Editorial
Time to step up
Urban New Zealand is essentially a great place to live, work and play, according to the newly-released Quality of Life Report 2007. It seems the vast majority (90 percent) of urban dwellers feel they have a positive overall quality of life.
The report, part of a multi-council initiative by the Metropolitan Sector Group, provides a comprehensive assessment of the quality of a range of aspects of life—such as housing, health, skills, social connectedness and standard of living—in 12 New Zealand cities.
Not surprisingly, it found income is one of the single most important factors influencing quality of life. The good news is that average inflation-adjusted incomes “increased markedly” over the last five years. The not so good news is that real earnings stayed static or decreased in three of our cities.
Just days before the Quality of Life Report was published, HR consultant company Mercer released its latest New Zealand remuneration review. This, too, reflected a healthy increase in salaries, with a median increase in fixed packages of 5.2 percent. Employers, Mercer suggested, are offering generous increases in the battle against record levels of staff turnover.
But is it working? Seemingly not. Despite pay increases and an apparent high level of satisfaction with urban life in New Zealand, Kiwis are leaving these shores in droves. Australia is their destination of choice. The latest figures show more than 40,000 Kiwis crossed the Tasman in the past 12 months, up almost 6200 on the year before. It’s the biggest exodus in a decade, and clearly a major concern for employers in the market for skilled talent.
Investment bankers JP Morgan say the brain drain is keeping New Zealand’s job market tight and the wage gap from New Zealand to Australia and the UK will have to narrow if skilled people are to stay here. With young New Zealanders extending their OE to take advantage of the global labour market, JP Morgan predicts it’s going to be more difficult than ever to find quality graduates.
But it’s not all about money. A new Robert Half survey suggests improved lifestyle is the most likely reason to take a job overseas.
Such figures support the overwhelming message of many of the articles in this issue. Clearly it’s time to pull out all the stops to address the problem. For HR, it’s the perfect opportunity to step up to the mark and show they really can add value.
In the meantime, have a safe, happy and relaxing festive season—2008 looks set to be a big year.
—Lyndsey Swan
Feature articles
Agent of change
HRINZ has trebled its membership in the nine years since chief executive Beverley Main came on board, and it’s still growing. She spoke to Peter Bateman about how the Institute—and its members—have changed.
Marketing your brand
Employment branding has never been more important than it is today as the war for talent intensifies. Marc Fisk believes HR must take on the role of marketers of their organisation’s employment brand. He explains how.
Stepping up to the workplace challenge
The challenge for today’s organisations is to develop flexible workplace strategies that will promote innovation, enhance collaboration and teamwork, and attract and retain creative talent, says Alan Bertenshaw. He explores the role the new office landscape plays in shaping the way we work.
On the hunt for the hunter
Hiring managers are failing to understand a changing market which has seen a growing demand for a new type of sales person—both ‘farmer’ and ‘hunter’, says Pete Macauley. He says greater flexibility is needed to get the best person for the job.
What not to wear
When it comes to work, most of us don’t need Trinny and Susannah to tell us what not to wear. But employers and employees don’t always agree on what’s acceptable. Carl Reaich discusses dress codes and why it’s necessary to strike a balance.
Downshifting: slowing down the treadmill
As growing numbers of workers choose to downshift in favour of a balanced life, organisations should think about how they tailor their approach to accommodate the individual, says Dr Linda Liddicoat.
Bringing talent back
Simon Pomeroy reports on a new online portal which targets Kiwis living overseas and aims to provide employers with a solution to help bring talent home.
Computer games
IT misuse by employees can pose significant problems for an organisation. Daniel Ayers explains how to manage the risks with an integrated approach that covers policy, enforcement, detection and investigation.
Departments
Strategic HR: Building capability
The skills needed to cope in the emerging workplace are different from those required in the past, and anyone who fails to invest in building capability will find it hard to stay in the game, says Paul Goodhead.
Recruitment: The feel-good factor
It’s more than likely that your best employees have been shoulder-tapped about other opportunities, says Richard Manthel. He outlines what’s happening in a competitive market and explains how the feel-good factor is crucial for retaining staff.
Legal solutions: All too Merry Christmas
Christmas parties are meant to be an event that rewards employees for their hard work over the year, but it’s not always a merry time for all. Monica Singleton and Johanna Drayton suggest strategies to ensure employees enjoy the event and employers are not left with a hangover.
Case in point: The naked truth
Naughty photos on the wall led to a car yard employee complaining that her employer had failed to provide a healthy and safe workplace. Bridget Fleming examines the case and considers how to avoid driving into personal grievance territory.
Learning & development: How we learn
Awareness of the different ways we process information is a useful step towards understanding, and hence improving, learning. Roseann Gedye explains the five learning styles.
Leadership: The first 100 days
It’s important to start out on the right foot when stepping up to a new management role, says Dr Geoff Lorigan. He outlines the traps many new players fall in to, and looks at ways to avoid them.
Public sector: The fixed-term option
Schools sometimes opt to employ staff on a fixed term basis. When such a decision is driven by funding constraints, then principals should tread carefully, warns Paul Robertson. He considers the lessons to be learned. |
