ACC New Zealand

Too many New Zealanders are still being harmed at work. Creating a culture focused on health, safety and wellbeing can make a huge impact — and starts from the top. Warwick Stenson, the North Island Metro Manager for Armourguard Security, says involving staff is key. “We can never sit at head office and think we know everything,” he says. “That’s the biggest mistake companies make. You’ve got to go and listen to your people.” Armourguard is one of four companies involved in the Work360 initiative, which is led by The Cause Collective and funded by an ACC Workplace Injury Prevention Grant. The initiative was originally established in 2018 to identify, test and refine approaches to improving the health and wellbeing of businesses with a high number of Māori and Pasifika employees. Māori workers are 18 per cent more likely and Pasifika workers 12 per cent more likely to have to make an injury claim than Pākehā workers, according to AUT’s Workplace Safety and the Future of Work report. The initiative follows a four-step design phase which involves bringing together frontline staff and executive leadership to co-design innovative solutions. As part of its involvement, Armourguard has been putting in place new activities and actively engaging with its staff to encourage them to raise their wellbeing issues and concerns. Read more 👉 https://acc.nz/4cYoWkk

With the winter sport season in full swing, you might see more patients with injuries like a sprain or strain. It’s likely they will still be able to work in some way. This could include: ⏰ working reduced hours 💻 doing alternative tasks 🏠 working in a different environment. If they can safely work reduced hours or alternative duties as part of their recovery plan, we’ll provide the support they need. This includes weekly compensation, rehabilitation, and in some cases, transport and equipment. Find more information 👉 https://acc.nz/3KRkqrL

Are you commencing your Master’s research in 2024 or 2025? 📝 Applications for the ACC Postgraduate Scholarships are now open. These scholarships support research to understand more about the complex challenges and emerging trends in injury prevention and compensation. Applications close on 15 August 2024. You can find more information on eligibility and how to apply here 🔗 https://acc.nz/3S19EU2

We're thrilled to announce John Bennett as our new Deputy Chief Executive, System Commissioning and Performance. John brings extensive global healthcare experience and a proven track record in strategic roles, including with the UK NHS, KPMG, and PwC. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue our mission to improve lives every day. Please join us in welcoming John to the ACC team. 🤝 Read more about John and his appointment on our Newsroom here 🔗 https://acc.nz/3LbENQO

“More than once, I could feel tears welling up in my eyes to just remember the humble beginnings and all that’s happened in the last four years.” A member of the ACC Rongoā Māori Advisory Panel, Donna Kerridge is proud of the growth of rongoā since it was made available as an ACC rehabilitation service in 2020. Like many others, she found the inaugural ACC Rongoā Māori Conference a hugely rewarding and emotional experience. Watch the wrap-up video below to relive the milestone conference and hear why it meant so much to so many people. If you have a covered injury, you can find out more about accessing the rongoā Māori service on our website 👉 https://acc.nz/3yLCfFO

In 2023, New Zealand businesses lost 18.5 million workdays to injury. Over the last year, we worked alongside Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand and businesses in the road freight transport industry, to trial ‘Recovery at Work’ with injured employees. Research shows if someone is injured, and unable to complete their usual tasks or hours, finding alternative ways to keep them engaged at work can aid in their physical recovery and mental wellbeing, while also boosting workplace productivity and morale. Key learnings from the trial were shared at the recent Transporting New Zealand seminar in Twizel, and will be useful for businesses across the country, regardless of whether an employee has been injured at work or somewhere else: ⏱️ Time is ticking - the longer an injured person is away from work, the less likely they'll return to their job. 🗝️ Flexibility is key - when an injured employe returns to work they may not be able to resume all their usual tasks or hours immediately, but there are often alternative duties, training, or activities they can successfully do during their recovery. 🧠 Impact on mental health - It’s important to be supportive. Injury, and being off work for extended periods, can both negatively impact a person’s mental wellbeing. A simple check in to see how they’re going can help.

People leaders and employers 👋 Recovering at work can be a key part of recovery and rehabilitation for an injured employee. Whether their injury happened at home, at work, or in the community, you play an important role. We’ve got a range of resources available to help you understand how you can help. There’s also information about how to manage the pay for your employees while they're injured. Find recovery at work resources here 👉 https://acc.nz/3VbawWU

We’re delighted to welcome Carly Falconer to ACC Investments’ senior leadership team as Head of Investment Strategy. Carly brings to the role more than 16 years’ experience at NZ Superannuation Fund, Morrison and the Reserve Bank across asset allocation, economics, and direct listed and private investment in New Zealand, Sydney and Hong Kong. Since arriving at ACC in 2021, Carly has been mentored by Tore Hayward as part of our talent development and succession planning. We’re extremely fortunate that Tore will continue to support Carly in the newly-established position of Senior Investment Strategist. Nau mai, haere mai, Carly. 👐

Mānawatia a Matariki ✨ The theme for 2024 is Matariki heri kai and comes from the Māori proverb ‘Matariki whetū heri kai’ meaning ‘Matariki, the bringer of food’. Matariki Heri Kai is a time to share a meal with loved ones as we celebrate the present and look to the future. Not sure how to celebrate and observe Matariki? Kei te pai! Learn more about the events happening near you 👉 https://acc.nz/4cD6KfQ

Did you miss the inaugural ACC Rongoā Māori Conference? Or you were there but want to catch-up on some of the things you learned? Not to worry, the kōrero from keynote speaker Pā Rōpata (Rob) McGowan and a selection of concurrent session speakers were filmed, and are now available to view on the ACC YouTube channel. 🎥 The Rongoā Māori Conference brought together more than 400 rongoā practitioners, clinicians, researchers and other health professionals from all over the motu. 🤝 It was a chance to whakawhanaunga (build relationships) and grow understanding of traditional Māori healing and its place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s health sector. The wider aim was to share knowledge for the benefit of kiritaki (clients) who engage with rongoā services. To view a selection of the presentations please go to the ACC YouTube channel 👉 https://acc.nz/3VxuJX4