Professor Katharina N盲swall, Director of the Masters in Organisational Psychology at Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 成人大片 (UC) and co-lead of the University鈥檚 Workplace Analytics Research group.
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Professor Katharina N盲swall, Director of the Masters in Organisational Psychology at Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 成人大片 (UC) and co-lead of the University鈥檚听听group believes a gradual culture change is happening in our workplaces.
Where employees were previously expected to leave their emotional lives at home, she sees a growing awareness of the need to cultivate work environments that don鈥檛 expect听compartmentalisation.听
Managers are a critical component in this paradigm shift. However, Professor N盲swall says they often lack the training and resources to support staff wellbeing.
鈥淭o a large extent, human resources processes remain policy and procedure focused, rather than incorporating emotional wellbeing. I鈥檇 argue that managers鈥 skills in this area should be a formal part of their job description, and one they鈥檙e evaluated on.鈥澨
Even the terminology we use to describe people skills reflects the lack of value we place on them, says Professor N盲swall.
鈥淲e still call them 鈥榮oft skills鈥. But actually, it can be harder, or at least more challenging, to ask how someone is doing, and then really listen and respond well.鈥澨
While some businesses baulk at the investment required to develop managers鈥 skills in this area, evidence shows that when staff feel more valued there are associated payoffs in productivity and commitment.
Professor N盲swall believes Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 wider organisational culture has much to learn from holistic models of wellbeing such as Te Whare Tapa Wh膩, developed by leading M膩ori health advocate Sir Mason Durie. Organisations that include social and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing, as well as the more widely acknowledged physical and mental components, will be more inclusive and supportive of diverse workforces, she says.听
鈥淔or workers in a cultural minority in their workplace, there can be a need to play a role at work, rather than being themselves. That鈥檚 both a tiring and psychologically unsafe position to be in.鈥
听is currently offering a Masters of听听that can be completed in 18 months of full-time study. Professor N盲swall says this programme has been developed to better meet the needs of a wide range of students, including those who may be integrating study with work and family commitments. The online MOrgPsyc does not lead on to PhD level study or registration as a psychologist.听
Professor N盲swall believes graduates of both programmes will have an increasingly valuable role to play in the development of healthy workplaces, especially as artificial intelligence becomes more ubiquitous.
鈥淚n our programme, we talk about how to create workplace systems made for humans, not robots. I鈥檇 argue that you鈥檒l always need skilled people to make that happen.鈥
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 - Good health and wellbeing.
