Despite being skilled and dedicated, some CARTERS’ employees at the East Tamaki Manufacturing site in Auckland struggled to express themselves in meetings and casual conversations as English was their second language. Which led to a reluctance to speak up. There were also issues with understanding company documents, payslips, and reports, affecting overall productivity.

Key challenges included:

• Difficulty articulating thoughts.
• Limited understanding of work documents, including payslips and company policies.
• Reluctance to speak up in meetings.

To address these issues, CARTERS partnered with Aspire2 Workplace Communication to implement a tailored learning programme.

Andrea Lawton, General Manager- HR, was keen to implement a training programme that would address CARTERS’ specific needs and help learners in their personal lives as well. The goals of the programme included:

• Effective communication, including giving and receiving feedback.
• Improving understanding and completion of company documents.
• Literacy around payslips and benefits (incl. Southern Cross, Superannuation and KiwiSaver).
• Problem-solving skills for day-to-day operations.

The impact of the programme was immediately evident, with employees demonstrating newfound confidence in their communication and fostered leadership skills.

Improved Communication:

Employees gained confidence in contributing to meetings and conversations. One participant explained, “I’m better at speaking up in meetings and can represent the group when others don’t understand.”

Better Understanding of Documents:

Employees learned to read and understand company policies more effectively. “It helps me understand CARTERS’ health and safety documents,” noted one learner.

Confidence in Writing:

Participants improved in writing incident reports and emails to supervisors. “I’ve learned to write proper emails for work,” shared one employee, adding that this skill was previously lacking.

Enhanced Numeracy Skills:

Improved numeracy skills, particularly around fractions and decimals, helped employees in their day-to-day tasks. One participant said, “I’ve learned to use these skills when measuring materials, which saves the company money.”.

Productivity Improvements:

David Walkinshaw, Auckland Manufacturing Manager noted in the graduation “This programme contributed to an improvement in productivity and reduction in waste”.

The programme had several key impacts on CARTERS’ operations:

• Confident Communication and Teamwork: Employees are more willing to speak up and collaborate, improving overall teamwork.
• Increased Efficiency in Documentation: Employees are now better at completing forms and reports, leading to fewer delays and errors.
• Improved Problem-Solving: Participants developed critical thinking skills and can now identify root causes of issues and propose solutions, making work processes more efficient.
• Financial Literacy: The programme helped employees better manage their finances, which boosted their confidence at work.
• Continuous Improvement Projects: As part of the programme, employees undertook Continuous Improvement projects, which directly addressed workplace challenges. Ideas ranged from reducing wood waste by reusing offcuts, to ensuring machinery maintenance is available at all times. These projects have already shown a positive impact on workplace productivity, efficiency and safety.