Editorial

Doing battle

Age has recently been pronounced the new battlefield in workplace discrimination in New Zealand. Perhaps I’ve been at the cutting edge of this new line of thought, but I’ve felt for some years now that it’s an issue for some employers—in fact, ever since I started counting grey hairs and wrinkles.

That aside, it seems a survey from Kelly Services has found that, in the last five years, 43 percent of New Zealanders have experienced discrimination of some type when applying for a job—especially if they live in Auckland.

Age has come out tops in the discrimination popularity stakes, but race, gender and disability have all been cited as sources of discrimination, although sadly the vast majority of people say they do nothing about it.

At the recent HRINZ conference, Human Rights Commissioner Judy McGregor was part of a panel discussion on the realities of the new workforce. She cited the case of a 55-year-old dairy worker who was unable to get a job. He’d submit his CV and get past the first hurdle, but when people learned he was 55, he got no further. The presumption in the dairy industry, she suggested, is that “if you’re 55, you’re clapped out”.

But as the Kelly Services survey notes, age is not the only way people discriminate. EEO Trust chief executive Philippa Reed was on the same panel and she, too, had a story to tell. On her way to the conference, she’d asked her Cambodian taxi driver what his original training was in. He was a fully qualified nurse with more than three years’ experience working in a major hospital in his home country. He’d been driving cabs in Wellington for six years because he couldn’t afford to support his family and do the one-year language course and three-year training to qualify here.

And in this issue of Employment Today, journalist Sally Wenley, who is a paraplegic after being in a bus crash while she was still at school, writes about her own experiences in the workplace, and about the wider issues faced by disabled workers in New Zealand.

While businesses bleat about about the lack of skilled staff these days, it’s clear there is still talent out there. It’s just that they may be grey-haired, or Asian, or using a wheelchair. Come on guys, it’s high time we got over ourselves.

Lyndsey Swan
Editor

Contents

Supportive culture
Auckland law firm Meredith Connell was the winner of the large organisation award at this year’s EEO Trust Work & Life Awards. Miriam Bell reports on how the firm—which has no HR team—achieved that gong.

Everyone loves teams
Everyone loves teams, says Craig Burborough. But merely calling a group of people a team does not make them one. He examines the factors which distinguish groups from teams and explains how to improve the effectiveness of your team development activities.

Team coaching: a pro-active approach
As our organisations move towards an increased reliance on teams to deliver organisational outcomes, how team members relate to each other has become critical. So what do we do when it goes wrong? Donna Andronicos explains how team coaching can breathe new life into even the most dysfunctional team.

The power of three
Real learning is a combination of IQ, EQ and SQ, says Deb Gilbertson. She explains how each of these aspects of our intelligence works, and examines the role they play in our approach to life.

Hair today, gone tomorrow?
Despite an abundance of degree courses springing forth, there’s no substitute for experience, says Neville Aitchison. He turns his thoughts to lessons learned at work, tattoos, and the price of women’s hairdressing.

Employing a disabled person
In today’s tight employment market, organisations are always on the lookout for good staff. Yet, says Sally Wenley, many overlook potential employees simply because they have a disability. She explores the reactions of employers to disabled workers and looks at what can be done to get the best solution for everyone.

The myths and realities of psychometric testing
Selecting the best psychometric testing tool for your organisation from the many available can be fraught with difficulty. Dr Paul Englert, Sarah Burke and Teresa MacGregor uncover the myths surrounding testing and outline the realities.

Why work-life balance?
Work-life balance initiatives are becoming increasingly common as the business benefits become apparent, says Philippa Reed. The EEO Trust asked members and other employers what they offer and why.

Seeing the bright side
Hope springs eternal for Pat Armistead. She looks at why optimism is the key to success in business and how it can affect both individual and team productivity.

Bryson is back
The case of Bryson v Three Foot Six has been back in the news recently with the Employment Court deciding Bryson can bring a personal grievance claim. Mike Gould examines the implications for employers.

LEADERSHIP: Preventing bullying
Workplace bullying is an epidemic in New Zealand yet there is no legislation covering it, according to Andrea Needham. She tells us that, in order to stem the epidemic, it is time for management to step up and lead with courage.

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT: Train to retain
Learning and development specialists are in high demand in today’s workplace. Zandria Papprill takes a look at the career opportunities that are available in this growing field.

RECRUITMENT: Tomorrow’s managers
Budding top and middle managers are out there, but how can we lure them in? Jude Manuel looks at what organisations need to do to attract and retain aspiring executives and ensure sustained growth.

CASE IN POINT: Worker downloads a load of trouble
When is using the internet at work theft? Chris Hogg examines a recent case where an employee was found to have committed an act of theft after downloading music and movie files at work.

LEGAL SOLUTIONS: Sick of sickies
An employee who takes frequent days off sick is a real challenge. Fortunately, says Kate Hoyle, something can be done about chronic absenteeism. She considers how best to handle the situation and outlines the procedural requirements to follow.

WORKPLACE WELLNESS: Stressing out
Addressing job stress is imperative if organisations are to avoid poor health, bullying and anger problems at work. Employment Today reports on an issue of growing concern.

PUBLIC SECTOR: It’s all the school’s fault
Can students who fail their coursework sue their school? Paul Robertson outlines a case in which a teacher trainee, who was excluded after making insufficient progress, alleged the university had breached its contract with her.