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Feature - Whakataukī guiding HRNZ journey towards bicultural HR practices
The need and desire are growing to create change to embrace more bicultural HR practices in Aotearoa. Kathy Catton investigates what HRNZ is doing to support this transformation with Māori for their members and organisations.
Research has shown that organisations that include tikanga Māori and te reo Māori in their workplace benefit from improved cultural satisfaction and increased job satisfaction. But we also know barriers exist for many organisations wanting to integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into their daily business.
HRNZ, as the professional body for HR practitioners, wants to support its members by highlighting the importance of this work. With its members, HRNZ is seeking to codesign solutions to help remove the barriers that prevent the necessary shift in behaviour and culture within businesses. It is committed to supporting the development of culturally responsive and equitable practices and tools and resources that inspire better workplaces for Māori and all Aotearoa.
So the organisation set about looking to understand the current state of bicultural HR practices. What do they look like in practice today and what do we want them to look like in the future? What is working well and who is doing it?
Working together
HRNZ knew it needed to partner with Māori to shape and deliver this work. Karli Te Aotonga, CMHRNZ, was integral to this work. Karli sits on the HRNZ Board and is committed to the kaupapa of transformational change and culture within all workplaces of Aotearoa, with the intent to enhance the quality of life and wellbeing for all people.
Lorna Goodwin (Rongowhakaata), Project Manager, was engaged by HRNZ to support this significant piece of work. Lorna has worked for over 20 years in the Māori space; with and for whānau Māori in various programmes of work. Amy Clarke, HRNZ’s Manager of Professional Standards and Development, and Nick McKissack, Chief Executive of HRNZ, are also heavily involved in this work.
“It’s a journey. We needed a starting point, so we decided to look internally at the work HRNZ is doing and then share this externally,” says Lorna. “We needed to create some guiding principles to support ourselves and others while on this journey. So we used whakataukī to ground this mahi. There was a huge element of discovery in this work, and we needed a test for all the strands of mahi, making sure we were staying on the right pathway.”
HRNZ acknowledges that some HR practices are not fit for purpose for Māori. HRNZ also believes that, to advance this mahi, identifying and designing meaningful solutions must be led by, with and for Māori, to retain cultural integrity and authenticity.
What emerged were three guiding principles, grounded in whakataukī, that continue to inform continuous strands of work the organisation is committed to. HRNZ partnered with a Māori graphic designer, Māui Taewa, to help enrich the story and kōrero.
Our guiding principles for the journey
Here are the whakataukī that have been applied.
“This is about acknowledging that some of our current or old HR practices no longer serve our people,” says Lorna. “In any change, we need to take an honest look at what works and what doesn’t and be courageous in letting this stuff go to move forward to a better place.”
“The two panels represent change likened to a day’s cycle, day and night – the tides that come in and go back out to the sea,” explains Māui. “The koru patterns depicted shows movement but also references to the ururoa or the hammerhead shark, known for its ability to be powerful and sharp. The spirals represent the waves of the sea, forever moving and changing. I have used two colours to help reflect change, alternating so one is different from the other.”
Principle 1:
Tūngia te ururoa kia tupu whakaritorito te tutū o te harakeke.
• Set the overgrown bush alight, and the new flax shoots will spring up.
• Clear the undergrowth so that the new shoots can grow.
To change, we will need to leave some ways behind.
Principle 2:
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, ēngari he toa takitini.
• My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective!
• Mahi Tahi me te Kotahitanga.
Uniting our collective vision and approach as HR professionals.
“This principle is about collectivism,” explains Lorna. “It’s about collectivising, as this is not the work of one individual. It’s about building a mass of people and uniting us in that collective vision.”
“This pattern represents leadership and its followers,” says Māui. “The centre pattern with the colour red is the mangopare motif representing the hammerhead shark. Briefly explained earlier, the hammerhead shark is considered to depict strength, power, a fighter hence the word toa used in the proverb. Toa is a warrior or chief and likened to the hammerhead for its ability to not give up and also to lead his people. The supporting patterns are also mangopare but only showing half, perhaps the people supporting their leader, their kaitiaki and manaakitanga.”
“A lot of our HR practices are based on Eurocentric practices that don’t necessarily fit here in Aotearoa,” says Lorna. “There is an immediate benefit for Māori, and there is a bigger benefit for all of Aotearoa in doing this mahi.”
Principle 3:
Whiria te tangata.
• Weave the people together.
Embrace our uniqueness and weave them together for the benefit of Aotearoa.
“Based on the stories around Tāne Mahuta, the god of the forests and birds, this design depicts the story about Tāne when he climbed the heavens to obtain ngā kete o te wānanga – kete tuauri, kete tuatea, kete aronui. He was met by his jealous brother, Whiro who made his ascent difficult and challenging,” says Māui. “So, by using the weave design, this could depict the kete and the three strands. The two interlocking spirals represent the parents Ranginui, the sky father and Papatūānuku, the earth mother. Although Tāne eventually separated his parents, we still remember the origins, the genesis where they were once together.”
Developing the next steps
HRNZ knows the HR profession is currently predominantly represented by non-Māori women, and few Māori hold leadership positions within the HR profession. This is not reflective of the overall population or the workforce within Aotearoa. So scope exists for increasing the presence of Māori in the profession and in HRNZ membership. The desire is for more Māori working in the industry and more Māori members within HRNZ.
HRNZ also recognises this is a complex space and doesn’t underestimate the changes and shifts that need to be undertaken by businesses and organisations. As Lorna states, “An organisation’s mindset, environment and ‘maturity’ are highly influential in how it can transform into a bicultural space. It is critical that HRNZ works with organisations to develop bespoke solutions that are in keeping with their organisation and their journey to achieving biculturalism; whatever that looks like for them.”
While this programme of work is still in its early stages, suggested actions for HRNZ are:
Tuakana–Teina model for HRNZ mentoring programme:
The move to a more horizontal model is more in keeping with Māori values. This is, both parties have something to give and both parties have something to benefit from. In a learning environment, the tuakana–teina roles may be reversed at any time. HRNZ mentoring programme
Transforming HRM in Aotearoa programme:
Now in its third year of delivery, this wānanga focuses on how HR professionals can develop their HR practices in a way that directly and intentionally benefits Māori employees, recognising Māori as tangata whenua o Aotearoa and Treaty partners. Upcoming workshops are happening in Wellington from 6 to 8 July and 2 to 4 November. For more information on this course, click here Transforming HRM in Aotearoa HRNZ or read more in PD Spotlight
HRNZ’s HR guides:
The 26 HR guides are currently being reviewed and refreshed to ensure the material is culturally appropriate and affirming for all of our members. Watch this space because they are to be relaunched soon.
Transforming HRM actions
HRNZ is committed to continuing this work and the various actions and tasks to progress it. For example, mapping out the whole employee experience and highlighting the pain points where intervention is required, running focus groups to understand who is already transforming, telling more stories, and capturing narratives to seek to change hearts and minds.
The overarching emphasis is to humanise the HR profession, whether that’s for Māori or tauiwi. “It’s about people and their wellbeing. We’re doing this for our people,” says Lorna.
Lorna’s advice to HR professionals thinking about embarking on this journey towards achieving bicultural HR:
• It’s a journey, and it’s okay to just be at the start of the journey.
• We can’t do the work alone. Lean on other people to share learnings, knowledge and stories of what works well.
• Be courageous and tenacious.
• Challenge your HR processes and tasks. Ask why you do, what we do, when we do them.
• Remember that moving toward a more inclusive and bicultural HRM practice will have massive benefits.
