New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has launched an independent review into its workplace culture, with a focus on staff experiences and internal processes for managing inappropriate behaviour.
The review, announced by the ACC board, will assess how effectively the organisation supports a respectful and safe work environment.
The initiative, which follows the footsteps of the New Zealand government’s independent review into the ACC’s performance and sustainability, also aims to determine whether ACC’s existing systems and policies meet current standards for addressing workplace conduct issues.
ACC board chair Dr Tracey Batten said the review reflects the board’s governance responsibility in ensuring the organisation’s internal culture aligns with its stated values.
“The intent of this review is to evaluate workplace culture at ACC and the experiences of employees, as well as existing policies, systems, and procedures relating to inappropriate conduct and behaviour, and whether ACC has appropriate measures in place to deal with any inappropriate conduct and behaviour,” she said.
Doug Craig (director of RDC Group) and Pip Muir (chair and partner at Simpson Grierson) have been appointed to carry out the review. Their work is scheduled to begin this week, with findings to be reported to the board in June. Staff across ACC will be able to contribute confidentially.
Minister for ACC Hon Scott Simpson has been briefed and supports the review. According to Batten, the minister has outlined expectations for transparency and maintaining a positive workplace culture.
The announcement comes as international workforce research points to growing employee concerns about workplace environments.
A recent global study from Aon plc found that 60% of surveyed employees are considering leaving their current roles within the year, suggesting a shift in employee priorities.
Aon’s 2025 Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study, which gathered responses from over 9,000 employees in 23 countries, identified workplace flexibility, personal well-being, and alignment with organisational values as leading concerns.
Notably, younger workers prioritised work-life balance nearly as much as medical benefits, above other traditional considerations like career development or retirement planning.
Additionally, 72% of respondents valued personalised benefit offerings, although only 41% said their employers provided such flexibility. A gap also emerged in awareness of benefits, with many employees uncertain whether life and disability insurance was available to them.
