About Waikato Tainui
Waikato Tainui is the organisation that manages tribal affairs, and actively pursues strategies for improving education, health and wellbeing, marae, social and cultural development of its tribal members.
Waikato Tainui inducts about 25 new kaimahi each year, about 2-3 per month.
The Challenge
Kelly, the People & Capability Manager at the time knew that she needed a better way to prepare kaimahi for success at Waikato Tainui, particularly given their integration of Maaoritanga (Maaori* culture, practices and beliefs) in the way they worked.
She wanted to:
- Better support new kaimahi even before they started
- Remove any new inductee confusion and frustration
- Reduce the time to create whanaungatanga (a sense of connection and belonging)
- Provide answers to common queries to avoid repeated explanations
- Increase early productivity.
The tool is easy to use, interactive, meets our compliance needs and most importantly gives our new kaimahi connection to our vision, our people and our core values as an organisation. Ka Mau te Wehi!”
People & Culture Manager
The Results
Kelly implemented their version of the induction app - Te Iho (the essence of us) - and now:
- New kaimahi feel engaged and supported even before they start, prepared for their poowhiri, and reassured as they are guided through their first days, weeks and months.
- Managers are happy that their role has been made easier with so much taken care of, and with having visibility over their inductees’ progress.
- HR is relieved that they have less to do now that onboarding is streamlined, and less interruptions now that kaimahi are better supported.
In fact:
- Kelly saved at least 8 hours a week, or one fifth of her working week, which allowed her to focus on more strategic activities, equating to $18,000 worth of her time
- New kaimahi felt less confusion and frustration which translated into earlier engagement and faster productivity, equating to $42,000 worth of their time
- By increasing the early retention rate by just two kaimahi each year means less recruiting, re-inducting and re-training by HR and managers, saving even more money, time and effort
- Finally there’s an increase in overall morale, momentum and productivity as new kaimahi quickly get integrated and become valuable members of the organisation.
I still can’t believe how much time I’m NOT spending with new inductees now!
HR Business Partner
- _Waikato-Tainui utilize the original double vowel in written language rather than using the macron as most other tribes have adopted, ie. Maaori rather than Māori. _