Wanted: Employers who make the most of their people

Wanted: Employers who make the most of their people

Do you know an employer who gives employees practical encouragement to make the most of their time and talents? They need to be recognised, says the Equal Employment Opportunities Trust.

The EEO Trust has just launched its EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2012, which showcase forward-thinking, innovative employers who create environments where everyone can perform to their potential and contribute effectively to an organisation’s productivity.

“We all want our companies to be successful, and people are the key to that success,” says EEO Trust chairman Michael Barnett, also CEO of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s clear that if people are encouraged to make the most of their skills and balance their responsibilities at work and at home, they’ll be more committed and employers will get more of that magic workplace ingredient – discretionary effort.”

He adds, “We know that organisations big and small all over New Zealand display the behaviours and practices that encourage greater engagement and productivity, and we’d love to see them share their stories by entering the Awards.”

Entries for the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2012 close on Thursday May 17, with the Awards gala dinner taking place in Auckland on August 30. Organisations of any size or sector can enter, whether or not they are members of the EEO Trust.

Flexible work programmes, literacy and numeracy training and projects to encourage greater workforce cohesion are among the initiatives that have been celebrated over the Awards’ life, says Mr Barnett.

Bupa Care Services last year won an award for its culture change programme Personal Best, which aims to create a more collaborative and flexible working environment for its 3300 staff. Entering the Awards was easy, says Sylvia Casella, director of organisational development. “The EEO Trust could not have been more supportive and encouraging. No question was left unanswered and the encouragement from the team was great.”

Auckland yoghurt manufacturer EasiYo Products also won an award last year, and chief executive Paul O’Brien says that the acknowledgement “has a halo effect on your business. And the recognition is good for your employment branding.”

There are five categories in the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards, with a Supreme Winner chosen from the winners of each category. The categories are:

• Tomorrow’s Workforce Award, which recognises innovative responses to tomorrow’s employment challenges;
• The Diversity Award, for organisations which make the most of employee diversity;
• The Work & Life Award, which celebrates initiatives that create opportunities for greater engagement and productivity;
• The Skills Highway Award, which recognises workplaces which can show how they have helped improve their employees’ reading, maths and communication skills;
• The Walk the Talk Award, which celebrates effective diversity leaders.

Find out more at www.eeotrust.org.nz, and see the stories of past entrants and winners at www.youtube.com/eeotrust

About the EEO Trust

The Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Trust provides employers with resources, information and tools to help them make the most of New Zealand’s increasingly diverse workforce.

The annual EEO Trust Work & Life Awards celebrate forward-thinking employers who bring creativity and commitment to meeting today’s employment challenges and in preparing for those of tomorrow.

The EEO Trust is resourced through donations by member organisations and Government contributions. It is governed by a high-calibre Board of Trustees.

ENDS

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