wants the same thing. Learning and development for Māori could also include wānanga (higher learning), marae and community-based development activity.
Remuneration or reward
Consider the cultural capability of people in your remuneration and reward strategies, including job sizing and position descriptions. “I would suggest that all people managers engage in cultural development initiatives and that this is embedded into their individual development plans and key performance indicators, and that a strategy is developed to develop cultural competency across the total workforce,” says Karli.
People challenges in the workforce
Most importantly, when people challenges occur in the workforce, it’s about seeking to achieve a restorative outcome before the issue grows. If the matter requires an alternative, more culturally appropriate resolve, consider and be open to moving the case to the marae (where formal greetings and discussions occur), involve Māori leaders on request, or apply tikanga and other culturally friendly processes with the support of Māori cultural advisors. “Encourage pono (truth) in the workplace and allow people to express themselves openly, encouraging reciprocal respect and kindness,” says Karli.
End of employment
A culture of respect needs to be championed through HRM, campaigning that, although someone has left the work-family, they have not left the community and it is unacceptable to speak poorly of them. “It’s a good idea to develop and implement a guideline for farewelling exiting staff, including a poroporoaki (farewell) or morning tea to wish them and their whānau well for the future,” says Karli.
Karli Te Aotonga and Bentham Ohia
Final thoughts
To improve the retention and wellbeing rates of the Māori health workforce, Karli recommends that a complete overhaul of existing HRM practices is required. This overhaul has already started, with Karli leading a Transforming HRM in Aotearoa programme for HRNZ. This threeday workshop is now in its third cohort. Upcoming workshops are happening from 6 to 8 July and 2 to 4 November in Wellington. For an insight into this course from a student’s perspective, turn to PD Spotlight This is an exciting time to be an HR professional in New Zealand. Human resources is the core function that drives workplace wellbeing. Karli’s work reveals the huge amount of work that is needed to transform organisations into values-led organisations that uplift tikanga Māori and bicultural HRM. “New Zealand is leading in this space globally,” says Karli.
indigenous community development. It was life-changing and building these global indigenous networks, the opportunities and potential feel limitless.” Karli is now focused on her doctoral research, which focuses on tikanga Māori and restorative people processes through employee relations in the public service. She is drawing her inspiration from the legacy of Moana Jackson’s work in restorative justice, as well as the tikanga of her iwi; Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa (Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara and Ngāti Whakaue) and Ngāti Tāwharetoa ki Kawerau.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari, he toa takatini My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.
Karli also acknowledges her friends from other indigenous communities and the mahi they continue to do to advance positive outcomes for their communities, saying, “I was blessed to have spent time with indigenous communities in Canada and North America during my Masters research and learn and share about
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