Organisational Policy and Procedures
Top Compliance Risks for Businesses in 2025 and How to Address Them
In today’s fast-changing technological and regulatory environments, compliance risks for businesses are significant. Businesses face increasing scrutiny from regulators, customers, and other stakeholders to meet legal obligations and uphold best practices. As 2025 unfolds, here are the top compliance risks businesses need to be aware of—and strategies to address them effectively.
1. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
With the growing prevalence of data breaches and stricter privacy laws, data protection strategies are non-negotiable for all businesses. Laws like the Privacy Act 2020 and global regulations such as the GDPR are evolving, placing higher demands on businesses to safeguard customer and employee data.
How to Address It:
- Conduct regular audits of your data handling processes.
- Implement robust cybersecurity measures, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication.
- Provide training for staff/kaimahi on data privacy and security protocols.
- Ensure your policies reflect the latest regulatory requirements and technological advancements.
2. Workplace Health and Safety Compliance
Health and safety remain top priorities, with regulators closely monitoring workplace standards. This includes ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, particularly for higher-risk industries. Our Health and Safety regulatory system including the Health and Safety Act is currently being reviewed. The review may result in changes affecting your policies and processes.
How to Address It:
- Regularly review and update your health and safety policies and processes.
- Engage kaimahi/staff in health and safety training and drills.
- Stay informed about the Health and Safety Review and industry-specific guidelines and best practices.
3. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Obligations
ESG compliance is no longer optional. Stakeholders demand transparency about how businesses impact the environment and society and stakeholder accountability. We all play a vital part in reducing emissions, waste management, and sustainable practices and organisations across every sector have responsibilities.
How to Address It:
- Create or update your ESG policies to align with current regulations and industry standards.
- Prevent harm to current and future generations
- Recognise that business assets and profitability rest, in the long run, on environment, social and cultural respect.
- Monitor your environmental impact and sustainable practice.
- Communicate ESG efforts to stakeholders, showcasing accountability and progress.
4. Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism
Financial regulations require businesses to identify and mitigate risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing. Non-compliance can lead to severe penalties and reputational damage.
How to Address It:
- Ensure your policies comply with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009.
- Implement robust customer due diligence processes.
- Train kaimahi/staff on identifying suspicious activity and reporting obligations.
5. Employment Law Compliance
Employment law violations, such as failing to meet wage and holiday requirements or mishandling workplace disputes, can result in costly penalties and harm to workplace morale. Recent and proposed changes in Aotearoa to employment law relating to employment status, the minimum wage and personal grievances highlight the importance of staying current.
How to Address It:
- Review workplace policies regularly and employment agreements to ensure agreements align.
- Ensure all your kaimahi/staff are familiar with your policies and procedures and kept informed about changes.
- Provide training to all management levels on fair treatment and dispute resolution.
- Monitor updates to employment legislation and ensure your policies are kept current.
6. Consumer Protection and Marketing Compliance
Misleading advertising, false claims, or breaches of the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 can lead to legal action and loss of consumer trust.
How to Address It:
- Ensure marketing materials comply with advertising standards and consumer laws.
- Train staff on ethical sales practices and accurate representation of products or services.
- Monitor feedback channels to identify and address consumer complaints promptly.
How We Can Help
Keeping up with regulatory changes can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our policy management service takes the guesswork out of compliance. We provide:
- Policy content updated to reflect the latest laws and standards.
- Tools to track staff awareness and adherence to policies.
- Regular policy reviews to ensure your business remains compliant.
By outsourcing your policy management, you save time, reduce risks, and gain peace of mind knowing your policies are always current and compliant.
Final Thoughts
Compliance risks are an ever-present challenge for businesses, but they’re manageable with the right approach. By staying proactive and partnering with experts, you can protect your business, maintain trust, and focus on growth in 2025 and beyond.
Contact us today to learn how we can support your compliance needs!
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: How Organisations Can Act on the Royal Commission’s Findings
In light of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, the urgent need for systemic change is clear. The harrowing stories shared by abuse survivors highlight critical gaps in safeguarding policies that must be addressed. Organisations in Aotearoa now have an unprecedented opportunity to protect vulnerable individuals by implementing robust safeguarding measures, ensuring abuse, exploitation, and neglect are prevented and addressed effectively.
At The Policy Place Ltd, we have recently reviewed and updated Abuse and Protection policies for our online clients to respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care (“Royal Commission”) and Te Aorerekura National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence. In our last post, we discussed how our policies align with the National Strategy. This post focuses on the “why” and “what” of coverage for a policy on safeguarding vulnerable adults.
Key Findings from the Royal Commission
The Royal Commission’s final report, Whanaketia – Through Pain and Trauma, From Darkness to Light, reveals the systemic failures that allowed pervasive abuse and neglect in state and faith-based care from 1950 to 1999. Nearly 3,000 survivors shared their experiences, underscoring the urgency for change.
Factors that Enabled Abuse:
- Lack of Oversight: Insufficient monitoring and accountability within care institutions allowed abuse to go unchecked.
- Power Imbalances: Significant power disparities made it difficult for victims to speak out or be believed.
- Cultural and Systemic Discrimination: Discrimination against Māori, Pacific Peoples, Deaf people, disabled people, and those experiencing mental distress contributed to vulnerability.
- Inadequate Training and Resources: Caregivers often lacked the skills and knowledge to recognise and address abuse.
- Isolation of Victims: Many victims were cut off from family and community, increasing their susceptibility to abuse.
Why Safeguarding Policies Are Crucial Today
The findings of the Royal Commission are not only of historical importance; they offer vital lessons for how care is provided today. Safeguarding policies must reflect these lessons to protect disabled people, kaumātua, and other vulnerable adults who rely on care and support services.
Vulnerability in Care Relationships
Those who depend on others for support face heightened risks due to:
- Dependency Risks: Reliance on caregivers for basic needs creates power imbalances that can be exploited.
- Communication Barriers: Disabilities and mental health challenges can hinder reporting and recognising abuse.
- Isolation: Being cut off from support networks makes individuals more susceptible to exploitation.
- Cultural and Economic Influences: Marginalised communities often face additional barriers to seeking help.
- Incompetency in Care Settings: Staff may lack awareness and skills to address abuse effectively.
Guiding Principles for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
The Royal Commission proposed principles that organisations can embed in safeguarding policies to prevent abuse:
- Diligent and Skilful Care: Provide care with professionalism and competence.
- Safe and Insightful Care: Tailor care to individual needs and circumstances, including proactive risk assessments.
- Caring and Compassionate Relationships: Foster trust and encourage open communication.
- Empowering and Timely Support: Empower individuals to understand their rights and access support.
- Mana-Enhancing: Recognise and uphold the dignity (mana) and wellbeing (mauri) of every person.
- Person-Centred: Build care strategies around each person’s unique strengths and needs.
- Participation and Voice: Support individuals to participate in decisions that affect them.
- Prevention and Safety: Implement diverse prevention strategies and awareness initiatives.
- Whānau and Community: Involve family, whānau, and community in decision-making.
- Cultural Responsiveness: Ensure responses address cultural needs and preferences.
Practical Safeguarding Procedures
To operationalise these principles, safeguarding policies should include:
- Awareness and Training: Regular training sessions for kaimahi and volunteers on recognising and addressing abuse.
- Proactive Monitoring: Routine checks on care relationships and environments to identify risks early.
- Supportive Culture: Create safe reporting channels, such as in-person, email, or formal complaints systems.
- Empowerment: Equip individuals with knowledge of their rights and self-protection strategies.
- Feedback and Complaints: Encourage feedback and address complaints transparently.
- Continuous Improvement: Use feedback to enhance services and prevent future issues.
Conclusion
Safeguarding policies extend beyond child protection to ensure that the gross abuses of the past are never repeated. By implementing these measures, organisations can provide safe, culturally responsive care that empowers vulnerable adults and upholds their dignity.
At The Policy Place, we have developed a comprehensive Safeguarding policy grounded in the Royal Commission’s recommendations. This policy is now available to all our online policy members and, like all our policies, will be regularly reviewed and updated to stay relevant. Interested in implementing a safeguarding policy? Contact us to learn more.
Aligning with Family Violence Standards: Policy Reviews
At The Policy Place, we are committed to regularly reviewing and updating our online policies to ensure they meet the highest standards and reflect the latest developments in the field. Our next review will focus on policies related to abuse, child protection, and safeguarding vulnerable adults.
These policies are crucial for compliance with the Social Sector Accreditation Standards, Health and Disability Standards, and legislation such as the Children’s Act 2014.
Our Review Process
When we review and update our online policies, we take into account feedback from our members, as well as current laws, regulations, and best practice codes. This comprehensive approach ensures that our policies are not only compliant but also practical and effective for our diverse membership.
In the upcoming review, we will be incorporating two significant developments: the Specialist Family Violence Organisation Standards and the Recommendations of the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care. These updates are essential to ensure our policies remain relevant and effective in addressing the needs of those we serve.
The Importance of Specialist Family Violence Organisation Standards
The Specialist Family Violence Organisation Standards (“the Standards”) are a set of comprehensive guidelines developed as part of Te Aorerekura: The National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence. These standards aim to guide consistent and high-quality practice among organizations providing services to individuals affected by family and sexual violence.
Key Features of the Standards
The Standards reflect extensive collaboration and insights from professionals in the family violence and sexual violence sectors, tangata whenua, community representatives, agencies, and victim-survivors. For organisations like ours, they provide a valuable framework for revising and updating policies and procedures. Key criteria include:
- Recognition of various forms of family violence: Including child abuse, elder abuse, and sexual violence, and the differing impacts based on cultural, gender, and care dynamics.
- Ensuring safety and autonomy for victim-survivors: Entailing provision for direct and indirect service users and for the safety and wellbeing of tamariki even when children are not direct service users.
- Victim and whānau-centered risk assessment and safety planning: Conducted in a culturally responsive manner and reflecting knowledge of family-violence related risk factors (eg separation, pregnancy).
- Supporting a trauma and violence-informed approach: a focus on the impact of violence (distinct from other causes of trauma) on individuals and communities and recognising interconnected experiences of interpersonal and systemic violence.
- Reflecting a ‘primary victim-survivor, predominant perpetrator’ analysis: – Reflected in policies and procedures around risk assessment, planning and service delivery.
- Recognising and addressing the rights and interests of deaf and disabled individuals and adults needing safeguarding – addressing the contexts of care and impacts of stigma and misinformation.
- Promoting culturally safe and appropriate practices: – Recognising intersectionalities and impacts for people of diverse genders, ethnicity and abilities.
How The Standards Apply
The Standards are vital for organisations providing specialist family violence responses but can also be utilised by any organization wanting to enhance their response capabilities and organisational practices. They complement existing accreditation and practice frameworks from agencies like the Ministry of Justice, Te Kāhui Kahu and the Ministry of Social Development.
The Policy Place Abuse and Protection policies are already aligned with many aspects of the Standards, such as cultural responsiveness, safety planning, and legislative references.
However, we strive to do more. Through review and updating, Policy Place members operating in social service, health, disability and justice sectors will have their policies more specifically aligned to the Standards. Members will therefore gain the assurance that their policies:
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements: And reflect best practices.
- Are endorsed and utilised by different sectors: And comply with different accreditation criteria
- Guide the delivery of safe, inclusive, and responsive services: To diverse communities.
This helps build support national consistency in the application of the Standards because, as a leading provider of policies and procedures for agencies in NZ, our reviews and updates positively impact many organisations in Aotearoa. Nationwide, we are helping build a safer and more effective network of services and supports for those impacted by family and sexual violence.
Conclusion
Regularly reviewing and updating our policies is not just about compliance; it’s about ensuring that our members are equipped with the best tools and practices to provide safe, effective, and inclusive services. By aligning with the Specialist Family Violence Organisation Standards and incorporating feedback and new developments, we can support our members in delivering high-quality care and protection to those who need it most. Together, we can make a significant impact in the fight against family and sexual violence.
Why Outsourcing Policy Management to The Policy Place is Essential for ACC Sensitive Claims Suppliers
Navigating compliance and policy requirements for ACC Sensitive Claims Services is challenging. Strict standards must be adhered to in areas like trauma-informed care, health and safety, cultural competence, and client-centred service. But keeping policies updated and compliant can drain valuable time and resources from your team.
The Policy Place is a well known provider of online policies and procedures to health and social services. It has recently extended its service to ACC Sensitive Claims Suppliers offering Suppliers and their Providers regularly updated, sector-specific online policies that keep your organisation in step with ACC requirements.
Here’s how outsourcing policy management to The Policy Place can streamline operations, reduce risks, and help your team focus on delivering quality client care.
1. Ensure Compliance with ACC Standards and Reduce Risk
Sensitive Claims Services under ACC require rigorous compliance standards, and The Policy Place has the expertise to develop policies that meet these regulations while reflecting the latest legal updates. Outsourcing to a specialised policy provider helps you reduce compliance risks and demonstrates your commitment to upholding ACC’s high standards for quality and client safety.
Regular policy updates provided by The Policy Place mean that you’re never caught off guard by changes in ACC requirements. Their expertise keeps you aligned with best practices and ready for annual ACC verifications. Learn more about ACC’s compliance standards here.
2. Save Time and Resources with Professional Policy Management
Developing and managing policies internally can be time-consuming and costly, particularly when updates and reviews are required. By partnering with The Policy Place, you benefit from expert policy management, freeing your team to focus on core client services rather than administrative tasks. The Policy Place’s streamlined approach eliminates the need to track updates manually or worry about compliance gaps.
This efficiency also leads to cost savings by reducing internal administrative burdens, while avoiding costly compliance mistakes.
3. Access Sector-specific Expertise for Sensitive Claims Compliance
The Policy Place has in-depth knowledge of policies for sensitive claims and healthcare services, including ACC requirements. Their policies cover ACC’s Operational Guidelines and critical areas like cultural competence, and client confidentiality. This expertise ensures your policies address sensitive claims complexities and adhere to ACC standards.
Additionally, The Policy Place supports your organisation during audits and can provide expert advice on policy compliance, giving you the confidence that you’re fully prepared. For more on ACC systems and requirements for Suppliers and Providers see here.
4. Centralised Online Access for Easy Policy Management
The Policy Place’s online platform allows Sensitive Claims Suppliers and their Lead Providers and staff to access the latest policies from any location, anytime. This accessibility ensures that your team always works with the most current policies, fostering greater accountability and adherence across all levels of service.
A user-friendly, centralised platform also simplifies annual ACC compliance checks, with tracking features that allow managers to see which team members have reviewed the latest policies. This feature supports transparency and reinforces a culture of compliance.
5. Stay Current with Emerging Issues and Best Practices
In sensitive claims work, new challenges frequently arise—such as emerging AI risks, privacy concerns related to client data, and other tech-driven security challenges. The Policy Place proactively monitors and updates policies to address these trends, ensuring your organisation stays compliant with both ACC requirements and sector-wide best practices.
By partnering with The Policy Place, you’ll be equipped to handle these emerging challenges confidently, signaling to ACC that you prioritise quality, up-to-date standards in client care. If you’re ready to improve policy management with less effort, explore The Policy Place’s solutions tailored to sensitive claims providers.
For more resources on compliance and policy management, you may also consider platforms like GovernRight or NZ Navigator, which offer compliance support tools for the social services sector.
Conclusion: Outsourcing Policy Management for Better Compliance and Care
By outsourcing to The Policy Place, your organisation benefits from streamlined, expertly managed policies that support compliance with ACC requirements. This approach saves time, reduces administrative burdens, and supports your team to focus on providing trauma-informed, client-centered care.
If you’re looking to improve policy management with ease and expertise, contact The Policy Place to learn how their solutions can enhance your compliance efforts and strengthen your team’s dedication to quality care.
Avoiding Sham Contracting in Social and Community Agencies: A Guide to Compliance
For social and community agencies in Aotearoa, managing limited government and philanthropic funding often presents tough decisions around employment. One approach that agencies may be tempted to use is hiring individuals as contractors instead of employees, especially when funding is time-limited. However, this strategy can backfire.
It risks falling into sham contracting – where workers are misclassified as contractors to avoid legal obligations and it can result in serious financial and legal repercussions. This issue has been recently highlighted in the NZ Court of Appeal decision on Uber drivers
In this blog, we consider how to avoid sham contracting including contracting best practices.
What is Sham Contracting?
Sham contracting occurs when a worker is incorrectly classified as a contractor instead of an employee, typically to avoid paying entitlements such as minimum wage, holiday pay, or sick leave. While contractors are self-employed and responsible for their own taxes, employees have more protections under the Employment Relations Act 2000 and related legislation (eg minimum wages, leave entitlements).
Why is Sham Contracting a Risk?
Misclassifying a worker as a contractor when they should be an employee is considered illegal and can result in fines, backpay, and reputational damage. It can result in severe penalties for organizations, including fines, legal fees, and reputational damage. If a worker classified as a contractor later disputes their status and is found to be an employee, the organisation may be required to backpay wages, holiday pay, and make tax adjustments.
Uber Drivers Case
The importance of correctly classifying workers was highlighted in the New Zealand Court of Appeal Uber case. In this case, the Court affirmed the Employment Court’s 2022 decision that Uber drivers should be classified as employees, not independent contractors.
The Court emphasized that employment status is determined by the nature of the relationship, not by the label used by the company. Factors such as the level of control over the worker’s tasks and the degree of economic dependence are key.
This ruling has significant implications for anyone who employs a contractor. For social and community agencies, the decision reinforces the principle that even if government funding is temporary, workers performing core tasks should not be misclassified as contractors simply to reduce costs and for funding reasons.
Key Indicators of Employment vs. Contracting
To avoid sham contracting, agencies must assess the relationship between the worker and the organisation. Various factors, are relevant, including:
Control: If the agency controls when, how, and where the work is performed, the worker is likely an employee.
Integration: If the worker is integrated into the organisation (e.g., using agency resources, working with permanent staff), they are more likely an employee.
Economic Dependency: If the worker is economically dependent on the agency and does not have the freedom to work for others, they may be classified as an employee .
Why Time-ending Doesn’t Justify Sham Contracting
It may seem logical for agencies to treat workers as contractors when funding is short-term. However, even in these cases, the nature of the working relationship remains the decisive factor. For example:
Project-Based Funding: If a project is funded for a limited time, you can still employ workers on a fixed-term employment contract. This provides flexibility while ensuring compliance with the law.
Casual Employment: Another option is to hire casual employees, who work irregular hours and are only called in when needed. This arrangement offers flexibility similar to contractors but with the protection of employment status.
Best Practices for Contracting
Understand Employment Law: Ensure you understand the difference between contractors and employees. Under the Employment Relations Act 2000 and related laws, workers classified as employees are entitled to legal protections such as paid leave, minimum wage, and KiwiSaver contributions.
Review Contracts Regularly: Ensure that any contracts reflect the true nature of the relationship. If your contractors are performing core roles or working regularly for your agency, they may be employees in practice.
Use Fixed-Term or Casual Employment Contracts: When funding is temporary, hire workers under fixed-term contracts with a clear end date tied to the funding period. This ensures compliance while giving your agency flexibility.
Obtain Advice: If unsure, get legal or HR advice. This is particularly important when engaging workers for roles essential to your service delivery, such as social workers, administrators, and frontline staff.
Step-by-Step Process to Contracting
Evaluate the Role: Determine whether the role is a core function of the agency. If the worker is performing tasks central to your mission (eg providing care, administrative duties), they are likely to be an employee.
Assess Control: Evaluate the level of control the agency has over the worker’s duties. High control usually indicates an employment relationship.
Offer a Suitable Contract: Where appropriate, offer a fixed-term or casual employment contract. Clearly state the start and end date in line with your project funding. Ensure the worker is aware of their employment status and entitlements.
Monitor and Update Agreements: Regularly review contracts and working arrangements to ensure they reflect the true relationship.
Conclusion
While government funding constraints may make contracting seem attractive, agencies must ensure they comply with employment law. Misclassifying employees as contractors can expose your agency to legal action, financial penalties, and damage to your reputation. By following best practices, including the use of fixed-term or casual contracts, agencies will steer clear of sham contracting while remaining flexible.
Protecting Te Reo Māori as “A Forever Language”
Introduction
Te Reo Māori, the Māori language, is a cornerstone of our cultural heritage as a country. It is not just a means of communication but a vital expression of identity, history, and community for Māori.
However, the journey of Te Reo Māori has been and continues to be held back by racist approaches that have ranged from discouragement through to active suppression of the language and punishment for using it.
In this post, we look at the importance of te Reo Māori, successive acknowledgments by the Crown of wrongdoing towards the language, and emphasize the urgent need for all of us to actively protect and promote Te Reo Māori and the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa.
The Importance of Te Reo Māori
Te Reo Māori is more than a language; it is a living embodiment of Māori culture and worldview. It carries the stories, traditions, and values of Māori, connecting generations and fostering a sense of belonging. For all New Zealanders, Te Reo Māori enriches our national identity, offering a unique perspective and deepening our understanding of the land we share.
Historical Injustices and Apologies
The Crown’s historical treatment of Te Reo Māori has been marked by neglect and active suppression. The imposition of English schooling (Native Schools Act 1867) with tamariki punished for speaking their first language in school and policies aimed at assimilation prevented use of the language. This caused significant loss of language and cultural erosion.
This is explicitly acknowledged by the Crown in section 6 of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori Māori Language Act 2016 and has been acknowledged in successive Treaty settlements, for example:
Apology to Moriori: “By the beginning of the twentieth century ta rē (the Moriori language) as a living language had been lost to Moriori and Aotearoa New Zealand. For its failure to actively protect this miheke (taonga), the Crown apologises sincerely.”
Apology to Ngāi Tahu: “The Crown acknowledges that it has failed to act towards Ngāi Tahu reasonably and with the utmost good faith in a manner consistent with the honour of the Crown. This includes the failure to protect the Ngāi Tahu language and culture, leading to significant loss and hardship for the iwi.”
Apology to Tūhoe: “The Crown profoundly regrets its actions which have caused the loss of the Tūhoe language and culture. The Crown acknowledges its failure to protect and promote the use of te reo Tūhoe, contributing to the erosion of Tūhoe identity and heritage.”
Apology to Ngāti Awa: “The Crown profoundly regrets its failure to protect the Māori language and acknowledges the significant impact this has had on Ngāti Awa. The Crown apologises for the loss of te reo Māori and the cultural erosion that resulted from its policies and actions.”
A Call to Action: Protecting Te Reo Māori
The Crown’s apologies are a step towards reconciliation, but as we always know with any apology it must be accompanied by concrete actions to protect and promote Te Reo Māori.
Through the years, the Crown has taken these steps and expressed through legislation and policies its commitment to protecting and promoting Te Reo Māori.
For example, it will “work in partnership with iwi and Māori to continue actively to protect and promote this taonga, the Māori language, for future generations (section 6 of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori Māori Language Act 2016) and in the Moriori Deed of Settlement – “The Crown is now actively committed to working in partnership with iwi and Māori to continue to protect and promote this taonga, the Māori language, for future generations.”
This path towards reconciliation needs to continue. No New Zealander wants a repeat of historical wrongs.
Yet, as recently found by the Waitangi Tribunal in its report Ngā Mātāpono The Principles, we are now at the point of “Constitutional Crisis”, where not only the use of Te Reo Māori is under threat, but Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document for Aotearoa.
Conclusion
Te Reo Māori is a taonga/treasure. Active protection and promotion of the language is the right of Māori and benefits the entire country. Going backwards is not an option. No New Zealander wants to see a repeat of historical wrongs.
We cannot let this Constitutional Crisis unfold. We all need to take steps to actively protect and promote Te Reo Māori and honour the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Ake ake ake – A Forever Language Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori!
How to Enhance Co-Design with Effective Policies and Procedures
Co-design is a user-centred approach that helps organisations create services and products that genuinely meet the needs of their users.
At the Policy Place we support agencies to achieve success through co-design. We provide policies and procedures to support the co-design methodology while ensuring an ethical approach and compliance with the law and regulations.
In this blog, we look first at what co-design is and then at how policies and procedures can optimise your co-design efforts.
What is Co-design?
Co-design is a collaborative process that involves all stakeholders—end-users, kaimahi/staff, and external partners—in the creation of services, products, or systems. The goal is to achieve services and systems that align with the actual needs, preferences, and experiences of those they serve.
Policies and Procedure Ideas
1. Establishing Clear Guidelines for Co-Design Success
For co-design to be successful, it’s essential to lay a strong foundation with clear guidelines. Policies define the objectives and scope of your co-design initiatives, ensuring that all participants are aligned with the end goals.
Key Procedures:
Role Definition: Clearly outline the specific roles and responsibilities of co-design participants including users, staff, and external partners.
Ethical and Behaviour Standards: Establish ethical guidelines to ensure transparency, respect, and equity and behavioural expectations for respectful conduct to apply throughout the co-design process.
2. Promoting Inclusivity and Accessibility in Co-Design
Inclusivity is at the heart of co-design. By involving diverse perspectives, you have the chance to create services that truly meet the needs of all users. Policies can assist the inclusion of a broad spectrum of participants, making sure that voices from various backgrounds are heard and valued.
Key Procedures:
Diverse Participation: Mandate the involvement of participants from different backgrounds and experiences.
Accessibility: Ensure that the co-design process is accessible to all participants, including those with disabilities, by providing necessary accommodations and support (eg interpreters).
3. Facilitating Effective Communication in Co-Design
Effective communication is essential for the success of any co-design initiative. This is supported by policy guiding responsible use of communication channels and procedures that ensure all co-design participants and stakeholders are kept informed and have opportunities to contribute throughout the process.
Key Procedures:
Feedback Mechanisms: Implement structured ways to gather and integrate feedback, such as surveys, interviews, or regular check-ins.
Continuous Communication: Maintain open and regular communication channels throughout the design process.
4. Creating a Collaborative Co-Design Environment
Collaboration is the cornerstone of co-design. The right policies can foster an environment where collaboration flourishes. By recommending or mandating specific co-design tools and methods—such as workshops, brainstorming sessions, and prototyping—policies guide teams toward more effective collaboration.
Key Procedures:
Co-Design Tools: Utilise workshops, brainstorming sessions, and prototyping as part of the co-design process.
Conflict Resolution: Include strategies to address and resolve any conflicts that may arise between co-design participants, ensuring a positive and productive collaborative environment.
5. Encouraging Innovation and Flexibility in Co-Design
Innovation and flexibility are central to achieving effective outcomes through co-design. This should be encouraged in policy and through procedures to support the iterative nature of co-design.
Key Procedures:
- Define Iteration Cycles: Regular review points and milestones to assess progress and refine designs.
- Incorporate Feedback Loops: Continuously gather feedback from participants and other stakeholders, ensuring that it is documented, analysed, and used to inform subsequent iterations.
- Prototyping and Testing: Create and test prototypes at each iteration stage, making necessary adjustments based on feedback.
- Encourage Experimentation: Support creative exploration by allowing teams the freedom to test alternative solutions and approaches. Ethical parameter may be required.
- Evaluate and Learn: After each iteration, evaluate, document lessons learned, and apply insights to the next cycle of iteration.
- Participation: Hold regular hui/meetings with participants/other stakeholders to discuss progress and to ensure transparency and openness.
6. Ensuring Accountability and Continuous Improvement in Co-Design
Accountability is crucial for the success of any co-design initiative. Policies should establish clear metrics and procedures for monitoring the progress and effectiveness of the co-design process. Regular evaluations help ensure that the project stays on track and meets its objectives.
Key Procedures:
Monitoring and Evaluation: Procedures are required to track progress, evaluate the effectiveness of each iteration and make improvements.
Documentation: Results and lessons learned should be documented for accountability purposes and to support future project development.
7. Navigating Legal and Compliance Considerations in Co-Design
Ensuring that your co-design process complies with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements is critical. Policies to guide data collection and management, compliance with laws such as the Privacy Act 2020, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Human Rights Act 1993 are important.
Key Procedures:
Compliance Monitoring: Procedures should monitor that all aspects of the co-design process are in line with legal and regulatory standards and new developments.
Risk Management: Identify potential risks and implement strategies to mitigate them, protecting both the organisation and its stakeholders.
Conclusion
Co-design offers immense potential for creating user-centered services by actively involving those who will use the final product in the design process.
If you want to unleash the potential of co-design approach in a safe, ethical and lawful way contact us at the Policy Place for your policies and procedure needs.
We love co-design and want you to love it too.
New- Policy Tracking and Reporting for Compliance and Efficiency Gains
We’ve just introduced Policy Tracking and Reporting for members of the Police Place’s online policy service.
This new function provides managers with valuable information about the views and use of organisational policies and procedures. It also offers evidence of compliance that organizations can use for audits and assessments, ensuring adherence to the Social Sector Accreditation Standards, Ngā Paerewa Health and Disability Standards and other relevant laws and regulations.
In this post, we’ll cover what Policy Tracking involves, its benefits and how to impelement and use this new function.
If you are a member of the online policy service let us know if you want access to the new function. If you are not yet a member, contact us NOW to discuss joining.
What is Policy Tracking
Policy Tracking reports on the use and views of an organisation’s policies. It tells you which of your policies have been viewed and by whom, within chosen timeframes.
Here’s an example of a Policy Report:
- The report can be specific to a staff member or group of staff.
- It can be specific to policy pages.
- It can consider policy views within your chosen timeframe. .
The Benefits
We added this function because clients were asking for it. Policy Tracking and Reporting will bring the following benefits:
- Enhanced Compliance: Policy tracking provides records of policy views that can be used to evidence compliance with policies and laws during audits and inspections. This transparency can protect an organisation from liability and shows a proactive approach to compliance.
- Risk Management: Ensuring that all staff have viewed and understood critical policies like the Code of Conduct, Health and Safety, and Complaints reduces the risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations and harmful consequences.
- Operational Efficiency: By automating the tracking of policy views, organisations can save time and resources that would otherwise be spent manually monitoring compliance.
- Improved Transparency and Responsibility: Policies should be a single source of truth for an organisation. Policy Tracking reminds staff of the need to keep themselves informed about revisions and updates to policies and helps steer organisational members in the same direction.
- Continuous Improvement: Policy Tracking will provide information that can help investigate workplace incidents or complaints and plan training and service improvements.
Beware of privacy implications
Policy Tracking involves handling staff personal information, so applying privacy safeguards is crucial:
- Inform Staff: Before implementing the Policy Tracking function, let staff know you are going to do it and the purpose behind it.
- Anonymise Data: When using the Tracking data for audit and assessment purposes, remove identifying information. Anonymised and aggregated data provides as good evidence of policy use as identifying data.
- Restrict Access: Only allow authorised personnel to access Tracking data to ensure personal information remains secure. Usually, access will be confined to management.
- Limit Data Use: Tracking data must not be used for any purpose unrelated to the reason it is gathered unless allowed by law.
- Transparency: Inform staff they can request access to the tracking data you collect about their access and use of policies.
Limitations of Policy Tracking
We’ve previously posted about the limitations of a compliance-focused approach to policy. The limitations apply to the new Policy Tracking function.
While policy tracking tells you if a person has looked at a policy, it does not tell you whether they understood the policy or whether the policy has been applied. That’s where our online courses come in. Check them out here. They are short online courses that support members and non-members of the online policy service in understanding and applying policies and procedures in a range of areas.
Conclusion
The new service for tracking staff views of policies and procedures promises many benefits for our online policy members. It will support our policy clients in building service quality and efficiency, reducing risk, and fostering a culture of transparency and responsibility.
If you want to use the Policy Tracking function and you’re one of our online policy service members, then just let us know. If you’re not an online policy service member but are interested in joining, contact us to discuss your policy needs and how we can assist.
Contact us NOW to enhance your compliance and operational efficiency with our new Policy Tracking and Reporting service.
Fostering Organisational Justice: Strategies for Workplace Fairness and Wellbeing
At the Policy Place, we aim through our workplace policies to support clients to achieve organisational justice. In line with this focus, we recently updated our health and safety and risk management policies for our online clients to recognise and address the impacts of psychosocial hazards and risks on work.
In this post, we will explore what organisational justice is, and why its important, explore examples of organisational injustice and how these can be addressed to achieve a fairness and wellbeing in the workplace.
What is Organisational Justice?
Organisational justice was developed within social psychology and refers to perceived fairness in a workplace/organisation. It focuses on how workers judge the behavior of an organisation and how organisational behavior affects their own attitudes and behaviors. Organisational justice is a widely accepted as an essential aspect of health and safety at work and contributes to job satisfaction, and commitment (see Baldwin, S Organisational Justice; Poor Organisational Justice).
Signs of Poor Organisational Justice
Signs of poor organisational justice can include:
- Privacy Breaches: Failing to treat workers’ information sensitively or maintain their privacy (e.g., having performance discussions in front of others or sharing personal information about staff with third parties without their consent)
- Inconsistent Policies: Policies or procedures that are unfair, biased, or applied inconsistently (e.g., promotion based on favoritism, or applying disciplinary policies inconsistently or discriminatorily).
- Unfair Penalties: Penalising workers for things outside their control.
- Cultural Insensitivity: Cultural insensitivity in decision-making processes.
- Lack of Accommodations: Not accommodating the reasonable needs of workers (e.g., failing to provide an accessible workplace).
- Discrimination: Discriminating against particular groups or not applying policies fairly to some groups.
- Inadequate Handling of Misconduct: Failing to appropriately address (actual or alleged) underperformance, inappropriate or harmful behavior, or misconduct (eg not investigating allegations of sexual harassment or not providing procedural justice for workers accused of bullying).
- Unfair Work Allocation: Allocating work, shifts, and opportunities in a discriminatory or unfair way (eg giving ‘good’ shifts based on friendships with supervisors).
- Lack of Decision-Making Processes: No or inadequate processes for making decisions affecting workers (eg policies and processes do not set out the key considerations for disciplinary decisions).
Strategies to Address and Prevent Organisational Injustice
- Monitor Bias in Workplace Processes: Regularly review decision-making, recruitment, and promotion processes in consultation with your staff to identify and mitigate biases.
- Ensure Staff understand Expectations: Ensure everyone in the workplace understands the Kaupapa, the Code of Conduct and other expected standards of performance and that these are consistently and fairly applied across the board.
- Ensure Privacy and Confidentiality: Ensure through policies, procedures and training that everyone in the workplace understands and can comply with privacy and confidentiality obligations.
- Make Reasonable Accommodations: Ensure that the workplace is equitable and accessible and accommodates the needs of all employees, especially during onboarding and throughout employment.
- Clear Reporting & Follow-Up: Provide clear, accessible processes for staff to raise and report issues or concerns and seek reviews of workplace decisions with prompt management responses.
- Transparent Communication: Maintain regular, transparent communication with staff regarding policy updates and organisational changes.
- Prevent Nepotism: Implement transparent and accountable processes for recruitment and tendering to prevent nepotism and favoritism and ensure there’s a good understanding at management level of policies and procedures around managing conflicts of interest.
- Regular feedback and reviews: Apply a no-surprises approach to managing performance so that staff are provided with regular feedback – good and bad- about their performance and given fair opportunity to rectify issues. e
- Fair disciplinary processes: Follow policies and procedures when dealing with alleged and actual misconduct so that disciplinary outcomes are substantively and procedurally fair.
- Cultural Competency Training: Provide policy guidance and training to promote self-aware practice and raise awareness and understanding of diverse cultures and unconscious biases.
- Wellbeing focus: Promote a focus on Hauora and safety in the workplace and ensure that everyone has opportunity to participate in health and safety plans and decisions and understands these apply to pyschosocial hazards and risks.
- Inclusive Policies and Procedures: Regularly review and revise policies and procedures to ensure they are inclusive and equitable for all employees and promote appropriate use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and other relevant cultural practices.
- Support Employee Initiatives: Encourage peer supervision and other workplace initiatives that provide staff with opportunities to debrief and participate in planning and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Mentorship and Support: Provide workplace processes to support new workers’ onboarding and the advancement and support of staff from underrepresented groups with experienced mentors to support inclusion and support their career advancement and skill development.
- Open Communication Channels: Make sure there are plenty of opportunities for workers to express concerns about organisational justice through team hui, anonymous suggestions and feedback sessions and engage in solution planning.
- Celebrate Diversity: Organise events and celebrations to recognise and appreciate workforce diversity.
- Leadership Commitment: Promote positive and accountable leadership in the organisation and that there is one set of standards for all.
The Risks
Poor organisational justice can lead to health and safety breaches and broader operational risks. It can cause a stress response that if frequent, prolonged or severe, can cause physical or psychological injury to a worker. Left unaddressed, it can lead to high staff turnover and poor collective morale in the workplace.
Like all hazards, the risks of organisational injustice must therefore be monitored and managed by managers and governors of an organisation. When identified, risks should be eliminated. If elimination is not possible, the risks should be actively managed. (See above and the following for risk management strategies – Work-related Stress Poor Organisational Justice; Do nothing at your peril!
Conclusion
We strive for wellbeing and productivity in the workplace. Organisational justice is how we get there.
When staff perceive fairness in their workplace, they are more likely to experience higher levels of trust, job satisfaction, and organisational loyalty. This can lead to a safer workplace, increased productivity, reduced turnover, and a more cohesive and motivated workforce. Additionally, fair treatment helps to minimise workplace conflicts and promotes a culture of mutual respect and collaboration.
Why You Need a Comprehensive AI Policy
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming integral to many industries in Aotearoa, including social and health services. While AI offers benefits, it also poses significant risks that need to be addressed through comprehensive AI policies. That’s why we at the Policy Place have recently released our new AI policy for our online policy clients.
In this blog we consider the importance of having an AI policy in social and health service agencies, the risks of not having a policy and some of the key things to cover in an AI policy for community, social and health services. For our previous post on AI use in social and health services see here.
The Rise of AI in Workplaces
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept; it is actively shaping how organisations operate.
The 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report from Microsoft and LinkedIn released in May this year, found that AI is prevalent in the workplace worldwide. Key findings highlighted that AI use is pervasive in global workplaces and that AI use is beneficial in terms of time-saving, efficiency gains and adding to the enjoyment of work.
However, the Report also identified pervasive risk with AI use; that, in workplaces without an AI policy or other guidance 78% of employees had taken things into their own hands and were bringing and using their own AI tools at work.
The Risks of AI Use without AI policies and guidance include:
- Data Security Risks: AI systems can be vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which can lead to data breaches and loss of sensitive information. Without an AI policy, staff may input personal information and sensitive organisational data.
- Ethical and Legal Risks: AI use can lead to ethical dilemmas and legal issues, such as unauthorised use of personal data, breach of copyright and AI-driven decisions that are biased and breach human rights.
- Operational Risks: Relying on AI without proper oversight can lead to operational inefficiencies, errors, and potential harm to clients.
- Cultural Risks: AI data may not be sufficiently responsive to diverse cultural contexts and needs of different communities. Without proper AI policies and guidance, AI use risks undermining important cultural practices and values, particularly those protected by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The Importance of an AI Policy
An AI policy is basically the starter or minimum for a workplace to address some of these risks:
- Ensuring Ethical Use of AI: An AI policy helps ensure that AI tools are used ethically and responsibly. This is crucial in social, community and health services, where decisions made by AI can significantly impact individuals’ lives and well-being.
- Protecting Client Privacy: An AI policy guides how staff should use AI in alignment with the Privacy Act 2020 and privacy policies. This is particularly important for social, health and community services dealing with highly sensitive and confidential data.
- Maintaining Accountability: Clear guidelines within an AI policy guide staff on how they may use AI in their decisions and their duty of reasonable care. This is particularly important in health and social services, where transparency and trust are paramount.
- Preventing Discrimination: An AI policy will include checks that staff must do on AI generated data before relying on it and prohibitions against reliance on unbiased and unverified data.
- Honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi: AI policies must recognise and protect Treaty of Waitangi rights. This includes ensuring that AI use does not disadvantage iwi and whānau Māori that health and community services work with and that data sovereignty and cultural considerations are respected.
Strategies to support an AI Policy
An AI policy is just the beginning for a workplace wanting to use AI. Like any policy, your AI policy needs to be backed up by a strong implementation strategy that includes the following
- Regular Audits and Assessments: Conduct regular audits of AI systems to ensure they operate as intended and comply with ethical standards.
- Training and Awareness: Provide training for staff on the responsible use of AI and raising awareness about potential risks and ethical considerations.
- Bias Mitigation Strategies: Implement strategies to identify and reduce biases in AI systems eg data checking, surveys and if affordable, bias detection algorithms.
- Robust Security Measures: Apply strong cybersecurity protocols to protect AI systems from threats and ensure the integrity of data.
- Transparent Decision-Making: Ensure through training and policy that staff responsibilities for AI use are clearly articulated, and AI-driven decisions are transparent and explainable.
- Cultural Safety and the Treaty: Use strategies like training, bias detection systems and iwi/community consultation to ensure that the rights of tangata whenua under the Te Tiriti o Waitangi are respected and protected with AI use.
Conclusion
AI brings benefits as well as risks especially for the social, community and health services we work with. To get the most out of AI and help protect against the risks, an AI policy is a “must.” It’s arguably the beginning of a new policy era when, in response to rapidly evolving technology, we need to revise and evolve policies at an equally fast pace.