Māori values in the workplace: Investing in diversity

This article is part of a pilot study that addresses the issue of Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi obligations in creating and sustaining inclusive workplaces that are reflective of Maoritanga (things Maori) so as to promote equitable Maori-Crown partnerships. Conversational interviews with four employees (two Maori and two non-Maori) of a Crown Research Institute (CRI) highlighted how elements of Maoritanga had been included in the workplace during the previous decade, with leadership from a Maori manager. Their descriptions of the current status, however, painted a picture of diminished practices resulting from various contextual factors. Those interviewed were keen for their CRI to reinvigorate and instantiate Maoritanga in the workplace. This article unravels the voices of these employees, briefly describes workplace Maori iconography, signals the positioning of non-Indigenous employees as 'allies' in the workplace, and considers ideas to increase cultural consciousness in accordance with the Treaty of Waitangi principles.