Stepping up
Why good governance goes a long way in developing SME directors in a rapidly changing business environment.
Why good governance goes a long way in developing SME directors in a rapidly changing business environment.
The thriving Māori economy and workforce are shaping New Zealand’s future, with professional development, leadership, and Māori values driving transformative opportunities across industries.
Temporary and casual staffing platform Sidekicker, has released its first New Zealand Jobs Index, revealing that tight hiring conditions are finally easing for businesses. The data for June recorded more than a 211 percent increase year-on-year (YoY) in the application-to-shift ratio. This is despite the average business posting 46 percent more shifts YoY. The Sidekicker Jobs Index analyses data from more than 2,500 workers across businesses from several sectors in New Zealand, including hospitality and events, warehousing and logistics, customer service, administration and office support. Overall, there was a 67 percent YoY increase in the number of casuals being hired per business, with hourly rates rising four percent YoY. Between May and June, there was a 24 percent rise in
With the popularity of co-working spaces on the rise, how do you choose the best one for your small or midsize business? Natasha Burton offers five useful tips. Covid resulted in an increased awareness among the business community of the value of co-working spaces, as hybrid working models were widely embraced. From the ease of flexibility to the potential for connection and networking, and of course, the potential for lower overheads and commitments compared to long-term leases, there are many benefits to coworking. But not all coworking spaces are created equal. As one of the first coworking community managers in Aotearoa, Natasha Burton from The Icehouse Coworking Space has seen hundreds of businesses come and go through the doors and
In this constantly changing economic climate, many businesses are understandably questioning their next steps. Leaders with experiential knowledge can deliver the answers. New to the speaking and training circuit, Speaking from Experience now provides access to leaders who are prepared to take time out of their own professions to share their experience and knowledge with the businesses and organisations who need it most. Speaking from Experience is a collaboration between Michelle Gimblett and Heather Robertson, who had a conversation one day about the need to increase reality based experiential knowledge for businesses and organisations. “In my 25 years of business consulting, the greatest thing I ever did for my clients was setting up The Knowledge Network – a program that
Kiwi companies will soon be able to use AI to identify employees who are thinking about resigning, according to an industry expert. The technology will allow managers to anticipate career movements in their workforce before they happen and proactively approach staff to address any issues they have. Latest Government figures show around 21 percent of New Zealanders switch jobs annually. Research also shows the cost of replacing a staff member is 50 percent to 200 percent of their annual salary which represents an annual cost to businesses of over $18.5 billion. Sharon Davies (pictured), managing director of recruitment marketing agency Talent Propeller, says while AI can be associated with job insecurity, international experience shows it can play a crucial role
A New Zealand investment company sells more by telling people why they shouldn’t buy property. It’s not reverse psychology. It’s a legitimate technique to build trust, explains Andrew Nicol. Kiwis hate selling. We don’t want to feel like we are being sold to. And we don’t want to feel like we are hard selling someone else. As New Zealanders, it turns us off. That’s why my company, Opes Partners, stopped trying to sell things. Instead, we switched our focus to educating people. It all started with The Property Academy Podcast. Every single day we release a 15-minute episode teaching people how to invest in property. The first episode aired in September 2019 and got just 26 plays in the first week. But
If you aspire to become a successful leader in the business world, then building your EQ should be an absolute priority. Ken Lee shares the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows’. Twenty-five years after psychologist and author Daniel Goleman brought the term ‘Emotional Intelligence’ (EQ) to a wide audience with his 1995 book of the same name, EQ remains an essential skill for good leadership. Simply put, EQ is the ability to recognise and understand our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, and to use that information to guide our thoughts and actions. EQ is not just a ‘soft skill’ or a nice-to-have; it’s a key component of effective leadership which can make all the difference in building stronger
Upcoming event
Thursday 30 July 2026 | 7:00am – 9:00am
📍 Covert Theatre, 51 Mackelvie Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Everyone talks about the importance of business strategy, but what does it actually mean in practice? Strategy trainer Ryan Sproull cuts through the jargon to give SME owners a clear, practical framework for thinking strategically about their business.
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Practical AI insights, Kiwi tech innovators, and the tools helping Kiwi SMEs compete on a global stage. It’s all packed into this special tech issue of NZBusiness.
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