He Waka Eke Noa.
- Fire & Emergency NZ -“These have been eye-opening and self-assessing. It has made me think of others’ feelings and inspired me to be a better waka crew.”
Empowering staff to turn their internal culture around
A tough workforce was battling a tougher internal culture. The Fire & Emergency NZ team were more than ready to step up and protect the communities around them; but less likely to intervene when their own teammates faced internal racism, exclusion and harassment.
The organisation took pride in the values it held. Now their team needed to be inspired to take pride in living these values out.
Change began with a challenge from staff to each other. They were invited to participate in videos that brought the organisation’s whakataukī (mantra) to life: ‘He waka eke noa – Everyone in one canoe, with no exception.’ A hoe (paddle) featured throughout the series, symbolically referencing the personal responsibility each staff member had for helping their waka stay on course.
A bespoke hoe is now being carved with markings that reflect Fire & Emergency NZ’s core values of teamwork, inclusion and acceptance. Anyone will be able to nominate colleagues they see living out these values, who will be honoured with the taonga for a time. The future will see this tohu being passed around the organisation to share and spread the organisation’s values further.
