Managers to get their hands dirty in the name of safety

Hamilton City Council managers will step outside their comfort zones and work alongside operational staff in different areas of the organisation this Friday during ‘Managers on the Job Day’.

Part of ‘SWellcome Back Week’, a week-long internal initiative aimed at reinforcing the importance of safety and wellbeing practises in the workplace, Managers on the Job Day will see 29 managers including acting CEO Blair Bowcott and the organisation’s six general managers spend a day working alongside staff in a variety of roles.

Mr Bowcott will spend Friday morning removing graffiti and waterblasting with the Employment Development Team and the afternoon pruning oaks trees in Parana Park with the Arboriculture Team. Community Services general manager Lance Vervoort will be getting his hands dirty at Hamilton Zoo, Programme and Finance acting general manager Fiona Ferrar will spend the day at Animal Control, and Works & Services general manager Chris Allen will join City Safe’s Parking Enforcement Team for the day.

Other managers will spend time carrying out everything from noise control, building inspections, playground and stadium maintenance, to manning the organisation’s call centre.

Mr Bowcott said the purpose of Managers on the Job Day is to enable managers to get a better understanding of the responsibilities and potential risks that operational staff face in their daily jobs, and gain firsthand knowledge of the safety and wellbeing practises that are in place within the organisation, as well as help open the lines of communication between staff and managers.

“It is an opportunity for us to work side-by-side with operational staff, try our hand at something new and gain a true understanding and appreciation of some of the situations and risks that staff can be faced with as they go about their jobs,” he said.