Embracing te reo Māori in the workplace to foster inclusivity
Te wiki o te reo Māori encourages all New Zealanders to celebrate te reo Māori and to use more Māori phrases in everyday life. Even if you're not a Māori-led business, you can still do a lot to make your business more culturally inclusive.
Celebrating te reo Māori is just one part of fostering a culturally aware and inclusive workplace. To make real progress, it’s vital to ensure your team shares an understanding of where you're headed and why. By giving your people the opportunity to include their cultural identity in their workplace identity, you help increase their confidence and encourage engagement with the core fundamentals of any workplace – from communication to health and safety.
During the past few years, we, as a society, have been encouraged to use te reo and embrace the Māori language as part of our usual conversation. Consistent with this, many businesses have endeavoured to incorporate Māori words and greetings into their communications and meeting protocols. We fully expect to be greeted with “kia ora” and farewelled with “mā te wā” on any Air New Zealand plane. It is also increasingly common for courts and business meetings to start with a karakia in te reo, and for the people present to be expected to deliver a brief mihi by way of introduction. In your own business, you may like to greet your team with 'Kia ora' or start your morning Zoom calls with ‘Mōrena’.
Fostering a sense of belonging help teams perform. Team culture can grow stronger when you empower employees to be proud of their heritage and whakapapa. Even if you don’t share Māori ancestry, deepening your understanding of one another can help individuals develop their sense of connection. People thrive when they feel accepted and have good relationships. Integrating te Reo Māori into your workplace not only upholds the Treaty of Waitangi, it also allows your Māori team members to bring their whole selves to work. Just as importantly, embracing te Reo Māori and tikanga Māori shows your people from other cultures and countries that in New Zealand workplaces, diverse cultures are celebrated and welcome.
Many business decisions can benefit from considering different cultural perspectives.
Creating a more culturally aware and inclusive business requires both organisational and personal growth. There’s no set formula or shortcut. It’s a journey that demands openness and courage. If you're authentic about deepening your understanding and respect for a Māori worldview, there are many benefits to be gained.
Understanding protocol and tikanga Māori requires expert guidance. When you find people who can help, ensure you recognise the value of their contribution appropriately. Just because a team member or client has Māori heritage doesn’t mean they should be responsible for lifting the cultural competency of your entire business. Inclusivity should involve the whole business. By inviting everyone to share their knowledge, language, and experiences, you’re strengthening everyone’s cultural identities and confidence and bringing your team together for the betterment of your organisation.
So this Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, let’s all commit to ahakoa iti, ākona, kōrerotia: learn a little, use a little.
Disclaimer
This article, and any information contained on our website is necessarily brief and general in nature, and should not be substituted for professional advice. You should always seek professional advice before taking any action in relation to the matters addressed.
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