Primary Industries Good Employer Awards 2018

Winners: Ben and Nicky Allomes, Hopelands Dairies Ltd

Ben and Nicky show their commitment to their employees’ well-being by investing in good employment practices and trying new and innovative approaches. They aim to increase flexibility and provide opportunities for their employees to grow.

They completed a time and motion study that identified the hours required to run the farm and developed an innovative rostering system. The rostering system offers employees standardised shifts and provides employees with flexibility to select shifts based on their skills and availability. They saw increased employee engagement and retention, and in November 2017, were able to introduce day shifts that are no more than 9 hours per person.

• Watch a video about Hopelands Dairies Ltd, Innovative Employment Practices Award – Youtube

Highly commended: Jenny Buckley and Dave van den Beuken, Jaydee Partnership

Jenny and Dave are examples of employers who are committed to investing in upskilling staff, trying new rosters to better suit staff, and meeting their needs in a culturally sensitive manner. They have made sure to consider the values and culture of their Filipino staff members and adapted their employment practices to suit employees.

Winners: Kevin and Kylie Ihaka, Forest Protection Services

Forest Protection Services is a great example of going beyond minimum standards and bringing a holistic approach to employee development.

Forestry Protection Services has partnered with NorthTec and Te Matarau Education Trust to deliver its programme – called Tupu Ake. This offers rangatahi the opportunity to build qualifications and life skills while also providing full time paid work. The programme offers continuous employment during the year, while also offering a range of unique learning and development opportunities. These include the opportunity to attend training related to activities outside of the core duties of Forest Protection Services.

• Watch a video about Forest Protection Services – YouTube

Highly commended: Patrick Malley, Onyx Capital Limited

Onyx Capital is a great example of an employer considering the wider needs of employees when developing an employee development programme. The Onwards and Upwards program was launched in September 2017.

The programme provides support for workers in their life outside of work by helping employees obtain identification cards (18+) and birth certificates, open their own bank accounts, and use email. Some employees who were initially reluctant to attend the programme, ended up wanting to spend more time training. Onyx Capital also provides additional leadership training for its managers.

Winner: Michelle Cherrington, Moana

Moana’s Hikoi ki te Ora programme goes above and beyond an employer’s statutory requirements for health, safety and wellbeing. The programme brings a wrap-around approach to health and wellness for its people, from advice and opportunities for exercise, nutrition and mental wellness, to budgeting.

Moana has held roadshows from the Far North to the Chatham Islands in order to make sure its people have effective tools to handle stress, depression and mental illness. The sessions were for its own employees, their whanau and the wider community.

Moana have also used innovative approaches to support employees to keep track of their health and wellbeing by providing an online dashboard with health check results and using this information to inform the Hikoi ki te Ora programme.

• Watch a video about Moana – YouTube

Highly commended: Kevin Ihaka, Forest Protection Services

Forest Protection Services is a great example of going beyond minimum standards and bringing a holistic approach to employee development.

Forestry Protection Services has partnered with NorthTec and Te Matarau Education Trust to deliver its programme – called Tupu Ake. This offers rangatahi the opportunity to build qualifications and life skills while also providing full time paid work. The programme offers continuous employment during the year, while also offering a range of unique learning and development opportunities. These include the opportunity to attend training related to activities outside of the core duties of Forest Protection Services.

Winner: Richard Wyeth, Miraka

 Miraka integrates traditional customs and protocols across all aspects of the business including:

• an annual pōwhiri to welcome new staff, whanau, suppliers and contractors
• the creation of a Miraka haka and patere
• support for staff to improve their Te Reo Māori.

Miraka also provide training and activities to support good health and safety outcomes, including the use of interactive quizzes, programmes to encourage safe outcomes driving practice and a health challenge hosted by Sport Waikato. Miraka recognises and rewards success in its Annual Whanau Awards and supports employees to move up within the organisation.

• Watch a video about Miraka – YouTube

Highly commended: Zac Te Ahuru, Ruapehu Agricultural Developments Ltd

Ruapehu Agricultural Development Services Limited shows a commitment to providing good employment conditions with a focus on the safety and development of its staff. Their programmes include:

• a comprehensive health and safety programme
• skills training offered through Competenz
• an innovative remuneration structure which ensures employees benefit when the company benefits.

Winners: Ben and Nicky Allomes, Hopelands Dairies Ltd

Ben and Nicky are examples of farmers that promote good practices beyond the farm gate.

Ben is a director of DairyNZ and completed his Nuffield Scholarship in 2016 on the topic “How can self-awareness and self-reflection ignite a farmer’s motivation to engage in leadership?”

He has shared his knowledge and expertise with DairyNZ scholarship students, South American farmers on behalf of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Australian farmers.

Nicky is a facilitator of the GoodYarn farmer wellness workshops, has served on the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards executive committee, and is regional manager for Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards.

The Allomes have invested in research to develop an innovative rostering system. They have shared this with other farmers over phone, in person and through articles in the NZ Dairy Exporter and Inside Dairy.

• Watch a video about Hopelands Dairies Ltd, Minister's Award – Youtube

Highly commended: Bruce Beaton, Kristen Nash and Maurice Windle, T&G Global, Pipfruit

T&G Global, Pipfruit have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring New Zealanders are able to overcome barriers to productive work. Their ‘no holes’ approach covers a wide range of practices to ensure that workers who might otherwise struggle in the workforce are able to be productive members of the team. They have engaged with other employers in their region to encourage the adoption of a holistic approach to maximising the local workforce.