Maintaining focus through changing times
Our scientists are passionate about their research and its applications. Manaaki Whenua’s business success is due to the way staff generate knowledge that is applied through our clients. This year staff also demonstrated their adaptability and commitment, through maintaining a high level of productivity and producing a record financial result while the company streamlined its structure.
Our updated company strategy emphasises the need for more eff ective engagement with a wider range of stakeholders. With this in mind we began a restructuring process to better align science programmes across our sites through forming science-based national teams, each engaging with their key end-users. The restructuring process elicited significant input and involvement from staff.
First a range of people from across the company were selected to identify an optimal new structure. Over several months, beginning in October, this and subsequent designated groups consulted with managers and staff at all levels, through roadshows, an intranet feedback site and an FAQ page, newsletters and one-to-one communication, particularly with staff whose positions were directly implicated. The intention was to provide staff every opportunity to follow and contribute to developments, to maximise support for the eventual change.
In December a new, smaller senior management team was formed, with the number reducing from 14 to six. A negative side-eff ect of this change is that by September 2006, six of the original senior managers will have left the organisation (one through retirement, five choosing redundancy), taking with them significant institutional knowledge. However, the impact of this will be lessened by ongoing working links with four of those six. On the positive side the change has paved the way for a larger team at the next management level to participate in and bring new ideas to science and organisational leadership.
Between January and March, 13 new tier-three managers were appointed to join five existing managers. A second project team, also comprising a cross-section of staff , was formed to allocate research programmes and science skills to teams. As a result, six outcome areas have been replaced by 10 science teams. The creation of these national teams simplified the previous matrix management structure, which had included a regional emphasis. A final realignment identified the support staff positions required, now managed nationally, to support the new science teams. In addition to the five senior managers, eight staff took severance pay, five of whom did so voluntarily.
As well as reducing the size of the senior management team, the restructuring reduced the maximum levels of hierarchy from seven to five. Considerably more authority has been delegated to line managers at all levels to improve their ability to respond promptly to end-user needs. During this intensive process we ensured support and assistance was provided to staff . This included an 0800 number for people to call when they needed help in coping with the process or in applying for new positions, either internally or externally. Hamish Ott delivered this service and provided more than 100 hours of consultation.
Despite the inevitable upheavals brought about by change, our staff continued to deliver outstanding performance. This is refl ected not only in our financial results, but in the level of high quality publications (see following graph).
The changes have also impacted on how we have progressed with our human resources framework (see diagram above). We have increased our emphasis on culture and shared values, and removal of the previous matrix system has resulted in more devolution of authority and empowerment of staff . Simplified line management has allowed for increased mentoring and nurturing of our staff by the people they directly report to.
Developing world-class capability
Generating knowledge to improve quality of life and economic well-being from healthy land environments – our vision – requires top talent and a culture that encourages innovation. Manaaki Whenua has always had these, and we are working to ensure our new structure augments them further.
The 10 new science teams are now preparing human capability plans, identifying skill requirements for their science areas for the next 5 years as well as succession plans for our existing talent. The Capability Fund will play a significant part in ensuring the development of new skills and planning for the replacement of staff who are near retirement.
Constructive leadership development
During the year at least 25 science staff have taken on more advanced responsibilities. Those new to leadership have attended workshops covering strategic leadership and basic management skills. A plan will be prepared for each individual to assist their growth. We aim to create an environment that provides for constructive development from the start of a career to senior leadership, that rewards appropriately and that provides a safe and encouraging atmosphere for work.
Developing the new teams is another priority. Bruce Penny, a business mentor, was engaged to support individual leaders and team development. Our development of talent also extends to entry-level staff. This year we supported at least 30 PhD students, of which nine received financial support. We spent $592,000 on postdoc fellowships. We intend to invest in future talent through PhD support (three in 2006/07) and increase postdocs to 4% science FTEs by 2009.
Retention
Retaining staff requires a constant commitment in the worldwide quest for top talent. While we are fortunate to have the natural attractions that New Zealand provides, we also work hard on providing a work environment that makes staff feel positive about the organisation.
Rewards
We continue to pay science salaries that are generally part-way between science and general market medians (see graphs) while usually paying at the market median for support staff . We remain committed to addressing the gap between New Zealand science salaries and equivalent salaries overseas and in other market sectors, although some Government intervention will be necessary to achieve this.
Safe and encouraging atmosphere
We are delighted to report our continued accreditation at Tertiary Level in the ACC Partnership Programme. We are one of only 58 organisations to achieve such continuation. We also won the ACC Thinksafe Award at the Champion Canterbury awards in September. But despite staff commitment to health and safety, accidents can still happen. This year there were seven lost-time accidents. These will have cost an average 21.7 working days and $4,785 (compared with seven lost time accidents averaging $5,700 last year). These accidents are also the reason for us not achieving the targets set out in our SCI.
A recent initiative involves addressing early reports of gradual-process pain to avert later injuries. This has resulted in the number of gradual-process injuries per annum decreasing from 15 to zero since 2004.
Staff satisfaction
We usually track employee satisfaction through an annual survey in May. However, we believed it inappropriate to survey satisfaction with managers so soon after restructuring. We therefore delayed the survey until early in the new financial year.
Throughout the restructuring process I received direct feedback from managers and staff that the independent and confidential change coaching support provided through the dedicated 0800 number was much appreciated, as it assisted them with their plans and applications during a crucial career transition time.
Support Service Advisor,
Hamish Ott,
Gotham Universal