The average New Zealander will spend a third of their lifetime working and up to 160 hours commuting every year. They're a business' greatest asset. To get the best out of this human resource requires a human connection. So we're about to drop a range of New Zealand bosses into an experience that will show them what life is really like for their workers. Will this experience inspire the boss to make meaningful change for their workers? And will employees see their boss through new eyes? Tonight ` in Wellington, Supercare Cleaning owner and managing director Ian Kebbell takes on the challenge to live the life of commercial cleaner Ben. I think I know our people and our team, but I probably really don't. But how will this successful business owner cope with the realities of life for working class New Zealand? I don't even go near them. Right. No. They're just too expensive for the budget. Yeah. It will be a week of triumph... Good boy! ...and tears. And a guy who's sick like that` TEARILY: Excuse me. But can big-hearted Ben inspire Ian to truly commit with his workforce and improve conditions for everyone at Supercare? And one of the things that I'm delighted to announce... (APPLAUSE) www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2020. (GENTLE MUSIC) My name is Ben Teito Pawarau Rauhihi, and I'm a cleaner for Supercare Limited. I've always loved cleaning, you know? Even if you ask my friends and family, they'll go, 'Oh. That one's always cleaning.' Oh. He's always cleaning. Oh, your house is never in a mess.' (CHUCKLES) It's who I am. It's what I do, and it's what I do good, you know? And it just gives you a sense of self-worth. Despite battling with liver disease, Ben works 15 hours a week part-time. I work Monday to Friday, and I normally start at 4.30 to around about 7.20. It's all wiping, mopping, vacuuming, you name it. Whatever a human touches, you must clean. (CHUCKLES) We're all on minimum wage in our company, but having a job, to me, means everything because it gives me a sense of pride in what I'm doing and that I'm not being caught up on the dole under the poverty line and all of those things that come with it. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) While cleaning has always been a big part of Ben's life, the cleaning industry is new to company owner Ian. My name's Ian Kebbell, and I'm managing director and owner of Supercare ` a commercial cleaning and hygiene company. I came into Supercare almost by accident and without any cleaning experience or background, not really knowing, I guess, what I was doing around the industry. But I came into it with a fresh approach where I was a business owner and someone wanting to come in and grow something. Supercare started in 2008, and I bought the business in 2012. At that time, it was just Wellington-based. It had about 15 employees. And then, over the last seven years, we've managed to grow and expand our business and services to where we've got about 120 employees now, and we're a national business from Whangarei all the way down to Dunedin and everywhere in between. Morning. How are you? Good morning. How are you? I'm good. I'm good. Cleaning industry's a tough industry. It's very labour-intensive, and it's the sort of work where it can sometimes be quite thankless. We don't always get to see our people all the time. And so, when we're recruiting, employing and trying to manage and look after our people, that can be quite difficult because it's not like you have one place of work. So that has some real challenges, and we have to work extra hard to make sure we look after our people and that they feel they are actually part of a big team that they generally don't actually get to see. So, what does this boss hope to learn from living with one of his 120 employees? So, there's lots of areas I'd really like to improve on in the business. I'd like to improve on our understanding in how we look after our people. I'd also like to improve on the services that we provide. There's a lot of cleaning businesses out there, and we're always striving to be different. I don't know my boss that well. (CHUCKLES) I've only said hello to him a couple of times. I want him to get a sense of what it's really like on the ground so he has a better understanding of what his workers in his company go through. At the end of the day, it's people. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. (BRIGHT MUSIC) It's the first day of the social experiment, and in the Wairarapa, Ian Kebbell is packing for a work trip unlike any he's had before. I know Ben a bit from when he comes in, and I don't pretend to understand Ben, so I'm nervous and anxious about probably more around how he's going to accept me intruding on his life over that time period. This boss is leaving his idyllic family home in Martinborough for Moera ` one of Wellington's poorest suburbs ` to try and understand the challenges faced by his workers. Understandably, the nerves are starting to kick in. I think I know our people and our team, but I probably really don't. It's probably quite a biased view. And, I suppose, I'm also afraid that what I always believed and what my expectations and understanding were aren't going to be the reality, and, you know, maybe along the way and along the journey we've had that I've misjudged or maybe treated people in a way that really doesn't reflect their lives. So I'm hoping to clarify that, I guess, and put it all in some perspective over the course of this week. Moera has a high rate of unemployment, and its population largely live below the poverty line. It's only an hour's drive from the Wairarapa, but it's a world away from Ian's usual lifestyle, and the reality is starting to kick in for Ben. I think Ian's gonna be here in a minute, and I'm feeling quite nervous. Excited but nervous, definitely. (TENSE MUSIC) But the big question is, what will this boss learn from this experience that could help transform his business. I thought I was anxious before, but now that I'm here and about to go in, I'm really anxious and anticipation levels are right up there. So, it's kind of now or never, and, yeah, let's go find out what Ben's life's like. (CHUCKLES) (DOOR KNOCKS) Oh. (BOTH CHUCKLE) Kia ora, Ian. How are you? Ben. Kia ora. Kia ora. How are you? Nau mai. Haere mai. Come in. Come in. Thank you. Thank you very much. (BOTH CHUCKLE) God. Oh my goodness. I hope you're not as nervous as me. (BOTH CHUCKLE) I think we're both nervous, actually, but that's OK. Eh? Oh. Thank you so much. You're so welcome. No, I just really appreciate this, so, yeah. I'm glad that you're here, finally. (CHUCKLES) He looks so relaxed. He told me he was quite nervous, but I'm not seeing it. I'm wondering if he's wondering what is gonna come out of this or where this is gonna head or lead to probably as much as me. So, Ian, this is the bathroom. OK. Cool. And this is my room. Oh, excuse the washing. I haven't packed my washing away. But there, this is my room. Come through this way,... Yeah. ...and I'll take you to your room. I'm not normally a limelight sort of person, so to be part of this is quite challenging. But Ben's a natural. (CHUCKLES) And I hope that carries on cos he will help teach me and help me get something out of this, which is what I'm looking for. The first task for the two new flatmates is putting together a bed for Ian's stay with some questions to break the ice. So, Ian, who is your hero? Um,... I probably don't... I don't know if I could actually name a hero. Um... I admire different people for different things, I guess, along the way. But there's probably no one. So, my hero` heroes... were my parents. OK. I learnt so much from them,... and I just absolutely adore my parents and love them for what they've given me. What's one of the worst moments of your life and one of the best moments of your life? The worst moment of my life is losing my parents. My dad died in 1982... OK. ...at 42. Wow. That's young. He had one lung,... OK. ...he had tuberculosis, and he smoked like a chimney. Right. I lost my world. Mm. Mm. I lost my way. I couldn't be bothered with anyone. Everybody, I wanted to fight and hit and carry on. Yeah. I used alcohol. I used drugs to try and, you know, try and alleviate all the pain I was feeling, not only in my heart but in my head as well. Right. And I went off the rails. So, what was your best? Turning around or`? (SIGHS) I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say to that for you. The best part was finding netball. OK. Yeah. Netball saved my life. Wow. And I grew in netball. Mm-hm. And I'm glad to say I became a national champion player outdoors,... Oh, really? OK. ...and I became a New Zealand indoor umpire. So, I've worn the silver fern proudly, and I've loved it. Wow. Wow. And that's what saved me. And we went away to Whanganui... Mm-hm. ...for the Masters Tournament... (CHUCKLES) Oh, yes. Yep. ...and we won gold. Wow. Amazing. And when I went home with my gold medal, my mum was so proud of me. And I'm so thankful to her because she gave me the nous to get off my bum. And when I won that medal and she passed away` Mm-hm. And I wanted her to have that gold medal because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have actually been in netball, and I actually wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. Wow. I put the medal in her coffin, and I allowed her to take that with her because I thought that she deserved it just as much as I did. I really felt on the back foot talking to Ben. I had nothing to bring to the experience of the conversation. My life sounded quite stable and boring compared to Ben's. And, you know, to sit here and hear what he's been through in his life and the ups and downs and he's, you know, sitting there sharing that with me and come out the other side as the sort of person he has, I felt quite inadequate to try and have that same conversation with him. I didn't` I was lost for words, which is unusual for me. I just didn't know what to say. Coming up ` Ian gloves up... Just in there. See. I can't even see that, so you've got the eye. ...and emotions run high. TEARILY: Excuse me. * Wellington business owner Ian Kebbell is spending a working week with commercial cleaner Ben to give him a unique insight into how his cleaning staff cope with the demands of the job. Today Ian is preparing for his first shift as Ben's cleaning assistant, and he scrubs up well. (SPLUTTERS) Oh, you look cool. There we go. (CHUCKLES) That is marvellous. Gee, you look like me. Hey. Not many people see me like this. (CHUCKLES) I'm good to go. You're the boss. You tell me what we're doing and lead the way. All right. Let's go. Despite owning the company for seven years, today will be Ian's first day working as a commercial cleaner. I'm still not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing, so... (CHUCKLES) So I'm relying on you to tell me. (ALARM PAD BEEPS) (CHUCKLES) Come on in. So, I'm going to get you to do the vacuuming... OK. ...and the wiping all surfaces. OK. We always do the rubbish first. Yeah. Thank you. BOTH: Gloves. Please wear some gloves. We have a limited time in each area. OK. So it's normally about 10 to 15 at the most. OK. But, normally, you wouldn't spend that long. What a changed man! As soon as we walked in the door, he changed completely ` his whole demeanour, his confidence. His chest came out, and I knew I was in his patch, you know, this was his domain, and I was gonna do whatever he said. Ben is contracted for 2.5 hours per day at the site, and in that time completes a full clean of two floors, four kitchens and four sets of bathrooms. We must change. Yeah. We take our rubbish down to the back. 'I don't think he was aware of how physical the job is. I take my hat off to him. 'I think he's been very brave to come along and do this with me. 'I hold him in high regard, and my fondness for him is growing every minute.' And I'm starting to get a bigger respect for him, a better respect for him. Ian's learning the hard way what his front-line workers experience on a daily basis. I'm feeling out of my depth. I really don't know what I'm doing here. I'm sort of making it up a little bit as we go along here, so I hope I'm not doing anything too wrong. I get the feeling Ben will tell me if I am. Considering I'm the business owner, I felt like I didn't know what I was doing in my own business. I normally know what's going on, so, in the business end, that I work in, but I clearly don't know what goes on in this guy's end of the business, so I'm learning it now. Hey, Ian. How you doing? I've finished, I think. (EXHALES) Yeah. Oh cool. I think. Yeah. And you've finished it within the timeframe. Normally, have 15 minutes, but if you can put all the cups on that side and put all the trays and that on the oven,... OK. ...and then you can come and join me, OK? OK. All right? Yep. Yeah? Back through the kitchen? Back up into the cafeteria. OK. All right. OK? All right? I'll be there very shortly. All right, buddy. I was worried I was too slow. No. No. You're doing it in good time. OK. OK. So, yep. 15 minutes almost in every area, so, yeah, almost there. All right. OK? Done. See you shortly. All right. And to finish off the day, Ben's saved the best for last. So, the last thing to do, obviously, is the toilets. Yeah. I knew this was coming. (BOTH CHUCKLE) What I'd like you to do is if you could do the mirror... Yeah. So, mirror. ...and the face basin and tap for me,... Face basin and tap. Yeah. ...and I will do the bowl. OK. And which, what`? So, the chemicals for you is, that's for the mirror. Yep. And that's for your face basin and tap. OK. OK? Yep. Done. All good. I'm in my element now because, you know, I'm a clean person. (SPRAY BOTTLE HISSES) I like my stuff clean, and I like everything around me clean. And there is no way that I will walk away knowing that fact that if we didn't do a good job, you get back here and you make sure it's done properly. And that's why I always check once, check twice, check three times cos that's what you're supposed to do so that you know 'done' is definitely done. As an employer seeing Ben working tonight, I'm just in awe of the guy. I didn't really expect him to be as passionate as he was. I knew he was here cos he wanted to be here, and I knew he enjoyed his job, but to see him tonight, I didn't really expect that much enthusiasm. I have an impression sometimes that people are here, they need to work, they need to earn money. But Ben's shown me tonight that not everyone's just here for that reason. They're here to do a good job, and that's really what we want. All right, boss. Ready for inspection. Does that pass? (CHUCKLES) Give me a look. Surely. Mm. So, where's your cloth? Yeah. There. That's the mirror. Just in here? Just in here where my hand is. Just in there. See. I can't even see that, so you've got the eye. Yep. I thought I'd done so well. Stunning. I thought I'd done so well. Yeah, nah. You have. OK. And that's clean as the days, and I'm sure no one will catch anything but what they're supposed to, yeah? Cool. All righty. Chur. All right. That's beautiful. It looks lovely. Thank you. It's brilliant, and I think more bosses should do this so they know what's going on in their own company. I think it gave him a better sense of what we have to put up with, what we have to go through, the routine we have. And so I think he has a better understanding and a better respect too for his workers. (BRIGHT ELECTRONIC MUSIC) With his first workday under his belt, the drive home gives Ian a chance to find out more about Ben and the issues he faces. You're five nights a week here? I am. You are. Yeah. Don't do weekends? No. No. OK. Because it's a balance. Mm-hm. And because I have sclerosis of the liver. OK. And I must have that balance, and I must make sure I'm ahead of my game. Yeah. Yeah. So the hours are the moment, they work for you and that balance? Oh, they do. Yep. Yeah. The hours I work at the moment, it's great for me... Mm-hm. ...because I'm not overworking. Is there anything while you're actually at work and cleaning that needs to be done for you or that you have to do any different just to help manage that? It's the weight. Lifting things. Right. Anything heavy,... Yeah. ...I cannot lift. Right. Do you have good and bad nights? Definitely. You do? Yeah, of course. Being physical helps me a lot with my medical condition, and it's a part of what I must do as well. OK. And that's not coming from my GP; that's coming from my specialists. Right. OK. And I have three of them. Oh wow. All right. I knew he had the health issues, but I didn't realise they were to that extent, you know? Any other person would just put their hand up and go, 'You know what? I'm sick. I can't work,' and, you know, sit there and receive the benefits that are on offer for someone in Ben's situation. But he chooses not to, you know? He chooses to get up every day and come to work. And a guy who's sick like that` TEARILY: Excuse me. Coming up ` pre-dinner nerves from Ian... They're all his friends, and they're all trying to look out for him, and I'm the boss sitting here. Yeah, OK. Um, potatoes... ...and the boss gets schooled on budgeting. I don't even go near them. Right. No. They're just too expensive for the budget. Yeah. * Supercare cleaning company owner and managing director Ian Kebbell has swapped the boardroom for a dishcloth and mop. I haven't done this before, so I don't know if I'm doing it right or not. He's living, eating and working alongside commercial cleaner Ben to discover what life is like for his staff. Huge learning curve for me. Just got a whole new appreciation for the team out there and the level that they go to to genuinely do a good job for us. Working in the afternoon leaves the morning free for Ben to do chores, so today it's the weekly grocery shop. This is going to be what I do normally in my shopping week. Yep. I always look for specials. Right. And I always look for the cheap ones. I always go for... Cos this will last me a week. Right. Do you have a list? I have a mental list. Right. I don't normally have a written list. OK. And work to a budget. And it works to my budget. Yeah. OK. Yeah. I have to make it work because this is all I have a week. Yeah. Do you mind if I ask what your budget is typically for a week? Around about $60 to $80 is normally my weekly budget. OK. OK. Yeah. And so I've gotta be very careful. So... Yeah. Yeah. OK. Potatoes normally around the $8 mark, I don't even go near them. Right. No. They're just too expensive for the budget. Yeah. So I normally go for the $5 ones, and this is what I get. That sort of bags. Our normal shopping style is a lot more haphazard than Ben's, to be fair. We tend to just go round and grab off the shelves. For Ben and the guys who are working the sort of work that they're doing, it's out of necessity. Yeah. It's not something I've really kind of thought about, but he's certainly driven it home today. And so, even when I'm looking at meat and that, I'm very, very mindful and wary of how much I have to spend. Right. So a $7 mince like this for me, that will create at least two, two and a half meals. OK. I don't think he realised how tough it is. Just by the reactions that he's displaying, he definitely has had his eyes opened. And Ian's discovering that it's expensive to be poor. Bulk buying is not an option on the minimum wage. That'll suffice. It's probably a double-edged sword. Whereas if you bought the bigger box, it would work out cheaper. Big, huge` Yeah. But then, at the same time, it would just kill your budget for the week. Yeah. It does. Yeah. OK. It's money, money, money. Cos bulk's good, but it's expensive to buy it right at the start. It is. It is. Yeah, yeah. Living on the breadline means the checkout can be a tense time. Items that can't be paid for will be returned to the shelves. OK. That was 50 bucks. But today, Ben's come in under budget. I was thinking 60 bucks was gonna be tough,... I thought it was gonna be pretty tough too. But... ...but you did it in less. So, would you normally get extras or just save the money or what? Uh... (SIGHS) No extras... No. ...and save the money. OK. I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd get there, so... (CHUCKLES) Neither did I, but, yeah. Yeah. We got there. Hey, awesome effort. Awesome. Good stuff. You all right? (SLOW ELECTRONIC MUSIC) Back home, and tonight's dinner ` a simple meal with friends and colleagues ` will highlight how out of touch Ian is with his own workforce. I've known Pania for almost 30 years. Right. Pania works for us as well. Absolutely. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I didn't realise you guys were friends. Yeah, definitely. She's the one I've known one of the longest. OK. I'm kind of almost embarrassed to say I don't know Pania that well either, and even though she's, you know, part of our team,... it's just too hard to get to know everyone, cos everyone's so split up and diverse and works nights and, yeah, all over the place. So tonight will be quite nice to catch up with someone else. Pania knows I'm here? I'm not sure. OK. I'm not sure of that. Probably thinking she's coming over for a nice, relaxing night with you, and then turns up and I'm here. (LAUGHS) I do feel a little bit of a fish out of water. Hello. Hello there. Kia ora. Just because I don't know them, I guess. And I don't know what they think of me or what impression they might have of me before meeting me and getting a chance to really talk. You know` Have you met Ian? Hi, Ian. Hello, Mr Ian. Yeah, we do. I couldn't put a face to the name, but I do now. I do now. I was, like, 'Oh. Of course. That's who it is.' (CHUCKLES) I was really pleased to meet Ian tonight. Even though I've been there for a year and four months, I've heard a lot about Ian. But who was it? There was someone who said 'Oh, Ian, this', and I said, 'I know ` I know Ian, but I've never met him, but one day I'll meet him.' And tonight was the night, and it was awesome to meet him. And it's hard because I kind of see you guys come in and out of the office,... Mm-hm. ...but I'm away or I'm... Yeah. You're a busy man. Yeah. ...kind of stuck in the corner and that sort of thing. Everyone always says hi when they come through, always say hi. Yeah. But, you know, you guys are heading off to do your work, and... Yeah. ...it's hard cos everyone's spread around. So... Mm-hm. Yeah. That's just part it, really. It's a shame, but... Office party at the end of the year would be nice, boss. (LAUGHTER) Yeah. Yeah. And these ladies are excellent... Yeah. ...to have in a party situation, cos everything's just clean. Yes. I've been with Ben all day today, and as soon as you put something down or if you bring a bit of fluff through, straight in there, he picks it up. It gets put away. Everything's clean. (LAUGHTER) Thanks a lot, pal (!) (LAUGHTER) It was a bit of a running joke in the office. I couldn't clean. I couldn't do it. A ` I don't have the skills, and it is a skill. It's technical to do it properly. And it's too hard. (CHUCKLES) I admit it. It's hard work. Actually really enjoyed it. It was easy. I wasn't sure how it was gonna be. They're all his friends, and they're all trying to look out for him, and they know I'm the boss sitting here, but, you know, it was like we were six old friends sitting round the table talking. Someone made the comment that, 'Gee, you are normal. You are human.' So, I suppose, for me, Ian, I'd like to know if you see value in what my sister does or` I call her 'my sister'. Yes. Yep. Yes. (CHUCKLES) Um... (SIGHS) I kind of figure we've all gotta go to work every day, and we've all gotta do the hard grafts, so you might as well enjoy it. Absolutely. And if Ben's around, you enjoy it cos you can't help but not. He's, yeah, just a character. So, yeah, we do appreciate it, and we need more people like that, because it can be pretty boring otherwise. He's a trooper. Mm. Mm. He's just gonna keep on going forward and trying to do the best that he can for himself, for the people that he loves and for what he cares about, which is hygiene. He loves cleaning. He does. He does. (CHUCKLES) At the end of the day, we're all coming to work to do our job, and just because we've got different positions ` I genuinely say this ` I don't think it matters. I can only say that from the heart, and I just hope Ben feels it. Coming up ` Ben opens up to his boss. Because I'm a gay person,... Mm-hm. ...I have not trusted anybody. And later ` the big announcement. One of the things I'm pleased to announce is that... (APPLAUSE) Endless nights? Jet lag? Oily skin? Get a Garnier #MaskMoment. Garnier Tissue Mask, the first hydrating mask infused with one full bottle of serum in just one mask. Replump your skin and glow. Garnier Tissue Mask. * Supercare Cleaning owner and managing director Ian Kebbell has been living the life of commercial cleaner Ben to try and improve conditions for his nationwide workforce. The week spent with Ben has given the boss an insight into his employees' lives, and today Ian's helping Ben make lunch for two very special people. So, who are we meeting? So, you're meeting my granddaughter and grandson. They've recently had it hard. OK. And this is where I'm feeling for them, because their dad's not in their life. I thought that I'd help. How many grandkids have you got? (BOTH CHUCKLE) Or is some of this for me as well? (LAUGHS) Oh, absolutely. We've gotta join in. Yeah, yeah. (CHUCKLES) A picnic at the local park gives Ian the chance to experience what's important to Ben away from the workplace. Look. Me and Ian made some sammies for our lunch today. So, you guys are both at school. Mm-hm. And you just` You're on school holidays now? Mm. Yeah. Mm. Yeah. You spend much time with Ben? When we can. Yeah. Mm. Mm. And did you get quite involved with them growing up? And` Yep. Definitely. Like you were saying, you're always there for them. Yep. The thing that I'm quite rapt about these kids ` they don't sit on the computer games, you know? Mm. Mm. They love to be in nature, which is a good thing. Mm. Mm. And I think too much technology ` too much. He's such a nice, genuine person, and I would've never expected that from him being 'the boss', you know, and forgetting that he's a person. And now, spending all this time with him, I have so much more respect for him, and I think, um, he'll agree that our bond together has grown stronger over these days that we've been together. I think this is one Ian did, cos there's no salad in it. There's no salad in that one. (BOTH CHUCKLE) You said you didn't like salad. What happened to the sandwich? Early afternoon means another shift, and it is Ian's final chance to get up to speed with the reality of life as a commercial cleaner. While you're vacuuming,... Mm-hm. ...I will be wiping,... OK. ...cos these chairs need to be wiped. OK. The only ones you cannot wipe, obviously, is the cloth ones. OK. But even after a week on the job, Ian's still struggling to make sense of the equipment. (AWKWARD MUSIC) Ben. (CHUCKLES) Hi. (CHUCKLES) What's up? How does that undo? What's going on? OK, so that's` Normally, the one we had before was a clip. Right. So you just clip, clip. That's what I thought. Yeah. Yeah. Me too. Yeah. Mm. I thought so too, but this one is more of a tie up. Right. Yeah. So what we do is we try and loosen it, and that's probably all we can do. Obviously, you're not playing the game. There you go. That's got it. Thank you. And then you` And then, yeah. The impact of living the life of one of his employees is starting to have an effect. For me, going forward, what's gonna be a challenge and gonna be interesting is how that changes the way I am at work and the way I make decisions at work. I think Ben's been the voice for the workforce that we have, and he's kind of been a conduit for me to understand a bit more about who our people are and what they're really like behind the scenes, out of work, and hopefully it's gonna make me a better business owner and a better employer. As the day winds down, it's time to step away from the work zone and into the play zone. Ben is introducing his boss to one of his great loves ` netball, a game Ben credits with saving his life. How do you pass? So... OK. (CHUCKLES) I'm not doing it as hard as you. Arms straight out... Arms straight out. ...to catch... Right. ...and to throw. So over the top? Yeah. I know absolutely nothing about netball. I'm feeling I haven't got a clue what I'm doing, and I'm just worried that I'm gonna upset the team or people who are here for a proper game, and I'm in there not knowing what I'm doing. (WHISTLE TRILLS) So, are you allowed anywhere in the court? So, it doesn't matter what position you've got? So, the shooters ` all one half. Defence ` all one half. OK. Centres ` up and down and not allowed in the circle. But how will Ian cope with a crash course in netball with only 20 minutes before game time? (WHISTLE TRILLS) Hey, hon. Bit worried about Ian so he won't injure himself. And that's the main thing ` that he doesn't hurt himself. So I gave him enough hints and tips so he knows what he can and cannot do whilst he's on the game. Help me here, bro. Help me. You're all good. You're good. It's the boss' turn to show what he's made of. Watch the ball, Ian! Come into the circ` Good boy! (CHUCKLES) Come in. Come in. Come in, Ian. Come in the circle, buddy. No, no. Leave it for her. Yep. Leave it for her. Now just wait for the rebound. Come over here by the post. See, when the ball comes off, you gotta try and get it. It was quick. It was really quick. I was out of my depth. Didn't know where to go or what to do, but luckily the team I was with knew that and helped me out. And then I could hear Ben giving me instruction, coaching, telling me where to be and what to do. So I just listened to him and went where he told me to go. Come back in here, babe. Well done, Ian. Well done, buddy. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Yes, Ian! (CHEERS) (EXCLAIMS) Ready? Get back in the circle, Ian. Stay in the circle now. Stay in the circle. Stay there, buddy. Stay in your circle. Come in the middle here. Yeah. They can see you better. Rebound. Rebound. Yes, Ian! Whoo! Up. Go, Ian! With two goals in his first ever game of netball, the boss hasn't just passed; he has excelled. Beautiful stuff. Oh, Ian. Well done, matey. Thank you, mate. Your coaching was awesome. Well done. Great stuff, you. Mate, that was awesome. (CHUCKLES) What did you think? It was awesome. I enjoyed it. Yeah? It was great. It's neat. It helped having you coaching and the other team helping me along, but, yeah, it was good fun. Yeah. It's good fun, eh? Yeah, it was good fun. As night falls on the final night, the new flatmates are now completely comfortable in each other's company... So, when I come into the office, I'll probably end up saying to you something to the tune of, 'Hi, Ian. How are ya? How's darling?' (CHUCKLES) Yeah, yeah, yeah. (CHUCKLE) I'd laugh if I say something like that to you. (BOTH CHUCKLE) ...and a new-found connection is allowing them to open up. When we pulled up home here tonight, you said about locking your car just cos you don't trust anyone. Do you have trouble trusting because of, I don't know, your life or the way things are or...? OK, so society made me that way. And because I'm a gay person also,... Mm-hm. Mm-hm. ...I have not trusted anybody. All my walls went up around me... All right. ...when my dad died. That's why. He was not only my saviour. He didn't care what I was. He just` He just loved me because I was his son. Do you still have trouble trusting or are you getting better at that? Or it takes a long time before you'll trust anyone? (CHUCKLES) You've left me into your home here, so... (CHUCKLES) Um... It's` It's been a long journey. Mm. Put it that way. It's been a very long journey back home to me,... Yeah. ...to the person I wanted to be and the person I thought I could be and the person I am today. (GRACEFUL PIANO MUSIC) As the last day winds down, what has this boss taken from the experience? At one point during the day, I took myself away and sat on the bed with my notebook and folder, and I had so many different things running through my head that I wanted to capture that came out of talking to Ben today. He's got some really strong views and some strong ideas, which is good, because I didn't really want someone who was just gonna sit here and play the game and just sort of say what he thought I might want to hear. I've got some early thoughts around what I'd like to go back and explore and just see what we can pull together for Ben and everyone else. Coming up ` Ian makes his announcement,... And one of the things that I'm delighted to announce... ...and Ben is caught off guard. I'm lost for words, and that's a real hard thing to do. (CHUCKLES) (GENTLE MUSIC) It's the final day of the experiment and time for Ian Kebbell to return to his life as managing director of Supercare Commercial Cleaning Limited. But what has this boss learnt? And how will these lessons impact on the everyday lives of his 120-strong staff? Been a really big week. I've got a lot to process and take away. One of the really interesting lessons for me, which I wasn't expecting, I guess, was where work fitted into our people's lives and where it fits into Ben's life. It's obviously an important part of his life, and it's what helps motivate him and keeps him going, but it's only a small part of his life ` there's so much more to it outside of work. So I'll take that away with me and just see what lessons there are for me to be a better employer, so people can spend time doing those other things that are important to them. (SLOW ELECTRONIC MUSIC) Back in Petone, at Supercare HQ, staff are coming together to hear what Ian's taken from the experience of living with Ben. One of the things that came out of that week was the importance around health and the health of our people. We work in dirty environments, we work at nights, we work some funny hours, and that can make you quite prone to health issues. So I want to make sure and do something to try and help the health of everyone where I can. So we're going to be using a mobile people care clinic. So we're gonna be making sure that there's no noise in your work environment that's causing any issues for you and the dust and the fumes that you're often exposed to isn't causing any issues for you as well. We're also gonna use that clinic to provide free flu jabs next winter. So we'll get some who can give those injections, get them on-board, and we'll come round, and we'll make those available to all the staff. This weather's been terrible lately, and heaps of people have been getting sick. Get sick, can't work, can't make money. Over that week, we went grocery shopping, and I got to learn and understand a little bit about shopping on a budget and some of the challenges that brings. One of the lessons from that was around how much it's cheaper to buy product in bulk, but it also takes a big chunk of your budget each week, and one of the things that I'm delighted to announce is that with the support from our suppliers, we're going to be able to offer all our workforce and our people the opportunity to buy normal, household-type products at our discounted bulk-buying rate. So we will buy in bulk. You'll be able to place an order just for the number of things that you need for your household. It will hopefully help with some budgeting and hopefully make those staple things in your home more affordable. (APPLAUSE) I'm pretty impressed with the outcome. He's got a lot to offer them. And the cleaners, they need those sort of things to be able to help them out cos they're on a pretty low wage. One of the other things we did over that week was probably one of the more amusing highlights of the week, was Ben got me along to a game of indoor netball and got me out on the court, and I got to play for some of that game anyway. And with Ben's help, running around the sideline yelling instructions to me, he became the boss. So I saw a side of Ben that I hadn't seen before. (LAUGHTER) He got two goals. And I only coached him for about a minute, I think, and he got two goals. I think it was more than a minute. (LAUGHTER) So, again, what I learnt from that was just the importance, again, of working as a team and everyone getting together and doing some social stuff. So one of the things I'm pleased to announce is that we will sponsor a staff indoor netball team. Ben ` for all his coaching skills and everything like that ` (CHUCKLES) ...has been delegated to be the lead on that. Can't wait, actually. (CHUCKLES) I can't wait to be Noeline Taurua. (CHUCKLES) On a final note, one of the things across that week, Ben and I talked a lot about our backgrounds and our upbringing and things we'd done in our past that maybe made us the people we are today and where we've ended up. And Ben told me quite a touching story about a particular indoor netball tournament in 2007, where they won a gold medal, and he buried that medal with his mum cos she was such an inspiration to him. So, what we managed to do, Ben, with the help of some very good people from the Masters Games in indoor netball, we managed to secure the very last medal that was out there. Pleased to present you with a replica from 2007 ` the only one that's left remaining ` so you can wear it as well as your mum. (APPLAUSE) I am lost for words, and that's a real hard thing to do. He's definitely embraced the kaupapa and the whakaaro of 'he tangata, he tangata, he tangata'. And we are his people. And we are one of the biggest commodities of this company. And I know now that he is going to support us and look after us. Next time ` Deborah Caldwell, chief executive and creative director of Kiwi fashion house Storm, heads to the South Island to live the life of regional manager Kim. You know, I think living with your boss would be awkward. But what will this business owner discover by leaving her Auckland HQ and travelling 1500km to Queenstown? Absolutely freezing. It will be a trip full of surprises. Good morning. Oh God. Oh my God. Deb's here. Like, panic. (CHUCKLES) But will it help Deb reduce her high staff turnover... If we didn't have people like Vicky and Esther on visas, we wouldn't have staff. ...and improve the career options for her retail staff throughout the country? I'm really excited about that. (APPLAUSE) Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2020.