Grinsted started working at Bunnings\u2019 Auckland head office in March 2025 and remains employed by the company. <\/p>\n
Her role involved leading other people and culture partners in New Zealand and facilitating a broad range of human resources (HR) matters here, including employment relations and bargaining with stakeholders.<\/p>\n
But ultimately the Melbourne head office exercises ultimate control over the business\u2019s operations in both Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Communication complaints arose <\/p>\n
The authority heard Grinsted and Obeid\u2019s working relationship started well. But shortly after Grinsted\u2019s employment started, Obeid began to receive feedback from stakeholders who said her approach was not consistent with the corporate culture at Bunnings.<\/p>\n
Members of the management team had also expressed concerns regarding Grinsted\u2019s communication style because she had been heard openly criticising her colleagues and the business\u2019 ways of working, particularly in HR.<\/p>\n
Obeid told the authority that she consistently raised the feedback with Grinsted in their weekly one-to-ones and in their scheduled reviews. <\/p>\n
She encouraged Grinsted to engage with her colleagues in a more open-minded way, and to be more courteous in her communication and believed the matters were best dealt with through informal coaching.<\/p>\n
Obeid said Grinsted initially expressed a willingness to change but Obeid continued to receive negative feedback about Grinsted\u2019s communication style from senior leaders in the business.<\/p>\n
Things came to a head in August 2025 when Grinstead attended a company conference in Melbourne. <\/p>\n
Grinsted travelled to Melbourne for a work conference, where things took a turn with her boss. Photo \/ 123rf<\/p>\n
During this time Grinsted, Obeid and Zoe Gill, general manager finance business partnering, and New Zealand country manager, Melissa Haines, met for a discussion about a potential restructure for the New Zealand business.<\/p>\n
Some of Haines\u2019 team would be affected by the proposed change and Grinsted\u2019s role in the meeting was to support both Gill and Haines with the discussion, to help move the process forward.<\/p>\n
Grinsted accepted she was frustrated that she had not been included in discussions about the change earlier and she considered Gill did not seem able to answer Haines\u2019 questions about how the process would work, despite having been briefed on the process by members of Obeid\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
Obeid told the authority that after the meeting Gill told her she felt \u201cattacked\u201d by Grinsted\u2019s approach and she didn\u2019t feel that Grinsted was supportive.<\/p>\n
Obeid and Grinsted met to discuss the feedback that had been provided by Gill.<\/p>\n