Fire and Emergency New Zealand was formed in July 2017 and brought together 14,000 people across 40 different organisations, all with different cultures and ways of doing things.
We are creating a new culture in our organisation going forward.
We’ve been working towards this for some time, here’s our story so far…
When we formed, an agreement was co-signed with unions and associations to work together to protect the health and safety of our people.
This is our moment to create a place where everyone is genuinely included, welcome and safe. We must be the trusted organisation our communities deserve.
We’ve been delivering the work programme outlined in our Respect and Inclusion Strategy since June 2018.
In January 2019, the findings of an independent review of Fire and Emergency’s workplace policies, procedures and practices to address bullying and harassment was released. This review was our choice. It was our line in the sand – bullying and harassment have no place, not in our place.
In April 2019, we released our action plan to map out the busy road ahead.
In October 2019, we released our first six-month progress report for the Positive Workplace Culture programme.
We've released our second six-month progress report, now one year into our journey.
Addressing unwanted behaviour at Fire and Emergency
We are focused on creating a culture where everyone is safe, welcome and included, with an aim to prevent and address bullying, harassment and victimisation at all levels of Fire and Emergency.
For behaviour change to happen, we need to know what’s acceptable, what isn’t and how to hold each other to account for unacceptable behaviour.
As a result of the independent review of Fire and Emergency’s workplace policies, procedures and practices to address bullying and harassment, and subsequent positive workplace culture work programme, we’ve worked with our unions and associations to create two documents to address unwanted behaviour:
We’ve consulted with our unions, associations and our people on both documents and are working to incorporate their feedback into the finalised Shared Code of Behaviour and Policy.
We all deserve to be treated right
We have launched our internal video campaign to raise awareness of bullying and harassment and encourage people to take action. You’ll hear real stories that had big effects on people, reminding us we deal with tough stuff every day, so we need to make sure we look after each other. Let’s start here – everyone in one canoe with no exception.
Do you think these videos will encourage our people to think about what they say and do?
Wondering how to best use these videos to facilitate a conversation?
Make use of A guide to leading positive cultural change.
Latest updates on our work
Behaviour and conduct office
A director of the behaviour and conduct office has been appointed and announced.
Shared code of behaviour
Commitment from Unions and Associations to support the development of a shared code of behaviour.
Support for our people
We’ve started a stocktake of our existing support channels.
As of April 2020
Established a project to make sure we have fit for purpose policies.
Policies and procedures
Leadership
We have run bullying and harassment awareness workshops.
Bullying and harassment complaints process
An interim complaints process is now in place while we work on a long-term solution.
Full programme and engagement plans
Draft programme and engagement plans developed. To be in place end of June.
Other work in progress
Volunteerism Strategy
We now have a Volunteerism Strategy to sustain, support and grow our volunteer base across the country. Read more…
Fire and Emergency is investing in learning tools to support people’s growth, development and innovation. Read more…
Learning tools
People Strategy
The People Strategy is being developed with help from people across our organisation. Read more…
Leadership development
We’ve been building our suite of leadership development opportunities, with more to follow. Read more…
Women’s development
Women in Fire and Emergency NZ is a network of women who promote and facilitate the participation and success of women in fire and emergency roles. Read more…
Afi Pasefika
We are extending the Afi Pasefika network across Fire and Emergency for safer Pacific communities in New Zealand. Read more…
Kaupapa Māori
We are drafting a strategic implementation plan so we can deliver on our commitment to working with tangata whenua for safer communities. Read more…
Safety, health and wellbeing
We’ve introduced several safety, health and wellbeing initiatives. Read more…
Respect and inclusion
Our strategy received Board approval in June 2018 and creates a vision for how we continue to build a respectful, inclusive and diverse Fire and Emergency. Read more…
Values were announced in April, an implementation plan is in development. Read more…
Living our values
We have launched our organisational strategic framework. Read more…
Strategic framework
We’ve put together a Respect and Inclusion Task Force to help identify and champion the many positive role models who exist in Fire and Emergency. Read more…
Enabling role models
Stories of our people
Since he was a toddler, Wayne Martin, Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer, has been making the journey to Waitangi.
Waitangi Day: listening, talking and connecting
Leading by example
Shayne Kennedy has been a volunteer firefighter for 22 years. Now the Chief Fire Officer in Manly, Auckland, he’s seen directly how behaviour in the brigade can affect morale.
We want to share more positive stories about our great people. If you know of anyone who demonstrates our values in their Fire and Emergency work, let us know!
As a reminder, our values we want people to demonstrate are: we do the right thing, we serve and support, we are better together, we strive to improve. Email us your story ideas and it may feature here.
Taking Stock: National Workplace Culture Hui
As part of the Positive Workplace Culture Programme, a two-day Workplace Culture Hui was held on 12 and 13 November at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
Every year we welcome an impressive group of new recruits into the whānau. Ian Katoa is one of our newest graduates and was awarded the Most Valuable Team Player at his graduation in Rotorua in December 2019 – but it wasn’t an easy road getting there.
Ian Katoa: A new graduate gives back
Respect & Inclusion: National Rollout for Respect Workshops
As part of our focus on building a workplace where our people feel welcome, safe and valued, we ran 48 Respect & Inclusion workshops in 2019 as a pilot programme. The response has been hugely positive and we’re now working towards a national rollout.
Values must be lived to be relevant
Our values sit at the heart of what we believe in and how we behave – but they’re no good on a page, they have to be lived.
Ruatāhuna is a tight-knit but isolated community in Te Urewera National Park. With the nearest fire station over an hour away, the community relies on local volunteer brigades to stay fire safe.
When we support each other, we support our communities
I Am Hope Tour: Speaking up for positive mental health
Last year we teamed up with Mike King and I Am Hope to tour fire stations around New Zealand, talking about how to help each other deal with very real mental health issues.
Taskforce meets to progress workplace culture change
We are building an organisation where our people feel included, welcome and safe. To help create that, the Respect and Inclusion Taskforce is driving and championing the work underway.
Kerry Gregory recently took up his position as Deputy Chief Executive – Service Delivery, a role that takes him to every corner of New Zealand, working with our dedicated people keeping New Zealanders safe. He sees first-hand the vital importance of a positive workplace culture.
What you walk past, you condone
Research to support recruitment
Recruiting isn’t an exact science, but Fire and Emergency undertook detailed research to ensure we’re addressing key workplace behaviours to attract the best people across a diverse set of backgrounds.
Keeping it close in Waimangaroa
There’s a tight family connection at the Waimangaroa Brigade on the West Coast, and it started when an eleven-year-old volunteered as a cadet. When Carmen Greenland turned 11, her mum ‘gently’ suggested she needed an after-school job or hobby.
Sharing our safety message in a new language
When Roy Breeze, Area Commander – Waikato, saw the multi-cultural growth in his local Hamilton communities, he decided something had to be done to ensure important safety messages were being understood and acted on. The Chinese population in particular had grown at a great rate.
Give us your feedback
If you have any questions, please email positiveworkplace@fireandemergency.nz and someone will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
If you need support or want to raise a bullying or harassment complaint, please visit the ‘Support’ section of this webpage.
If you are media and have questions, please contact our media team by emailing media@fireandemergency.nz
Support
Seek support immediately if you’re feeling bullied or harassed.
An interim complaints process is now in place while we work on a more permanent solution.
This new process is designed to give people confidence that their issue will be received by someone independent from the incident or issue. The process is coordinated by the Behaviour and Conduct Office (BCO). The BCO will provide oversight, review and reporting of enquiries and complaints, and continue work to develop a future complaints process which is timely, transparent, trusted and fair.
This process is available for Fire and Emergency employees, contractors, volunteers and members of the public who want to raise a complaint of bullying and/or harassment, or to seek information about the options and process for resolving complaints.
Email bco@fireandemergency.nz or visit the Portal for more information.
Alternative options:
The images we have used on this page are from our Fire and Emergency photo library, if you have any concerns about the use of these images, please contact identity@fireandemergency.nz
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