Three GMs amongst staff quitting ChristchurchNZ - the city's tourism and economic development agency

Thursday, 11 August 2022

ChristchurchNZ chief executive Ali Adams says cultural issues are not “a burning platform”, but there are things that need to be addressed to achieve the “world-leading” culture she wants. (File photo)

Economic agency ChristchurchNZ is dealing with culture, pay and burnout concerns, but the new chief executive says the issues are no worse than what other businesses are facing.

The concerns are detailed in memos released under official information laws.

It comes as the ratepayer-funded agency faces significant change, having lost nearly 20 employees in the past year, including four senior leaders.

Staff satisfaction has also taken a dip. It is now sitting at its lowest point in at least three years and has fallen below an organisational goal set out in official governance documents.

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Chief executive Ali Adams said the challenges were not anything more than what she thought other people were facing.

ChristchurchNZ operates from an office on Cashel St in central Christchurch, pictured here in 2018. (File photo)

“Do I think we have cultural issues that are a burning platform? No. Do I think there are things we need to address to help make sure that we achieve the world-leading culture I want in this organisation? Absolutely,” she said.

ChristchurchNZ, owned by the Christchurch City Council, is tasked with building the city’s image and undertaking economic and urban development.

Recent staff departures have “raised some concerns about culture that we feel need to be addressed as a matter of priority”, an internal ChristchurchNZ memo from May said.

It said less than a quarter of departing* employees would recommend it as a place to work when asked in their exit interviews. “What [staff] liked the least was the lack of leadership and direction, and regulatory obligations.”

People were leaving because of a lack of professional development and disaffection with managers, the memo said.

The agency has 92 staff presently.

The memo said 17 people left during a 10-month period – not including former chief executive Joanna Norris, who finished in October.

Still, the number does include three general managers.

Strategy insights and policy general manager Anna Elphick left in November, business and growth general manager Boyd Warren left in May, and brand and communications general manager Anna Fawcett left last month.

The memo said there was a “difficult working environment” between marketing and other parts of the organisation. “System and behavioural challenges” had burnt people out.

Incidents of bullying and harassment were indicated in 19% of exit interviews, but none were serious enough to be defined as workplace bullying or harassment.

The issues related to things like “poor judgement” from people making remarks and managers displaying a lack of empathy.

Adams, who started in February, said the issues raised were important, but she was not concerned by them.

The culture was amazing and staff wanted to do something great for the city, she said.

She described 2021 as “a really difficult year”, given the agency was involved in the Covid-hit events sector. Constant cancellations delivered “sucker punch after sucker punch”.

The marketing team had faced a “ridiculous” amount of work with no clear management of who was doing what, she said.

“People were so overwhelmed with volume of work that it was just becoming really difficult.”

ChristchurchNZ had to learn to say no to things, she said.

A new project management system* has been put in place.

Burnout was why so few departing* staff recommended ChristchurchNZ as a place to work, Adams said, adding: “I’m taking that seriously… that’s not a number I want.”

She was confident there was no bullying or harassment problem, saying concerns outlined in the memo were a couple of “relatively small” issues that were dealt with.

Adams said she would bring in new “organisational values” and do more talent mapping, which would make sure everyone had the opportunity to be invested in as an individual.

ChristchurchNZ board chair Dr Therese Arseneau said the last couple of years had been challenging for any organisation.

Culture and morale were very important to the board, she said, adding that she supported Adams’ commitment to a “positive workplace”.

Councillor Mike Davidson and deputy mayor Andrew Turner, both ChristchurchNZ directors, directed queries to Arseneau.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said one-quarter of staff would not recommend ChristchurchNZ as a place to work. In fact this result was based on a question asked of departing staff at their exit interview. The story has also been amended to clarify that the new management system was to better handle projects, not the agency as a whole. (August 12, 11.25am)