HunchBuzz

Enable New Zealand is a division of MidCentral District Health Board providing disability services in New Zealand for the Ministry of Health, ACC and other DHBs, including:

• Disability information services.
• Disability equipment, housing modification and vehicle modification services.

Enable New Zealand is the Country’s largest provider of disability equipment and modifications. Established in 1974, now managing over $150 million of revenue and government funds, employing 120+ staff.

The Challenge

Enable New Zealand is constantly seeking new ideas to improve the services it delivers. While a small organisation, people and teams can sometimes operate in siloes, so Enable was looking for a way to hear from everyone across the company The company had three objectives in mind when considering an Idea Management System (IMS):

• Uncovering new ideas and opportunities for innovation
• Improving business practice and removing obstacles
• Continuing to grow a connected, engaged and productive workplace culture

The Solution

Enable New Zealand implemented HunchBuzz across the organisation with full support across the business. Initially challenges were less business focused and more about creating a fun working environment. This made people comfortable with the process of creating ideas, sharing them and then opening them up to the wider community for input and evaluation.

Subsequent challenges have been more business focused with greater emphasis on strategic outcomes. These challenges have seen focus around how Enable New Zealand ensures the customer is at the heart of everything they do, to improve their interactions with the organisation, through streamlining their contact points.

The Outcome

Enable NZ has seen a significant increase in employee engagement with nearly 200 ideas submitted across the board, including many ideas from less vocal members of the team who might normally be too reserved to speak up in group situations.

An unexpected benefit from using HunchBuzz has been the professional development opportunities afforded to staff as they develop their ideas further and present them to senior management for approval: “This has been a fabulous learning/growth opportunity” said Ms Riwai.

HunchBuzz proved especially valuable through the recent COVID-19 related lockdown period. It helped to create a culture of teamwork and collaboration, and engagement was high with people seeking ways to connect with colleagues while working remotely.