Frontline strain and leadership gaps flagged at ACC

Thursday, 4 September 2025

A review looking into ACC’s culture has found significant pressure on frontline staff and described it as a “gossipy organisation with low trust in internal complaints processes”.

In March, ACC announced an independent workplace culture review following a Stuff investigation over concerns regarding two deputy chief executives, poor workplace culture and potential conflicts of interest.

Around 700 staff, past and present, took part. ACC employs approximately 4500 people.

The review found ACC’s strategy was unclear, it had a hierarchical and siloed structure, while frontline staff were under significant pressure.

A large number of those involved in the review said their experience depended on their manager.

“Many staff gave examples of a reluctance or failure to call out poor behaviour ‘in the moment’,” the review stated.

It said the culture wasn’t toxic but it was not positive overall. It described it as a “gossipy organisation with low trust in internal complaints processes”.

There were inconsistent behaviour by leaders and some leadership gaps.

Part of what contributed to that was unclear values, a lack of diversity and some gaps in leadership, restructure “fatigue” and the ongoing morale issues from last year’s restructure.

Its recruitment and appointment practices did not always represent good practice, the review found, and its inappropriate conduct and behaviour policies were “not fully in line with public service good practice”.

“ACC does not have a standalone bullying and harassment policy, the current ‘speak up’ channel is inadequate and policies in place are not always adhered to in practice,” it said.

ACC “has a strong purpose, with good people who are committed to the organisation’s purpose”, it said.

ACC acting board chair Jan Dawson said the board accepted the findings “and acknowledges where we have fallen short”.

“We will adopt all the recommendations from this review, but we need to work through some of them in more detail and prioritise their implementation.”