Treating people the right way

I’m Bruce Wall and I am the Human Resources manager for The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory.

Before working in HR I spent 10 years working as a frontline police officer in Wellington. I switched to HR after going to work for the Police Association, which supported me to complete a Diploma of Industrial Relations.

I was already interested in HR issues and enjoyed engaging with people and the people side of the job when I decided to switch. I went on to be an HR manager for a number of organisations including IHC and the Crown Law office. I also enjoy the variety of the role. One of the things I find exciting about HR is when you arrive in the morning you never quite know what the day will bring.

Before I came to The Salvation Army I was working at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). I saw The Salvation Army role advertised which appealed to me as I particularly enjoy working in the not for profit sector. I enjoy the passion of the people, their strength and their beliefs.

My job involves a wide range of tasks from looking after health and safety to giving advice across a broad range of employment issues. I also manage payroll. A lot of my job is managing risks to the Army and making sure its most valuable resource, its people, are looked after.

The Salvation Army is a big organisation, a similar size to MBIE and it’s a big job. We need and want to be a good employer. I always have the view that if treat your employees in the same way that you would want to be treated you’ll generally keep yourself and the organisation out of trouble.