Agri-tech co-operative LIC has won two national HR awards, marking several years of organisational transformation.
The co-operative won both the Organisational Change and Development Award and the Best Wellness Programme Award at the 2020 NZ HR awards in Auckland.
The awards, organised by HRNZ, recognise excellence in human resources practice and the HR leaders who are helping shape the profession.
LIC, the largest herd improvement and agri-tech co-operative in New Zealand, employs 800 permanent staff and 2000 seasonal workers. The cooperative has achieved positive financial results in the previous four years, after recording a loss in 2016. Last year it delivered a $15.6 million dividend to its 10,300 shareholders, the largest paid out since 2013.
Chief executive Wayne McNee says creating a supportive and sustainable internal culture has been vital to achieving the successful results seen in recent years, and winning the awards.
“Our business position is healthy now but four years ago we had our first ever loss and paid no dividend to farmer shareholders. We knew we needed to transform our business to create a more productive and sustainable future,” said McNee.
“Our people were purposefully involved from the start, from generating ideas that could yield revenue to ways to drive efficiencies and improve our organisational health.”
Chief people officer Roz Urbahn believes introducing the ‘Well Aware’ programme, which supports employee resilience and psychological wellbeing from within the business, has further improved the internal culture within LIC over the last 12 months.
“The aim of the programme was to make sure our employees thrive within a work environment that holistically supports and promotes their health and wellbeing, leading to an engaged, safe and sustainably high-performing workforce.”
