Helping ECL Group acquire insights and updates on Kiwi business
“The EMA empowers our own intelligence. We’re treated as intelligent businesspeople and not spoken down to.” – Mason Spiers
“Case law is so important, and the EMA has also been at the forefront of the changes that are coming through with the Holidays Act.”
“We have a lot of interaction with the unions, so also having the EMA helps to provide that yin and yang.”
ECL Group is a leading technical services company specialising in fuel systems and technology solutions. To stay on top of the latest legislation and employment relations issues, ECL leans on the EMA’s skilled Legal and Advocacy teams.
ECL Group, a subsidiary of community-owned electricity distributor Counties Energy, has been servicing fuel stations for more than 60 years and operates throughout New Zealand.
From the Far North to Invercargill, its nearly 300 employees maintain critical technical equipment for organisations such as Z Energy, BP, Mobil, Caltex and NZ Post.
It specialises in service station design, retail fuel system design, forecourt layout, truck-stop design, car wash facility design, drainage and stormwater management, aviation fuels storage and marine fuel storage facilities.
It has a contact centre based out of the Wellington suburb of Petone, which triages issues with the likes of fuel pumps and payments technology systems.
The company has a diverse workforce and employs engineers and electricians as well as warehouse staff, call centre personnel and IT specialists.
For ECL Head of People and Capability Mason Spiers, bringing the EMA on board was a no-brainier for keeping his finger on the pulse of Kiwi business and the employment relations landscape.
In particular, he values the EMA AdviceLine team’s long running and popular Member Bulletin, which includes invaluable case summaries and updates on employment law.
He also regularly attends the Member Briefings as he says it’s critical to his business to know what the business world is thinking.
The in-person Briefings take place in summer, spring and winter over 16 towns and cities from Taupō to Kaitaia. They cover the state of the local and global economy as well as important rulings from the Employment Court and Employment Relations Authority.
“The EMA empowers our own intelligence,” says Spiers.
“We’re treated as intelligent businesspeople and not spoken down to.
“No one else provides that information so comprehensively and accurately. It’s well-balanced and delivered with a sense of humour.
“Case law is so important, and the EMA has also been at the forefront of the changes that are coming through with the Holidays Act.
“I recently joined the webinar the EMA held on the draft legislation of the act and found it very useful.”
During roles at Air New Zealand and St Cuthbert’s College, Spiers used the EMA’s services, including the legal team and sending staff members for leadership training.
In fact, a photo of Spiers and his HR team at St Cuthbert’s graced the cover of the EMA’s Member Briefing booklet cover in Spring 2020.
Upon arriving at ECL a few months ago, he identified that the company could make use of the EMA’s services for HR, training, employment relations and advocacy.
“We have a lot of interaction with the unions, so also having the EMA helps to provide that yin and yang.”
Spiers plans to ramp up use of AdviceLine as the company progresses its planning for the coming years and he also plans to take advantage of the EMA’s library of forms and resources.
From sick leave queries to employment agreements and performance management, the AdviceLine team has long experience of handling complex issues.
It has given them the experience to provide on-the-ground advice and the knowledge to know when issues need to be escalated to the EMA’s Legal or Consulting teams.
“There’s a huge amount of trust in the EMA; I’m happy to stand up and be measured on that,” Spiers says.
“I’ve got nothing but praise for you guys.”
ECL has also recently had senior team members head along to EMA Member Exclusive Sessions with the likes of Minister of Regulation David Seymour and Minister for Energy Simeon Brown.
In the future, Spiers says he’s looking at leadership training for up-and-coming team members, but he’s also keen to raise awareness among managers at ECL that the company’s EMA membership is a useful tool to add to their leadership skillset.
