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Recent government reports have sadly confirmed that New Zealand has a significant problem with bullying behaviour in our schools, and workplaces. In fact, in a school context: “New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bullying in the world.” This has been confirmed in the nationwide survey conducted by the Human Rights Commission.

The past couple of years have disconnected many of us from what we felt was important, including the people we work with. Whether we are back working onsite full time, working remotely or in a hybrid situation between the office and home, how well we connect with our co-workers affects our mental health and ability to do our job well. 

Fair Way is pleased to announce the engagement of Kate Keddell (formerly Kate Hesson) as Senior Resolution Practitioner in the Commercial Services team, based in Dunedin. Kate practiced as a commercial lawyer for nearly two decades and is now a mediator and workplace investigator.

Fair Way is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Hooper as Senior Resolution Practitioner. Stephen has a wealth of experience in dispute resolution, having worked as a lawyer and mediator for nearly 30 years. His career has spanned the public and private sector both locally and overseas.

Burnout is sneaky - it’s hard to spot and doesn’t always look like what we expect it to. It is the enemy of joy, taking away our physical and emotional energy and health, our feelings of connection, and confidence in our abilities. Burnout is a result of a convergence of organisational factors. To prevent burnout, employers are tasked with creating safe spaces for employees which prioritise wellbeing and which mitigate risk factors.

Last week, we celebrated Pink Shirt Day which recognises the importance of addressing bullying and its impact. From what I have seen on social media and beyond, many people took the opportunity to acknowledge the occasion and have an open conversation about this very important topic. However, beyond individual awareness, I have also been reflecting on the importance of organisational response to this issue.

Preparation for Mediation (PFM) has come a long way since its beginnings in 2015. So has the world we live in! In our current climate of complexity, ambiguity and fear; there seems to be a recognisable increase in binary thinking and more positional dispute behaviour. It's times like these that highlight the value of PFM.

Builders around the country are experiencing an exceptional set of circumstances, impacting on their ability to deliver projects within expected timeframes and costs. It has been called a “perfect storm” in recent media coverage, with stock and supply chain difficulties, recruitment challenges, staff absences due to covid, and consenting delays at local authorities all contributing to extensions to contract timelines.

Many consider the right of a child to have a say in decision making affecting them a golden thread of the family justice system in New Zealand. After all, New Zealand is a party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Convention) which quite clearly sets out our country’s obligations to our children.

Feedback helps you to get the best out of people by focusing on specific behaviours you have seen or would like to see.  It requires the team to know each other well, so there is the courage and the consideration to give and receive feedback. Establishing a cultural norm of providing feedback creates a cohesive and engaged team.