PowerNet Chief Operating Officer Michelle Henderson won the Safeguard Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum - Leader of the Year Award at last night’s (Tuesday, May 28) New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards held in Auckland.

Henderson won the award for developing the innovative ‘Coaching by Kilometre’ programme in which she and leaders travel throughout Southland and Otago coaching PowerNet frontline teams to lift leadership capability. Driving time is used in a structured way for coaching, debriefing and planning.

The annual awards, supported by WorkSafe NZ, recognise excellence in the field of health and safety for everyone involved in the prevention of work injury and ill-health.

Henderson said she was proud to represent PowerNet and show how a business in the south was able to achieve national recognition.

“Thanks to all the team from the frontline to the leaders and CEO Jason Franklin and the board. Also thanks to my family. They put up with a lot when I am away travelling and facing operational disruption through weather events,” she said.

She said she had always been supported to innovate and lift health and safety standards to reinforce PowerNet’s ‘Safety Always’ ethos.

Franklin said the entire PowerNet team was proud of Henderson and that the win was a reflection on how well respected she was in the health and safety field in New Zealand.

“It’s a tribute to Michelle’s ongoing commitment to safety and recognises her as a great leader who champions continuous improvement in everything she does,” he said.

Coaching by Kilometre encourages leaders to engage regularly with field leaders and their staff, something Henderson said was critical to achieving positive health and safety outcomes.

“Coaching by Kilometre is a key plank in building a stronger health and safety culture at PowerNet,” she said.