Fresh People to accelerate workplace innovation

Fresh People to accelerate workplace innovation

University of Auckland Professor, Dr Marie Wilson, and McDonald’s HR manager, Evelyn Gates are the inaugural presenters at the Fresh People network breakfast to be launched this month.

(Media people are invited)

The Fresh People network is to explore innovative management ideas and new approaches to organizing the workplace, said Alasdair Thompson, chief executive of the Employers & Manufacturers Association. EMA is organizing the network.

“Introducing fresh ideas for people at workplace is essential to maintain work satisfaction and productivity,” Mr Thompson said.

“Business is people, and fresh thinking is critical to achieving higher levels of business performance.

“Fresh People is the network where issues around leadership, workplace design and business culture, values, creativity, and life balance will be discussed, debated and learned.

“We expect the network to attract strong interest of leaders involved at any level of people management.”

The topic for the inaugural breakfast Network is Values for Innovation.

Lead presenters are:

• Dr Marie Wilson, Associate Professor, University of Auckland Business school, Herald employment relations correspondent, and a leading researcher and lecturer in HR-development and innovation. Marie is also research director of ICEHOUSE business accelerator and has 20 years experience in corporate management and small business. She holds four teaching awards, and was the 1999 AmCham Fellow for Business Education in New Zealand.

• Evelyn Gates, McDonald’s Restaurants NZ, winner of the HRINZ Award for the HR Initiative of the Year 2003. Evelyn is a champion of new HR ideas. She arranged cell phones for all McDonald’s staff for the staging nationwide of music and training videos to promote the “i’m lovin' it” campaign. A series of competitions was developed to motivate, educate and retain the McDonald’s crew. The initiative aimed to create an exclusive work ‘club’ that people want to join.

Venue: Prime Cafe, Level 4 PWC Tower, Auckland.

Date: Wednesday, 24th November, 2004

Time: 7.30am to 9am

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