differences

“The pathology of superiority”

“Dyslexia rarely visits alone”.

The current term to describe learning differences is “Neurodiversity”. Often people have a combination of neurodiverse conditions together. The common cause is a difference in the way the brain is wired.

• The most common one is Dyslexia – loosely translated as difficulty with text. (10 percent) • Dyscalculia is the equivalent condition – but for numbers as opposed to text. (3–5 percent) • ADHD or ADD. Describes people who struggle to concentrate and are often hyperactive. (2–4 percent) • Irlen’s Syndrome. This is sometimes

Learning differences like dyslexia are the ultimate paradox. Along with the challenges that go with their difficulties with text, dyslexic people are known to have some very strong compensating characteristics. It is well known that people with dyslexia have superior visual, spatial and 3-D skills. (Hence many are artists of one sort or another.) People with dyslexia are known to be innovative, alternative thinkers who come up with creative solutions to problems. Many dyslexic people can see patterns, relationships and connections that others cannot see. They are known to be very empathic and many are entrepreneurial. There is research that reports that 60 percent of selfmade millionaires are dyslexic.

“I failed in some subjects in the exams. My friend passed them all.

Now he is an engineer at Microsoft, and I own Microsoft.” A quote from Bill Gates – a billionaire with dyslexia.

Examine your recruitment processes to ensure they are not unnecessary barriers to the employment of neuro-diverse staff members The tell-tale signs

Many adults with dyslexia will not know they are dyslexic. Most will know they struggle with many things that other people find very straight forward. Most adults with dyslexia will make every effort to hide their circumstances, for fear of ridicule or discrimination. They will have suffered with low achievement during their education and the low selfesteem that inevitably follows.

Central to supporting any staff that may be dyslexic is an identification of their dyslexia and reassurance that their workplace will support them to achieve their potential.

There are some tell-tale signs that can give Human Resource staff, or team leaders, a place to start to address learning differences in your workplace: • Staff who are very reluctant to fill in forms or carry out any reading, writing or spelling tasks at work.

Will say things like “I left my glasses at home”, or “I will do it at home where it is quiet.”

• Staff who have very poor spelling.

• Staff who are so much more able doing a job than they are on paper.

Strong at job, poor on paper.

• Will have difficulties in remembering verbal instructions, or directions.

• Often reluctant to attend training courses – or to accept promotions.

They do not want their difficulties with text to show up if they need to send emails.

• They may mispronounce, or misuse words.

• Many adults with dyslexia struggle with time management and organisation skills.

• Staff who resist answering the phone – because they would need to take down a message.

• Many adults with dyslexia still confuse left and right and many are ambidextrous.

What can the Human Resources team do to support staff with learning differences?

The good news is that it is possible to improve the lot of staff with dyslexia and other learning differences for not very much money. And in supporting staff with learning differences there is a very good chance that you will improve the performance of the whole company. The impact of empowering ten percent of your workforce is an exciting thought.

There is international research that reports the best way to support employees with learning differences is to educate team leaders, supervisors and Human Resource Departments.

As the Human Resources Department, you could lead your company’s journey to become a dyslexia-friendly workplace. There are some things you could do, and other things you could arrange for people leaders in your organisation to do.

Every workplace is different – but here are some actions that could be taken to support those staff who have learning differences: • Arrange a discussion about learning differences at Senior Leadership

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things they find challenging. It would be worthwhile finding out what combination of special talents and skills they have as well.

Most adults with dyslexia will make every effort to hide their circumstances, for fear of ridicule or discrimination Preparing for the workplace of the future Many futurists have listed the workplace skills likely to be most in demand for the next decade. The list includes: 1. Creativity* 2. Emotional intelligence* 3. Complex problem solving* 4. Judgement and decision making* 5. Cognitive flexibility 6. Critical thinking* 7. People management skills*

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•

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•

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level. There is definitely a role for strong leadership.

Provide information for all staff about learning differences. There are a lot of myths, half-truths and downright lies circulating about dyslexia.

Declare your workplace to be a dyslexia-friendly workplace and let all staff know it is okay to be dyslexic at your place of work.

Consider having a policy that discourages discriminatory comments about those staff who have the challenges of neurodiversity.

Examine your recruitment, interview and induction processes – to ensure they are not unnecessary barriers to the employment of neurodiverse staff members. Things like application websites that time-out, multiple questions in interviews and psychometric tests are especially challenging for neurodiverse people.

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• For those staff known to be dyslexic link them up with a buddy in the workplace.

• Make identification of dyslexia easier. Some workplaces offer a free screening service. It will take time for many dyslexic people to come out of the woodwork. Many will have gone for many years making a major effort to hide this thing they find shameful.

• Encourage team leaders and supervisors to give team members instructions in two ways. (People with dyslexia are known to have poor short-term memories.)

• Encourage staff to use the very smart technology available now to assist adults with dyslexia, including Reading Pens, Dragon Naturally Speaking and Read Write Plus.

• Most importantly have a personalised conversation with each person who identifies as dyslexic, or as having a different neuro-diverse condition to find out the particular

8. Co-ordination with others* 9. Negotiation skills 10. Service Orientation The asterisks denote the skills most often shown by people with dyslexia.

There is a productivity dividend and a value proposition provided by meeting the needs of those staff with learning differences like dyslexia.

As human resource specialists you are in a perfect place to make a big difference in your workplace.

Mike Styles is the National Specialist – Literacy and Numeracy for the Primary Industry Organisation. For the past six years he has led the Primary ITO’s support programme for trainees with dyslexia. He has also led a number of research projects into how best to support adults with dyslexia in tertiary education and in the workplace.

Mike has his own Dyslexia consultancy practice and has worked on major projects with the Department of Corrections and the Ministry of Social Development. Email: mike.styles@primaryito.ac.nz

PRODUCTIVITY

How to make the most

of your first two hours of your workday

D

o you rush through your day from one crisis to another, answering as many emails as you can in the gaps between pointless meetings? When you get home from work, do you spend the evening inhaling coffee to stay awake, catching up on correspondence, preparing presentations for the next day, and getting work done at a time when your body wants to slow down and rest? You are not alone. Many HR managers and executives are stuck in a vicious cycle that is doing more harm than good.

The good news is it’s fixable. All it takes is for you to pay attention to what you do in your day and when.

With the most impactful things out of the way, you have the space to be reactive and respond to your team’s urgent needs By identifying the tasks that require the most energy or intensity from you, and those things that also get you a great return on your investment, you can schedule your day according to the best time to do that work.

Here’s how.

Your first two hours

Scheduling high-intensity and highimpact work for the first two hours of your day is the first step to truly managing your time.

The first two hours is when we have the greatest levels of alertness and mental capacity, so we need to make the most of it on the most difficult jobs or the things that require great attention.

As a HR professional, then this is the time when you should be doing the following tasks: • coming up with a project plan or the department’s budget

• solving problems or resolving conflict with others • putting slide decks together for an important presentation • devising new policies or procedures.

Contrary to our usual habits, this is not the time to be responding to email. This chews up our most valuable time. By all means, scan it. But save considered responses to later in the day (more on that soon).

Your second two hours

The second two hours is about identifying where you need to put your attention now that the most important things are under control.

Now the most impactful things are out of the way, you have the space to be reactive and respond to your urgent needs, or those of your team or organisation.

This is when you have space in your diary for other people to book your time.

The tasks you’re responding to might be high-impact for them (and possibly you too), but are not as high on your priority list, such as: • attending team meetings • conducting interviews • dealing with urgent matters • putting out spot fires.

You may also get away with carry over work from the first two hours and a quick email scan – go on, you know you want to.

Your third two hours

Now is a great time to do the things you’ve been putting off for ages.

Our attention is low, but our ability to repeat tasks is high, so think filing, organising or anything that you’d consider ‘boring’. Just because things are routine or mundane doesn’t make them unimportant.

It’s a good time to do things like: • responding to email – hooray!

• reading books, articles or job applications • managing meeting and interview requests • filing and shredding (yes even this has an important place).

It is also time to take a break, go for a walk and reset – it might be hard, but you deserve it and it will help set you up for the next two hours.

Your fourth two hours

This is usually the time when people panic because they realise they’ve been answering emails all day long and haven’t actually got around to any valuable work.

Instead, it’s where you review what you completed today, and set up for tomorrow, which means planning, not necessarily doing, what needs to be done.

You might also experience a ‘second wind’, when you feel a little more energetic and have the capacity to push through. If we’re lucky, we end our day with a bang!

So spend it: • tidying up loose ends • scanning your email • creating a to-do list for tomorrow • acknowledging where you’re at so you can sign off the day.

By being aware of our bad habits, and beginning to mitigate them using the above, you give yourself the best opportunity to maximise not just the first two hours of the day, but all hours.

Donna McGeorge is a speaker, author and mentor who helps people make their work work. Using a creative, practical approach, she improves workplace effectiveness while challenging thinking on leadership, productivity and virtual work. ‘The First 2 Hours: Make better Use of Your Most Valuable Time’ is published by John Wiley. www.donnamcgeorge.com WINTER 2019

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT JULIA SHALLCRASS

Professional Development Spotlight Remedying Holidays Act Headaches

C

onfused about how to comply with the Holidays Act 1983?

Find out how to overcome common compliance issues causing employers headaches.

Many employers in New Zealand are confused about how to comply with the Holidays Act 1983 (the Holidays Act).

Most businesses audited by the Labour Inspectorate have failed to properly calculate holiday entitlements. Even the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was found to have underpaid staff holiday entitlements.

working irregular hours or receiving irregular pay are more likely to be paid incorrectly.

of two different calculations: ordinary weekly pay, or average weekly earnings.

Employers may struggle making correct Holidays Act payments for staff working variable hours, or receiving variable pay during the year, such as through annual bonuses, sales incentives and special rates.

Average weekly earnings is the total of an employee’s gross earnings over the last 52 weeks, divided by 52.

This calculation includes the value of all allowances, overtime, penal rates, incentive payments, contractual bonuses and other regular payments earned in the period.

Issues relating to annual holiday entitlements include: the requirement to pay greater of two calculations; how to determine a working week; and how to manage changes to working hours.

Failure to comply with the Holidays Act can require penalties of up to $20,000, and remediation payments, with $66 million in arrears paid to date.

Paying greater of two different calculations

Why are there compliance issues?

The Holidays Act works best for employees who work regular hours, five days per week.

Employers may inadvertently underpay employees by failing to pay the higher of two separate calculations when an employee takes their annual holiday entitlement.

Since the workforce became more flexible, employers have struggled to comply with the Holidays Act. Staff

To calculate an employee’s entitlement to annual holidays, employers must pay the greater

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Employers must take care not to just pay staff their usual pay when they take annual holidays.

Ordinary weekly pay looks at the earnings an employee would ordinarily receive if they had worked the week or period in question.

Determining a working week

While it’s easy enough to divide a week into a number of days for staff working Monday to Friday, many employees work irregular hours.

It can be difficult to determine a working “week” for the purposes of calculating annual holiday entitlement for staff who work shift work, part time, and overtime. Staff working in hospitality, retail and health are more likely to work hours outside the standard working week.

Employers can agree with staff on what genuinely constitutes a working week for annual holiday entitlement.

The first step is to identify a pattern of work that could be used to determine a working week.

How changing hours of work affects annual holidays

An employee’s hours can change during their employment. Perhaps they will agree to a variation in their employment agreement, or they may shift to different hours resulting in a permanent new work pattern.

Changes to working hours require recalculating annual holiday balances, given that a ‘week’ of annual holiday entitlement is based on the work pattern when the holiday is taken.

If an employee increases their working hours, their annual holiday entitlement will remain the same in terms of weeks, but the balance will change in terms of hours.

For example, an employee who increases their hours from 20 hours to 40 hours per week will retain their balance of six weeks’ entitlement of annual holidays. However, the

balance will be worth more in terms of hours, given the increase in hours per week.

It is essential that you monitor changes in your employees’ work patterns, and adjust annual holiday entitlement balances accordingly.

Any changes in hours should be communicated to payroll.

If annual holidays are recorded in any other unit than a week, the balance of annual holidays must be recalculated.

MBIE Guidance on Holidays Act

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has published a guide to help employers and payroll comply with the Holidays Act. The updated guide “Holidays Act 2003 Guidance on annual holidays, domestic violence leave, bereavement leave, alternative holidays, public holidays and sick leave” (as of 1 April 2019) is available at: https://www. employment.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/ d53229842c/holidays-act-2003guidance-holidays-leave.pdf

Julia is presenting the upcoming HRNZ PD Courses: • Effective HR Communication. 4th September in Auckland • Holidays Act, Parental Leave and Payroll. 30 July in Christchurch • Employee Well-being and Mental Illness. (Further dates to be announced).

Julia Shallcrass is an employment lawyer who specialises in legal education on contemporary workplace issues. As director of KiwiBoss, she delivers in-house training and public training on HR and people management to help businesses create better workplaces. Julia is part of the KiwiBoss team that delivers public courses through HRNZ, and in partnership with Auldhouse. Julia is a regular webinar presenter for CCH Learning, and subject matter expert for Kineo online training. She has lectured in Human Resources, Business Ethics and Business Communication for tertiary institutions. Julia is an employment columnist for NZ Herald. www.kiwiboss.co.nz

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HR PROFESSIONALS CHRIS O’REILLY

All hands on deck

Why ‘involvement’ is every HR professionals new favourite word

A

dmitting you know nothing can be scary. Admitting you know nothing about the nuclear attack submarine you’re commanding? Terrifying.

Over a 17 year period, US Naval Captain David Marquet was a rising star moving up the elite ranks of the submarine service, being groomed to command the state of the art nuclear attack sub USS Olympia. In preparation he learnt every detail of how Olympia operated. Taking command would be the culmination of his glittering career. But two weeks before he was due to board the Olympia, Marquet was diverted to command the USS Santa Fe, an older nuclear sub that he knew absolutely nothing about and that was rated one of the worst performers in the US fleet.

In learning how to command Santa Fe Marquet’s leadership philosophy of empowerment through involvement was born. His first lesson was rejecting traditional ‘command and control’ leadership style.

Marquet was forced to admit he didn’t know enough about Santa Fe to operate like a typical dictatorial military leader, so he handed over control to his crew, who did. In the 32

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process Santa Fe went from being the worst-rated ship in the US Navy to the number one. Marquet tells the story of this transformation in his book “Turn the Ship Around!” His most powerful lesson, and one that’s true for all organisations today, is that the most effective leadership is giving control to those who don’t ordinarily have it, empowering them to become their own leaders. Instead of issuing orders, asking questions and making sure the crew are meaningfully involved in decisions that affect them.

Why “Yes Captain” is yesterday’s response

The problem with the classic “command and control” approach to leadership is that it’s based on what MIT Professor Deborah Ancona calls “myth of the complete leader” – the hopeful idea that there’s one person in charge who knows everything.

Rather, Dr Ancona observes that today’s greatest leaders follow the “method of the incomplete leader”.

Just like Captain David Marquet, they learn to embrace their weaknesses and surround themselves with people and teams that together allow a complete range of skills to be delivered.

“Only when leaders come to see

themselves as incomplete – as having both strengths and weaknesses – will they be able to make up for their missing skills by relying on others,” says Dr Ancona.

As he took control of the USS Santa Fe, it became glaringly clear to Marquet that his crew were going to obey his orders, even if they knew they were patently wrong for the ship’s current situation. On a nuclear submarine the potential result of that approach could be fatal. As Marquet put it to his crew: “Man, we are in a bad way. I was trained for a different ship, and you guys were trained to do what you’re told. What are we gonna do?”.

As soon as Marquet realised handing power over to his crew was the only way to bring the ship home, he decided to stop giving orders.

He empowered his crew to believe in their knowledge of the ship and sail it accordingly. By involving even the lowest of ranks, in what was essentially a life or death mission, meant the crew took on a new sense of authority, cooperation and investment. By admitting his lack of knowledge, Marquet passed responsibility over to those who knew the ins and outs of the Sante Fe better than anyone.

A leader giving up their iron fist doesn’t have to mean chaos - in fact it can be quite the opposite.

For leaders, the more they empower their people to trust their own decisions, the more productive and involved their teams will be. And it doesn’t have to concern something as extreme as sinking or swimming.

Marquet found that his crew became more responsible, dedicated and engaged when they knew it was on their shoulders to make the many decisions required to operate the Santa Fe.

Directing HR toward involvement

David Marquet’s turnaround story on the USS Santa Fe is a metaphor for the challenge facing HR professionals everywhere today. How can HR professionals build cultures that guide the leaders of their organisations away from command and control towards an involvement-based leadership style?

In some cases it might require subtle tweaks. In other cases, as with the Santa Fe, it might require a radical renovation of organisational culture to implant a management system where everyone is genuinely involved.

In this new era HR needs new tools.

In the past HR professionals looked to engagement surveys to measure the health of culture and cultural change. The flaw in measuring employee ‘engagement’, is the assumption that engagement flows through to productivity. The latest research shows quite the opposite.

We now know that involvement breeds engagement. When you involve people directly in improving productivity, then you get an engaged workforce, but an engaged workforce isn’t more productive per se. The greatest motivator of people at work is greater involvement in their job and their organisation.

Engagement surveys aren’t cutting it for HR departments anymore. What’s needed are more complete systems that begin with targeted questioning of everyone in an organisation to deliver usable business intelligence, and then encourage the creation of action plans based on information gathered from everyone in the organisation. It’s then that a sustainable culture of involvement and empowerment can begin to take hold.

HR’s new mission-critical role The most important role for the next

generation of HR practitioners will be guiding leaders through this transition to a more empowered workplace where all employees feel like they are genuinely involved in decisions that impact their day-to-day job.

It’s an exciting challenge because it elevates the role of HR to having a mission critical impact on business performance. As we move into this new age, we’re seeing that when organisations increase involvement, productivity increases along with staff retention and innovation.

We might not be running nuclear attack submarines, but we can all learn from Captain David Marquet and the USS Santa Fe. The best way to run a ship or an organisation is to make sure your team feels involved, invested and empowered to trust their own decisions.

The greatest motivator of people at work is greater involvement in their job and their organisation Chris O’Reilly is the CEO and Co-Founder of AskYourTeam, a disruptive technology company, revolutionising the Organisational and Leadership performance space. Email chris.oreilly@askyourteam.com.

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RESEARCH UPDATE JANE BRYSON

HRM Research – what’s going on?

T

he Academic branch of HRNZ is a ‘virtual branch’, designed to complement and contribute to the geographic branches by:

Through the Human Resources magazine, we hope to let you know about research nationally and internationally that is of relevance to HRM. In this update we begin by providing a small selection of current research at some New Zealand universities.

University and AUT to examine the meaning of a living wage. The principal investigators are Professors Jim Arrowsmith and Jane Parker (Massey Business School), Professors Stuart Carr, Darrin Hodgetts and Dr Siatu Alefaio (Massey School of Psychology) and Professor Jarrod Haar (AUT Department of Management). The project, supported by the government’s Marsden Fund, explores employer and employee perspectives across a range of sectors and organisations. It is longitudinal, tracking intentions and effects over three years from early 2018. Also, the research team is integrated into an international network of living wage researchers through Massey’s Project GLOW. Early results suggest that employers are becoming more strategic around pay, linking it to job redesign and upskilling within a context of tight labour markets.

The employee research, based on a nationally-representative survey of low-paid workers, also indicates that addressing low pay can improve worker motivation at work as well as reducing stress and improving well-being.

The HRNZ Research Team of the year for 2019 brings together HR and psychology experts from Massey

Professor Jarrod Haar (AUT) is currently involved in a number of specific HR studies. Notably, he

i) strengthening the engagement between HR academics and HR practitioners, in order to advance relevant HRM research, on the one hand, and evidence-based HRM practice and policy advice, on the other; ii) fostering the academic-practitioner dialogue on HRM education and, thus, enhancing the ways in which education in HRM serves professional development; iii) building closer links between students of HRM and HRNZ; iv) fostering dialogue between HRM academics on ongoing HRM education, teaching, and research.

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conducted the quantitative survey evidence behind the four-day work week at Perpetual Guardian. The evidence clearly shows that a fourday work week (but paid five-days) can have major benefits for both employer and employees. Jarrod has also looked into the links between employee work-life balance and performance to provide strong empirical evidence behind these linkages. His recent studies have found consistently that work-life balance appears to mainly work as a building block where it helps other attitudes shape performance. Jarrod has also been investigating the role of high-performance work systems (HPWS) in New Zealand and the way they influence employee well-being as well as creativity behaviours. The latter has been in association with the National Science Challenge Science for Technological Innovation, to understand the influence of HPWS on employee retention of top talent, firm performance, and the creativity of managers. Overall, New Zealand firms that provide stronger bundles of HR practices outperform those who do not. Similarly, managers and employees who perceive these practices more valuably also report positive outcomes.

Addressing low pay can improve worker motivation at work as well as reducing stress and improving wellbeing At the University of Otago, Associate Professor Fiona Edgar is working on projects which explore how HR practices impact employees’ well-being, behaviours and job performance. A recent study looks at the impact of alcohol on the workplace and on individual performance. With colleague Dr Paula O’Kane, a current project investigates the predictive validity of social media when used as a selection tool. Paula’s recent research on performance management demonstrates the need for more conversation-based systems which enable regular dialogue, but that the stumbling block is manager skills. A Future of Work team at Otago are beginning to explore ‘Ageing and Work’ and more broadly ‘Ageing and Occupation’ – how people occupy their time, and the role work can play in well-being as well as the impact an older worker can have on the workplace, and what adaptations can be made to ensure a continuing and positive working relationship.

Dr Maree Roche at the University of Waikato investigates the role that leadership plays in enhancing psychosocial outcomes at the organisational and individual level.

In examining leadership mindset and well-being specifically, her research looks at positive psychological states, notably mindfulness and psychological capital of leaders.

Maree’s research confirms that mindfulness improves leaders’ wellbeing, which makes them much better influencers at work.

At Victoria Business School’s Centre for Labour Employment and Work, Dr Geoff Plimmer’s research on psychosocial safety climate, has found that when senior managers care about the well-being of staff it makes a difference – less bullying, more job satisfaction, and better line management behaviours. Associate Professor Jane Bryson’s research with colleagues in Europe and Canada examines employee access to training, one common theme across very different countries is the centrality of a supportive supervisor or manager to ensure employees actually get training. A team of researchers from Victoria Business School (Dr Noelle Donnelly, Dr Ruth Weatherall), Massey Business School

(Prof Jane Parker) and AUT (Dr Julie Douglas, Dr Katherine Ravenswood) show significant barriers remain in the role of middle managers in progressing gender equity in the public service. Their research shows middle managers report ongoing challenges in balancing the needs of individuals with organisational requirements and highlights the need to develop coordinated gender equity strategies within agencies.

The research recommends creating improved resources and capabilities to support managers in their role as facilitators of gender equity initiatives in their workplaces.

This represents just a selection of research occurring across New Zealand. In subsequent issues we will provide updates on other research in New Zealand and internationally. For further information on a specific item please feel free to contact the relevant researcher at their university.

Jane Bryson is a Chartered Fellow of HRNZ and outgoing president of the Academic Branch. She teaches and researches in HRM and work at Victoria University of Wellington where she is also Deputy Dean of the Business School. Email: Jane.bryson@ vuw.ac.nz.

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EMPLOYMENT LAW CHRIS SCARROTT

Lessons from FGH v RST – The challenges of managing performance when the employee has health issues

P

erformance management of underperforming employees is a sensitive but necessary aspect of employee management that HR professionals will be well acquainted with. However, managing performance where the employee has health issues can be difficult, particularly where the health issues may be exacerbated by the performance improvement process. The employer must balance its ability to manage the employee’s performance with their obligations to provide a safe and healthy workplace.

The Employment Court case of FGH v RST is demonstrative of these difficulties. The case concerned Ms H, an employee of a government organisation who was subject to an informal and then formal performance management process. When she did not meet the expectations of the plan, a disciplinary process was commenced against her. A month later, an additional disciplinary process was commenced for inappropriate language Ms H used towards a manager.

Ms H suffered from several mental health disorders, including ADD

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and an anxiety disorder, which she disclosed to her employer during the performance improvement process.

At the commencement of the second disciplinary process, she became so ill she could not attend work for several weeks.

Ms H raised a disadvantage grievance asserting that her employer failed to provide a safe and healthy workplace while managing her performance, on the basis that she was bullied by her managers throughout the process and that insufficient steps were taken to mitigate the risk to Ms H’s health.

An employer’s failure to address bullying in the workplace may give rise to an unjustifiable disadvantage claim as a failure of the duty to provide a safe workplace.

The Employment Court concluded that in this case, Ms H’s bullying claim was not established as the legitimate criticisms were not expressed in an unprofessional or hostile manner.

This suggests that legitimate criticisms, if expressed in a hostile or unprofessional manner or including personal insults, could be bullying. In addition, the court also accepted that

unreasonable work demands could constitute bullying.

While the Court found there was no bullying, that was not the end of the analysis as to whether the employer had provided Ms H with a safe and healthy workplace.

The obligation of an employer to take reasonable steps to maintain a safe workplace is an implied term in all employment contracts.

The employer recognised that Ms H’s medical conditions presented a health and safety issue that needed to be managed. Accordingly, once made aware of the medical issues, the employer sought to adjust the process to accommodate Ms H including extending timeframes, providing a summary of discussion points prior to meetings, postponing and reprioritising meetings, allowing her to move desks, allowing an objective participant in meetings as required, offering her EAP and giving her extra breaks to attend the gym.

On that basis, the employer contended that it had taken all reasonably practicable steps to prevent harm to an employee which it foresaw at the time.

What the employer failed to do, however, was to obtain adequate medical advice on the employee’s condition. Ms H had only provided the employer with scant medical information and the employer had only obtained general guidance on ADD from EAP. The Employment Court held that because the process was causing the employee medical distress the employer had the responsibility to seek further medical advice regarding the appropriateness of continuing with the performance process in light of her medical conditions.

The Employment Court noted that the employer did not actively seek a proper medical confirmation as to Ms H’s disability, even though the managers had been observing the manifestation of her condition in her work for months.

Accordingly, despite the measures implemented to accommodate Ms H, the performance management process was seen to have become

oppressive in the circumstances as it was entirely foreseeable that she would continue to react adversely if the formal processes were maintained.

The Employment Court was clear that an employer cannot rely on those assisting the employee to provide further medical information of their own volition, rather the employer was obligated to work with the employee to obtain medical advice which was adequate in the circumstances.

This failure of the employer to meet their health and safety obligations, in addition to other procedural flaws, formed the basis of an established disadvantage grievance.

The court also accepted that unreasonable work demands could constitute bullying This Employment Court decision demonstrates a high threshold for employers in these situations. When

managing the performance of an employee with health issues, an employer cannot properly discharge its duties without being actively and adequately informed of the employee’s condition. In addition, all feedback, even if legitimate, must be provided in a reasonable and respectful manner.

Ultimately, HR professionals ought to bear all aspects of the employer’s obligations in mind when conducting a performance management process and should aim to be as informed, impartial and supportive as is reasonably practicable.

Chris Scarrott is a lawyer at Cullen – the Employment Law firm. Chris is focused on providing thorough and solutionsbased advice for both employers and employees.

Chris has extensive experience at mediation and has appeared before the Employment Relations Authority and Tenancy Tribunal. Chris has also presented numerous seminars on a wide range of employment and health and safety related topics.

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REGIONAL ROUNDUP THERESE DOYLE

T

he Southland HRNZ branch is relatively young – formed around 2011/12 by a keen group of professionals who had an informal network and were encouraged by the HRNZ CEO at the time to formalise into a HRNZ branch. Prior to this establishment HR and other professionals would car pool to get to events in Dunedin, a two and a half hour drive away.

Talking with past presidents, some of the Southland branch’s early event highlights include a series of TED talks, covering topics such as Leadership and current HR trends and issues. The top 10 TED talks were voted on and then circulated to other HRNZ branches at that time. A practical coaching session was another early highlight, with one committee member being coached to complete the chartered membership process! There is a real appetite among current members to achieve chartered status, so we are revisiting this topic this year, with our chartered members running a series of workshops to take us through the chartering process.

Each year we run a couple of events based on ‘Stories from the Field’ – these are an opportunity for our more senior practitioners to talk about their career journeys and are often an eye-opener for the audience. From these sessions we often get informal mentoring relationships that endure well beyond the lunchtime event. In fact it was a ‘Story from the Field’ that was my first introduction to HRNZ – I was a third year HR student at Otago University and the highlight of my paper was the guest speakers who came in and related their stories of how they got into HR and where their careers had taken them.

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We know how valuable sharing information and resources is in our profession and we feel obligated to support and nurture professionals taking the first steps in their HR career, and those who suddenly find HR is part of their role. With this in mind we have developed a strong relationship with our local polytechnic. Committee members visit new intakes of students to outline the benefits of joining the HRNZ professional network and we also present a regular guest lecture to post graduate students explaining the HRNZ Competency Framework and the Functions of HR in today’s world.

The reduced student membership fee and fee payment options have made it a lot easier for us to recruit students. Last year this resulted in a 31 percent increase in membership.

At 39 members we are a small branch, but we are very active and work hard to keep our members engaged by offering events each month and listening to discussions and feedback to inform future events.

We support and nurture professionals taking the first steps in their HR career, and those who suddenly find HR is part of their role Being on a branch committee isn’t all hard work – in fact the opportunities for personal and professional growth have been a huge bonus.

When recruiting for new committee members I’m often met with people thinking they don’t have the skills or experience to do the job. Having joined our committee as a newly minted HR professional I would argue that this is precisely the right time

to step up to a committee role. The opportunity to be part of a branch committee is also an opportunity to hold a local leadership role.

Reflecting back on my time on the committee, the yearly cycle of creating and hosting branch events has enabled me to sharpen my skills in a number of areas. I’ve learned how to: • identify the right people and persuade them to present on a topic • introduce speakers, summarise key points and graciously thank them • make people feel welcome and valued in our network • network with many amazing people whom I would not otherwise have been exposed to • efficiently run meetings • contribute to the HRNZ strategic plan • chair the BPAG. Exposure to the HRNZ board and of course attending the HR Conference is always inspirational!

As I make way for a new Branch President, I’d like to thank our past presidents who have always been very supportive of both the new president and the committee. It is these long serving professionals who hold it all together. I’d also like to acknowledge the support of our members, local community leaders and Crowe Horwath (now Findex), who allow us to use their centrally located offices for events and meetings.

since 2014.

Therese Doyle is a Senior HR Consultant with Findex.

She has been the Branch President of the Southland HRNZ, winners of the HRNZ Branch of the Year Award 2019, for the past two years and a committee member

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

HR has the opportunity to empower people

O

ver the past year I have had the opportunity to be a student ambassador for HRNZ, an experience I have found invaluable.

The two major milestones in my time as a HRNZ student ambassador were undoubtedly tfhe annual conference, and a networking evening organised by my fellow regional ambassador, Ayla Hutchinson, and I. The NZ HR Conference was a milestone for me because of the enormous number of things I learnt.

From Dr Jill Klein I learnt about the importance of resilience in changing times. From Carmen Vicelich I learnt about the growing importance of data in the workplace and how we as HR professionals can look to leverage off it. I had the opportunity to engage in discussions at the various expos surrounding the current state of the HR industry, where we have been and where it is going. The biggest lesson I learnt from that Conference however, was that this is the industry I am supposed to be a part of, and that if I apply myself I will be able to find my place in it.

The event Ayla and I organised turned out to be a huge success.

About 30 HR students and 10 HR practitioners came together for an evening of networking, and we received some really positive feedback. I heard from the students that they found it a great way to gather insight into what HR looks like in the workforce and what some potential pathways could be for them getting into the industry. It was a really rewarding night to be a part of and I gained a greater understanding of how to organise events like these and the value that can be created as a result of them.

HR is a profession I believe provides practitioners with an opportunity to empower people. This was my motivation in both studying HR and beginning a career in this industry. I have always been passionate about people. Whether it be having a conversation, listening to people, learning from them, or teaching them something. There is something really rewarding about being a catalyst in someone’s success and I truly believe HR is a profession which allows you to do that on a daily basis. Through my studies I have learnt about the various functions an HR professional oversees. Whether it be recruitment, learning and development, performance and remuneration, or employment relations. Each one of these functions is an opportunity to positively impact an employee’s (or prospective employee’s) experience.

An HR professional is someone who has the biggest influence over whether someone’s work experience is a positive or negative one For the past seven months I have had the opportunity to gain work experience in the HR industry, occupying a role at the Ministry of Education. Primarily I have been working in the talent acquisition space, with my work spanning across employer branding, student engagement, and candidate experience. I have found myself really enjoying recruitment and have found the experience at the Ministry an invaluable one. Having been on the receiving end of some unpleasant recruitment processes, I have enjoyed being in a position where I can try

and make the candidate experience a positive one, no matter the outcome. I am interested in exploring the other functions of HR, with talent management being a particular interest area. I aspire to one day become a leader and oversee a team, as to me this is the ultimate opportunity to empower people.

In the Western world, especially New Zealand, an individual’s experience at work can have a major impact on their overall well-being. To me, an HR professional is someone who has the biggest influence over whether someone’s work experience is a positive or negative one. This is a big responsibility and one that should never be taken for granted.

I have a hope that HR professionals all over the world remember this when they go into work each day.

I hope that we all remember to put our employees first and keep them at the forefront of our decision making.

Let’s remember that happiness is the ultimate goal, let us use our influence to make the world a happier place, one employee at a time.

Jackson Barber is a third year student at Victoria University, studying towards a BComm in HR and Psychology. He is a tutor for an HR course at University and occupies a part-time HR role at the Ministry of Education.

He is passionate about learning from people and empowering them. Jackson is always happy for a chat, please feel free to reach out to him on LinkedIn.

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HRNZ PD Programme Winter 2019

The world evolves and there will always be developments and changes in the way in which we approach HR. Professional Development is therefore imperative to career progression and enhancement.

A

t HRNZ we recognise the importance of Professional Development and the role it plays in our industry.

This is why we provide a vast selection of development options, to ensure you can keep ahead of any changes and update your skillset through courses, webinars and conferences.

Courses are run throughout the year in various centres across the country and they range from one hour up to three days. Our courses and webinars are open for all to attend.

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The majority of our courses are presented in a workshop format. They are interactive sessions which provide you with an opportunity to share ideas with others through group discussion and questioning.

HRNZ members receive discounted rates and may be eligible for a travel assistance grant.

Why you should take a HRNZ PD course: •

Applied learning – develop strategies to implement in your workplace

•

Practical take home advice

•

Attendee participation encouraged – don’t merely listen

•

Detailed course books to refer back to

•

Earn CPD points.

HRNZ PD Programme

Winter 2019

2019 PD Courses AUCKLAND

HAMILTON

WELLINGTON

CHRISTCHURCH QUEENSTOWN

Collective Bargaining Essentials*

18 June

6 August

Collective Bargaining Negotiations Workshop*

19 June

7 August

Effective HR Communication

4 September

Employee Well-being and Mental Illness

25 June

26 June

22 October

Enhanced Interviewing Skills

Held

Held

2 July

Holidays Act, Parental Leave and Payroll*

Held

Held

7 August

HR 101: HR for Non-HR People

Held

6 August

10 September

HR Foundations

19-21 November held

5-7 November

Held

HR in an Agile World*

25 July

18 July

HR Manager

Held

18-19 June

Human Centred Design*

5/12 June

Held

Practical Employment Law 17 July Strategic Workforce Planning

Held

Termination of Employment

2 October

Workforce Analytics*

Held

8 October

Held

Held

19 November

Held

5-6 September

Held

Held

13 June

2-3 September

* New course in 2019

0800 2 HRINZ

events@hrinz.org.nz

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Register now for New Zealand’s premier HR Conference 14-15 August 2019 Te Papa, Wellington

nzhrconference.co.nz

HRNZ is pleased to invite you to The HR Conference + Expo 2019. Join New Zealand’s leading HR Professionals and People Leaders for the HR event of the year.

Be inspired and informed by renown keynote speakers, learn from NZHR Award Winners and leading practitioners during the concurrent sessions and challenge thinking with interactive activities in the Expo hall.

Oh and did we mention? The Gala Dinner will be at Parliament, providing a unique experience.

Earlybird Rates until 12 July.

Save $345 off full registration fee.

Keynote Speakers •

Andrew Barnes – 4 day week innovator

•

Kristina Cavit – The Kindness Institute

•

Alexia Hilbertidou – GirlBoss

•

Andy Hines – Futurist

•

Gihan Perera – Talent Futurist

•

Rachel Taulelei – Māori Business Leader & Sustainability Advocate

•

Jamie Tuuta – former Māori Trustee

•

Paul Wood – Delinquent to Doctor

•

Rob Waddell – Chef de Mission – NZ Olympic team.

Gihan Perera

Alexia Hilbertidou

Andy Hines

Rachel Taulelei