Resolve Group takes all health and safety seriously, mental health and wellbeing no less than any other, and is always looking for ways to build resiliency within our organisation and alongside our clients. Recently, Keith Swedhin attended a HASANZ safety conference in Wellington at which one of the major, over-arching themes was supporting the mental health of staff. The keynote speaker, Dr Lucy Hone, provided a wonderful rendition of her 2020 TedTalk on Resiliency. The original talk is just under 16 minutes, and worth the watch (it rated in the top 20 talks of 2020 globally).

Resolve Group’s leading H, S & W goal for 2023 is to embed an understanding of NZS 45003:2021 within the business. This is a new Standard, currently being piloted, that puts in place “Guidelines for managing phycho-social risks”. Resolve Group is looking to pioneer its adoption to ensure we are supporting the mental wellbeing and psychological safety of every member of our staff. We also hope that we can be leaders and mentors to other organisations in a wider attempt to improve effective responses to mental health issues as part of a greater overall concern with the wellbeing, not just of our own people, but society in general. This attitude helps strengthen one of our fundamental company values – recognising the importance of staff wellbeing to the wellbeing of the company as a whole.

Engineers to the Contract (EtC) are a crucial element in the successful delivery of many key infrastructure projects, especially those in the construction sector. They ensure contracts between clients and suppliers are managed fairly, impartially and efficiently. Finding the right person to fill this role, however, can be a source of frustration, particularly with ongoing skills shortages and the increasing demand and complexity of New Zealand’s construction sector infrastructure industry.

Recently, the Construction Sector Accord supported Engineering New Zealand to develop an independent EtC Panel for NZS 3910 (the standard form used for the majority of contracts in the construction and infrastructure sector).

Only 40 engineers from across New Zealand were chosen to sit on the panel. Three of them  – Steve Griffith, Martin Leak and Peter Bailey, are from Resolve Group.

Members of the new panel are qualified and trusted EtCs, with the expertise and independence needed for decision-making across a range of different projects. The new panel identifies industry professionals that have the requisite skills and experience. The panel’s work will help raise the bar for others in the sector through developing resources and guidance for new EtCs, procurers of EtCs and the wider construction industry.

Panel members were evaluated by a cross-industry Steering Group via a comprehensive review process, including a written application, interview and referee check. The steering group also developed a Code of Ethics to clarify and set expectations for the professional attitude and behaviours of panel members. All parties –contractors, principals, EtCs and others – will benefit from knowing who has been recognised as capable of fulfilling the duties of the role. Panel members have been appointed for a three-year term.

“We are very pleased to have three members of our staff selected; this will provide some internal resilience and training opportunities for us and for the panel,” says Steve Griffith (Service Line Leader – Delivery).

The panel’s work will help ‘raise the bar’ for others in the sector through developing resources and guidance for new EtCs, procurers of EtCs and the wider construction industry.