New data from Employment Hero shows New Zealand’s small and medium business sector continuing to add headcount in May, even as wage growth stalled completely on an annual basis, highlighting a labour market where businesses are growing cautiously rather than competing hard for talent on pay.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant concept or a futuristic experiment, it’s here, reshaping the way businesses operate and hire talent.
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
New research has also revealed that more than 50 percent of Kiwi businesses have ditched hybrid or remote working for return to office. The research, released on January 8th, has revealed that 84 percent of SMEs now list rising costs as their top business concern for 2024. The research was conducted by HR and workplace relations advisory services firm Peninsula Group, and surveyed SMEs across five countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK – to understand the top priorities and concerns for employers in 2024. The global survey revealed: Growth is the main business goal for 44.7% of SMEs; a significant drop from 58.7% this time last year, reflecting the tough economic environment faced by businesses around the
For many high achievers the search for the ‘next big thing’ is a familiar narrative, but it masks a deeper issue which invariably results in the discovery that the grass really is never greener on the other side. Simone-Ellen Keller (pictured), personal transformation strategist and founder of Genius You, puts it down to the inability of high performers to understand and work with their intrinsic motivations. “It’s a common misconception amongst high performers to always view the grass as greener on the other side. This belief leads to a cycle of frustration, as they fail to realise that understanding and working with their own inherent drives is key to true satisfaction.” Studies show that 20 percent of employees are considered
In the New Zealand job market of 2024, the curriculum vitae (CV) will continue its descent into redundancy because it is essentially an historical document. Instead, with more lay-offs coming, it’s imperative that individuals, especially those in their mid-40s to 50s, understand the importance of personal branding, says Kathryn Sandford, CEO of Move to More (M2M). Sandford emphasises that in an era where a significant part of a company’s reputation hinges on personality, invisibility on digital platforms is not an option. “A LinkedIn profile with minimal engagement or a CV that simply narrates past achievements is outdated. “Personal branding is about showcasing how one’s unique skills can serve others, providing clarity, focus, and direction for one’s career. The notion that promoting oneself is boastful is debunked by
Neurodivergent people have much to offer companies, but to get neurodivergent people onboard, recruitment practices must change, writes Rebecca Fairbrother. Embracing neurodiversity in a workplace is all the rage these days. As a neurodivergent I’m glad, even if we are only in the ‘awareness’ phase of change. Neurodivergents think differently from neurotypical ‘normal’ people. My flavour of neurodivergence is ADHD and autism, but there are a bunch of others such as dyslexia and dyscalculia. While this newfound neurodiversity awareness is good stuff, it only helps neurodivergent people who are already employed, meaning they have gone through the hiring process and succeeded. But what about those of us for whom the hiring process is an insurmountable hurdle? For many neurodivergents, the recruitment process
New data has revealed that New Zealand tech firms are becoming global employers in order to support their growth plans. New Zealand’s largest 200 tech firms in ICT, High Tech Manufacturing and Biotech are expected to recruit over half their staff offshore by 2028, mostly in North America and Australia but with fast-growing numbers in Asia, according to data released by Deel, a global HR company in collaboration with the Technology Investment Network. An additional 13,400 staff will be based offshore by 2028, making a total of 44,560, while overall employment by these tech firms will grow by 25,700 hires in this period to a grand total of 89,600. The data projects hiring demand by tech sector and geography based
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Thursday 30 July 2026 | 7:00am – 9:00pm
📍 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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