Voyage scores Best Workplaces recognition

Christchurch-based digital agency Voyage has been recognised as one of the best places to work in New Zealand. It’s the ninth Kiwi company to receive the internationally acclaimed Great Place to Work certification.

Voyage scored an overall employee satisfaction rating of 94 percent, with the global authority on workplace culture recognising the agency for its sense of belonging, support and wellness, diversity and inclusion, and flexibility and growth opportunities.

“To be recognised as a Great Place to Work is a tremendous honour and a testament to the focus we put on ensuring our staff are happy in their work,” says Ryan O’Hara, founder and director of Voyage.

“We put real effort into fostering a great culture at Voyage. People and family always come first and we allow a flexible schedule for staff to accommodate their personal lives.

“We work a nine-day fortnight; our Friday’s alternate between a day off and an internal day that we use for personal and professional development, as well as team outings and events. It’s all about having a good time while delivering exceptional work for our clients.”

Great Place to Work® is a global research and consulting firm specialising in workplace culture and employee engagement. To earn the certification, Voyage underwent a thorough evaluation process, including a survey completed by employees, which assessed their experiences and the company’s practices.

“The other great thing about having a happy workplace is that studies consistently highlight a direct correlation between employee happiness and enhanced productivity. When individuals feel valued and fulfilled in their roles, the quality of their work rises significantly,” says O’Hara.

“Our team has earned a reputation for consistently exceeding expectations and delivering work to a truly world class standard and I believe the culture we have at Voyage plays a big part in that.”

O’Hara says Voyage has leaned into what makes New Zealand an appealing place to live and work.

“Most businesses in Aotearoa can’t really compete on salaries with the world’s big tech companies. What we can compete on, is providing an unbeatable work-life balance, and we’re all about that at Voyage.

“Kiwi companies often talk about the brain drain, and how hard it is to get great talent. But I passionately believe that if more businesses here embrace things like nine-day fortnights and flexible hours, and do everything they can to be a great place to work, then some of the world’s very best and brightest people will want to live and work here in New Zealand.

“We’ve also supported staff to move overseas for their OEs while remaining employed remotely by Voyage. This flexibility has allowed us to retain great talent and has fostered long standing employment relationships.”

Voyage employs a team of 18 staff and offers services including website design and development, mobile and web apps, and strategy and consulting.