Focus Areas
On this page I tēnei whārangi
Focus Area 1: Value diversity of thought and experience
Outcome: We value and foster diversity of thought and experience through respectful and fair workplaces.
Progress to date
- Refreshed the Kia Kotahi Mai (Inclusion & Belonging) Strategy 2025–2028 to support inclusive workplace practices across MBIE.
- Expanded access to cultural capability learning across MBIE.
- Implemented approximately 50% of People Experience Report recommendations, with remaining actions underway.
- Strengthened partnership‑based delivery with employee‑led networks, unions, and internal stakeholders.
- Developed targeted Kia Kotahi Mai workshops to support inclusive leadership and workplace capability.
- Delivered Whāinga Amorangi and progressed Senior Leadership Team Māori Crown Capability Plan commitments, strengthening Māori Crown capability and increasing visibility of tikanga Māori and te reo Māori across MBIE.
Planned Actions for 2026/2027
- Embed Kia Kotahi Mai priorities across leadership practice, workforce planning, and business activities.
- Align business group level diversity, equity and inclusion plans to Kia Kotahi Mai and shared organisational priorities.
- Integrate agreed inclusion and workforce improvements into business-as-usual practices, including sprint recommendations.
- Embed sustainable partnership and governance approaches with employee-led networks to support coordinated workforce initiatives and organisational insights.
- Deliver targeted Kia Kotahi Mai workshops to strengthen inclusive leadership capability across MBIE.
- Continue implementation and monitoring of Whāinga Amorangi to support responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Public Service Act 2020.
- Support wider and more consistent use of te reo Māori across MBIE through Te Ara Reo Rangatira initiatives.
- Design and plan initiatives to support everyday use of te reo Māori, including the Kaupapa Kōrero.
Success Indicators
- Leaders report increased confidence and capability in culturally responsive leadership practices.
- Leaders and staff report improved inclusive leadership capability, employee experience, and workplace culture.
- Business group approaches are aligned with organisational priorities and workforce strategies.
- Employee‑led network partnerships operate through shared planning, engagement, and accountability approaches.
- Leaders and staff demonstrate increased confidence and capability in engagement with Māori, supporting strong relationships and a sense of belonging.
- Te reo Māori is used regularly and appropriately across workplace and leadership settings.
- MBIE’s workforce practices align with Maihi Karauna, Te Arawhiti expectations, and the Public Service Act 2020.
Focus Area 2: Attract and retain the widest pool of capable talent
Outcome: We ensure we have an attractive work environment open to those who have the skills and competencies needed to drive highly effective public services.
Progress to date
- Strengthened leadership capability through programmes, coaching and masterclasses.
- Introduced MBIE Leadership Expectations, monthly leader network hui, and enhanced new leader induction.
- Expanded access to development opportunities through a refreshed Development Fund.
- Strengthened employee‑led network capability through targeted development workshops.
- Reviewed the Addressing Conduct and Behaviour Policy and Flexible Working Policy.
- Refreshed MBIE Awards categories to better recognise contribution and inclusion.
- Progressed Māori leadership and talent pathways through Tāne Mā leadership and coaching pilots and One Haumako cohorts.
- Growth of One Haumako increasing wāhine Māori leadership capability.
- Developed Māori Career Frameworks aligned with MBIE's workforce and talent development approach.
Planned Actions for 2026/2027
- Deliver priority Workforce Strategy actions to strengthen workforce capability and leadership development.
- Improve workforce systems, including capability planning, recruitment and selection, and hiring manager capability.
- Refresh talent and performance management practices to improve consistency and development pathways.
- Strengthen leadership and employee capability through coordinated learning and development approaches aligned with Workforce and People strategies.
- Develop an MBIE Reasonable Accommodation Policy that advances accessibility, wellbeing, and inclusion while ensuring consistent and compliant people practices.
- Review and refresh people policies (when due), including Learning and Development Policy with leader guidance, to support consistent people practices.
- Implement the Mahere Kaimahi Māori Strategy 2026 to strengthen outcomes for Māori kaimahi and embed te ao Māori across people systems.
- Continue initiatives to address identified leadership development gaps for Māori kaimahi. Align Māori Career Frameworks with the People Strategy and Talent Management refresh.
Success Indicators
- Workforce and People Strategies are aligned with business planning and Government Workforce Policy expectations.
- Recruitment, progression, performance, and talent pipelines are fair, consistent, and merit-based.
- Leaders and staff report increased confidence, trust, and clarity in people processes.
- People policies and workforce practices are current, accessible, understood and applied consistently across MBIE.
- Māori representation, progression, and leadership increase across MBIE and are supported through people systems and leadership accountability.
- Māori representation increases across senior and decision‑making roles over time.
Focus Area 3: Apply the merit principle comprehensively
Outcome: We ensure that all applicants for positions or promotions have a reasonable and fair opportunity to demonstrate merit.
Progress to date
- Worked with the PSA to update the CAPP remuneration framework, with sustainability and equity as key considerations.
- Enhanced the pay equity tool to support more consistent consideration of gender equity in decision‑making.
- Monitored out‑of‑cycle pay increase requests to improve consistency across MBIE.
- Developed a Power BI pay gap dashboard to support monitoring and reporting of MBIE’s progress.
- Completed a recruitment review in response to recommendations from the People Experience Report.
- Strengthened talent acquisition capability to better support neurodiverse candidates through recruitment processes.
- Engaged Korn Ferry to train 13 job evaluation evaluators, strengthening capability and diversity within the evaluation team.
Planned Actions for 2026/2027
- Continue reviewing Career Progressions (CAPP) practices and outcomes.
- Embed an approach for placing new hires based on skills, experience, and internal relativities rather than prior salary.
- Develop guidance for managers on fair and objective pay-setting practices.
- Refine recruitment guidance to support fair, transparent, and merit-based decision-making as hiring practices evolve.
- Monitor the impact of AI-enabled candidate application practices on application volume and quality.
- Complete MBIE Unconscious Bias training for all Korn Ferry‑trained evaluators.
Success Indicators
- Employee survey results show improved understanding of pay-setting processes and increased perceptions of fairness.
- Updated remuneration and evaluation guidance is published and embedded through HR business partner support.
- Appointment review process demonstrates consistent, transparent, and merit-based decision-making.
- At least 95% of Korn Ferry- trained evaluators complete MBIE Unconscious Bias training.