Report on Phase One of MSD’s Positive Workplace programme
In 2018 the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) decided to revise its approach to workplace harassment and bullying, including our policies, processes and systems. This was in response to the growing global and local awareness of the negative impacts of this issue.
We wanted to make sure our staff can work in a positive environment, free from this type of negative behaviour. In developing the new programme we gathered information externally from other government agencies about what worked well for them, and internally from our people. We also asked an external consultancy firm to get some independent insights on our existing processes that would help us with recommendations on how we could improve. All this information provided valuable input to the new initiatives and approaches we’ve put in place. These are designed to strengthen how we prevent and respond to workplace bullying and harassment, and how we support our people.
Since then, we’ve introduced new policies, guidelines, team and leadership conversations, and training for all staff, more help through the Employee Assistance Programme, increased wellbeing support and our new Security, Threats, Accidents, Risks (STAR) reporting tool for staff to report issues.
We’re committed to keep building a positive workplace where all our people can feel safe and experience mana manaaki.
