The policy creating tool
Your policy will include some ways your business might promote te ao Māori. Think about these examples of Mana Motuhake/Mana Tangata, and how you may incorporate them:
- All staff should use greetings and farewells in te reo Māori - all staff and promote for customers to use too, for example:
- Kia ora - Hello
- Ka kite anō - See you again
- Kei te pēhea koe? - How are you?
- Kei te pai ahau - I am good
- Your organisation may like to include aspects of tikanga Māori within this policy, for example:
- Use mihi whakatau (informal welcome) to begin the work year and to welcome any new staff. For more information about mihi whakatau, see this website: https://governance.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/14-ceremonies-and-other-conventions/customary-m%C4%81ori-ceremonies/detail-for-powhiri-and-whakatau/
- Karakia can be used to begin and finish the work day and for any occasions when you have shared kai (food). See this website for karakia that you could use: https://www.otago.ac.nz/maori/world/te-reo-maori/karakia-prayers/index.html
- Provide opportunities for your staff to have shared kai. This encourages making connections and also lifts staff moral and boost wellbeing
- Where possible, all staff should have at least one experience where you visit or stay on a marae
- Building strong and respectful relationships must be at the forefront of this policy, to do this you could:
- Provide opportunities for staff to learn/share their mihi/pepeha. See here for more information about mihi/pepeha: https://www.parentingresource.nz/supporting-information/pepeha/
- Within this policy you could outline ways in which you plan to include the whānau (family) of staff members within your business. For example:
- Organise days or events where whānau are encouraged to come into the workplace to support your staff members
- These events could also take place at the homes of your staff members which helps to create a healthy connection between the home and the workplace. This also helps to ensure that your workplace becomes more of a whānau based environment where everyone feels respected and safe.