More rangatahi want Māori language honoured at work — survey

Cultural competency is so much more than a sole focus on te reo Ma¯ori. Conrad Waitoa, AskYourTeam

A nationwide survey of almost 5000 Kiwis has uncovered startling data on our cultural competency — that is, our understanding and application of te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles in the workplace.

Fewer than half of us understand how Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles can be applied to the work that we do, and we struggle with confidence in this area.

Overall, however, there is an appetite for change, with most New Zealanders surveyed indicating they would strongly support their workplace offering a Māori perspective on their work, partnering with Māori groups and organisations more readily and actively valuing te ao Māori.

Young New Zealanders (aged between 18 and 25) are the most willing to support te reo Māori, tikanga and Te Tiriti at work — and by extension, show the most confidence when incorporating Māori perspectives and using te reo Māori in written communication. And women, the survey shows, are more inclined to broaden their knowledge and embrace te reo Maō ri and tikanga than men are.

The research was undertaken by insights organisation AskYourTeam in partnership with Te Taura Whiri I te Te Reo Māori, Māori Language Commission, Te Puni Kō kiri, Ministry of Māori Development, Tatauranga Aotearoa, Statistics New Zealand, Te Hiringa Hauora, Health Promotion Agency and Maurea Consulting.

Over two years, 4900 employees in executive and non-executive roles across 30 organisations took part. The goal, says AskYourTeam’s pou tikanga [cultural adviser] Conrad Waitoa, was to develop a snapshot of our cultural capability at work and assist organisations across the motu as they begin to improve their understanding of, and implement or progress, their cultural capability plans.

“Cultural competency is so much more than a sole focus on te reo Māori,” begins Waitoa (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu).

“It’s about how we understand the treaty, how we incorporate tikanga, how and when we engage with Mā ori groups, and how we embrace equality and minimise racism at work.

“What these insights tell us are essentially three things. Firstly, that there is certainly a desire from Kiwi employees to learn more and improve cultural competency.

“Secondly, that most of us see te reo Māori as a great doorway to take us through to the wider concepts of equity and better engagement with Mā ori. And thirdly, that it’s our young colleagues leading the way — shining a light on the gaps and demanding that we do better.”

Waitoa says he’s not surprised that the survey — now available for any workplace to measure its own cultural competency — points to younger kaimahi spearheading change in this space.

“Our rangatahi are more culturally aware and equipped, taking a holistic view of work life rather than just profit and market share. They are raised prioritising wellbeing, and this extends to their expectation of a balanced work environment where fairness is a core value. Our research shows 86 per cent of our 18 to 25-yearolds see cultural capability as a priority, and that it’s our senior leaders who rank lower when it comes to viewing learning te reo Māori, for instance, as a worthwhile skill.

“Perhaps they are time-poor, or nearing the end of their working lives, or perhaps they are coming from the nine-to-five mentality and, as I have experienced myself, systemic racism, unconscious bias, and an unwillingness to change.”

Another insight from the survey exposes a lack of understanding of how Te Tiriti o Waitangi applies to our work lives and workplaces.

Only 44 per cent of New Zealanders surveyed felt they could explain how the treaty impacts their work.