12 | Staff step up in crisis Work in progress on the Whanawhana Bridge T T from page 10 Fulton Hogan - East Coast-Hawke’s Bay REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T Learning curve - page 14 “They had performed exceptionally and I was very proud of them. We made sure everyone got a really good break, and took an extra week off over the summer period. We also encouraged people to take more leave than they normally would and enjoy time with their families. Once the cyclone response had calmed down, we ensured that people were managing their hours. We also celebrated success and made sure that people reflected on what they had achieved.” During the cyclone response a number of Fulton Hogan’s staff stepped up and were leading teams far bigger than they normally would in the BAU world, developing new skills and experiences and operating at a higher level. “That comes with a risk when people go back into BAU. How do you hold on to them and ensure there are opportunities for them in the new normal? I’ve been able to create a couple of additional leadership positions to acknowledge those people. We’ve grown significantly as a business over the last twelve months, both in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, and that’s on top of previous growth. So, we were due for a bit of a shift in our structure to acknowledge that growth, as well as prepare for the future growth that we want to achieve over the next few years.” In conjunction with the Ministry of Social Development, at a national level Fulton Hogan has developed an Infrastructure Skills Centre. Designed as a six-week accelerated training programme to attract and train new starts within the infrastructure contracting industry, the programme has been carefully structured and is a well-resourced programme designed for success. “We get nominees from MSD and other social agencies and then do a series of speed interviews, taking on eight – ten people, based on the vacancies we have available,” explains Courtney. “We pay them to train over six to eight weeks, and they get wheels, tracks and rollers licences, as well as a temporary traffic qualification. Participants with literacy/numeracy issues are identified and support mechanisms put in place. They complete some work readiness programmes including safety awareness, so that when they complete the ISC programme they are guaranteed of a job with us.” The East Coast region is currently running two programmes a year; one in Gisborne and one in Napier. Graduates have ranged from school leavers to mothers in their 40s seeking new career opportunities. “We have run fifteen ISCs nationally in the past two years which have brought more than 100 new entrants into the industry.” Providing support to the communities above and beyond BAU infrastructure projects and crisis response has long been part of Fulton Hogan’s culture, though Courtney acknowledges that traditionally the company, whose roots stem from the South Island, has been humble about sharing the volunteering, sponsorship and donations it supports. “We do a lot of volunteering and work in kind with the community, as well as sponsorships and donations to sports teams, events and community facilities. We encourage our people to identify opportunities as they do their work, so we have 370 sets of eyes and ears out in the community, across the network, seeing what is needed. We try to make it as staff led as possible. We do a half day volunteering per staff member and generally on the last day of the year we go out as community volunteers to undertake beach and stream clean-ups and planting days, school playground re-barking, repairing carparks and driveways of community facilities and clubs.” www.ebthrust.co.nz JOHN ADAM LTD CONTACT US 06 845 3708 john.adam@xtra.co.nz Proudly Supporting Fulton Hogan
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=