Actions To Take

What are some simple actions I can take to incorporate te ao Māori?

Supporting Training: Help your employees to achieve certification, through supported training providers, more can be found on our website.
Basic Qualifications: Support employees in attaining basic qualifications such as a full drivers licence or first aid certificate. Find out more on our website about how to do this.
Mentoring and Coaching: Refer to chapter 4, Mentoring and Coaching to see how you can support younger employees.

Understanding key concepts: Familiarise yourself some of the key concepts of te ao Māori, such as te reo and tikanga Māori.
Getting to know employees: Learn more about who your employees are outside of work and understand how work may impact their lives, and vice versa. It is important to respect that not everyone may want to engage in these discussions, and that is okay. Encourage participants, but understand that not everyone will be willing to share more than that they are comfortable with. Some suggested questions could be:
- How do you like to spend your time outside of work? Are there any hobbies or activities you are passionate about?
- Is there anything that’s been particularly challenging or rewarding recently in your life?
- Is there anything we can do to support your work-life balance?

Team bonding: Consider implementing small te ao Māori practices into your everyday work, such as karakia. Be sure to ask your employees what they would like to see.

Regular check-ins: Consistently check in with your employees to support their wellbeing. This may involve using a Te Whare Tapa Wha as a framework. For more on this, refer to chapter 3, Workplace Wellbeing and Culture.

Implementing Kaitiakitanga Practices: Adopt relevant kaitiakitanga practices that are relevant to your workplace. This may include careful consideration of how you look after nearby waterways or by planting native species. See more examples here.