Positive and Safe Workplaces

Everyone in the State Services is entitled to work in a safe and inclusive workplace, where people treat one another with respect and work together to deliver for New Zealand and New Zealanders. Strong leadership, from leadership teams and the HR and OH&S community is crucial to create the environments that we want. This leadership needs to be at both a strategic and practical level. We need to drive towards the workplace cultures that we want while continuing to call out and address inappropriate behaviour.

On 20 August the State Services Commissioner issued new model standards on Positive and Safe Workplaces. These outline his minimum expectations for staff and organisations in the State services to ensure positive and safe workplaces.

The State Services Commissioner has asked two chief executives, Mr Ray Smith and Ms Rebecca Kitteridge to co-lead a system wide Positive Workplace Cultures programme to support agencies to embed the new standards. The Government Health & Safety Lead is working with SSC and an advisory group to develop the programme – more coming on this. In the meantime, read here about the new standards.(external link)