Eke Taumata

Eke Taumata is a new programme established to support Fire and Emergency to achieve long-term workplace culture change and ensure a positive work experience for our people.

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What is Eke Taumata?

 

Eke Taumata is a new programme established to support Fire and Emergency to achieve long-term workplace culture change and ensure a positive work experience for our people.

Part of the remit of Eke Taumata, is to respond the recommendations in the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission review released in December 2022. View the full review and recommendations.

If we want to change our culture, we need to do more than implement the recommendations. We also need to recognise the intentions behind the recommendations and make the systemic changes needed to build a workplace defined by respect and inclusion.

We have a collective responsibility for this mahi work  – Eke Taumata is about our values and who we are and want to be as an organisation.

We’re committed to doing this right which means taking the time to understand, to build a strong foundation and then to move forward together in the right direction.

Work underway

Current State Assessment

The first priority for Eke Taumata is to undertake a current state assessment of the mahi that is already happening or has been completed that will help us improve our workplace culture. This current state assessment will then inform our long-term workplace culture change action plan. The current state assessment will be completed in June 2023 with a report delivered in July.

Complaints Management

Another key workstream is to review and update our complaints management processes. This work is underway, and we expect to deliver significant change by 30 November 2023.

The review

In 2022, Fire and Emergency Board Chair, Rebecca Keoghan asked Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission review our progress to build a positive workplace culture and complaints handling practices.  

We wanted to seek independent expertise to help us assess our work so far and plan the next steps in our journey to improve the workplace environment for all our people. 

The report was published in December 2022 and the Board accepted all findings and recommendations.(external link)

In response, the Eke Taumata programme was established both to respond to the review report and to support Fire and Emergency to deliver long-term workplace culture change.

Our name

Eke Taumata is the abbreviated version of – “Kia eke ki ngā taumata” or to aspire to greater level. Taumata refers to a pinnacle or higher level. Other interpretations refer to taumata as being the top of a hill, an improved desired state or vision. In our context we can describe our own taumata as the desired state for our workplace. Eke is a verb that in our context means to climb or embark upon. Together the two words describe our active journey to our desired improved state.