Waikato Business News May/June 2021

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22 WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS May/June 2021 HR AND RECRUITMENT Your recruitment asset in Waikato. Employers urged to reassess recruitment process in tough Waikato labour market Looking for staff? You’re not alone. With New Zealand’s unemployment rate at an almost record low (4.7% at the end of the first quarter of this year), securing candidates for new and vacant roles is a tough process. Locally owned and operated, Asset Recruitment has been established for more than 30 years. We’re specialists in temporary, permanent, executive and industrial recruitment. We align great candidates with great opportunities; ‘positioning excellence’ throughout Waikato. So, if you’re currently looking to hire or would like to discuss your career opportunities, get in touch with our team. 07 839 3685 | www.assetrec.co.nz Temporary recruitment Permanent recruitment Executive recruitment Industrial recruitment For many companies in Waikato, and indeed throughout New Zealand, migrant workers make up a significant part of the workforce, both in permanent and temporary positions. But, since COVID-19 closed New Zealand borders, and in light of the Government’s recent budget, not to mention the Economic Minister’s introductory speech about an immigration reset, New Zealand’s migrant workforce is much depleted. Furthermore, temporary work visa changes look set to favour highly skilled migrant workers while the Government encourages businesses to first consider New Zealanders for roles, and to reassess the skills and training on offer. So, what does that mean for the recruitment sector? And how can organisations gain a competitive advantage in areas/ roles where labour is desperately needed? “It’s going to continue to be tough to find candidates initially, which means businesses will need to reconsider their recruitment strategies,” explains Judith Bright, Asset Recruitment’s Permanent Recruitment Specialist. “Hiring for a position that may have been filled relatively easily 18 months earlier will be a very different process this time around.” “We’re encouraging organisations to see this as an opportunity to reflect on their recruitment process, reassess roles and think about what it is they’re looking for in a candidate. Approaching a vacancy differently can open up a pool of candidates who may not have been considered previously. This may call for a wider recruitment reset, which Asset Recruitment can advise and help with, and that’s likely to bring about positive changes in the long run,” Judith says. Asset Recruitment is also encouraging businesses to evaluate what kind of impression potential candidates may receive of an organisation. “What does your company brand say about you?” asks Judith. “How proactive is your communication? Is your company’s public persona reflective of the organisational culture within? Candidates do Judith Bright have a choice in the current market. How can you ensure they choose to join your team?” Judith says another factor businesses are up against is the potential brain drain of young and skilled people heading to Australia, now that the Trans-Tasman bubble is open. “It’s really tough to be an employer at the moment. That’s why we’re encouraging businesses to utilise the services of a recruitment company. Our team know the market, we have candidates on our database, we can work in with companies to assess their recruitment needs, and we can advise on how to recruit candidates who will fit your company culture. Yes, it’s tougher than ever before to position excellence, but it’s not impossible and our team can provide that solution for you.” Judith Bright is a Permanent Recruitment Specialist at Asset Recruitment, Waikato’s leading recruitment company for temporary, permanent, executive and industrial recruitment. An HR consultancy with a difference. Helping our clients leverage HR as a tool for business success. We can help with: • Outsourced HR • Organisational Development • Employee Relations and Problem Solving • Change Management • People Strategy • Leadership and Employer Development • Performance and Development • Pay and Benefits Contact us for a chat on 07 2420 447 or hello@stapleton.consulting Visit our website at www.stapleton.consulting Top HR challenges facing business: Talent attraction, retention, productivity The Covid-19 pandemic has propelled HR into the spotlight and helped business leaders focus on what is important, says Waikato HR firm Stapleton Consulting. “Retention, talent attraction and productivity are the big issues we see facing NZ businesses in the wake of Covid-19,” said the firm’s Director, Catherine Stapleton. “Now more than ever, business leaders realise the importance of attracting the right people, keeping them in their roles for longer, and making sure they’re engaged and productive,” she said. Catherine said businesses need to look ahead and plan for the skills they’ll need in 2 - 5 years, and find and invest in the right people now. Taking a strategic approach to HR, managing change effectively, and creating positive employment journeys and culture, are key to overcoming these challenges, said Catherine. Talent shortages aren’t new, but current immigration policies have created more barriers for employers. “It’s going to be competitive, and businesses will need to be creative with candidate attraction strategies,” said Catherine. “It’s the experience you offer your employees day in, day out that keeps them coming back to share their expertise with you.” “Mental health is a talking point, and this is a great move,” she said. “We often see life events and difficult situations affect employees, but they don’t feel safe to talk about it with their managers. This can have a huge impact on job satisfaction and productivity.” Stapleton Consulting is on a mission to make HR simple, clear and accessible for businesses, helping leaders understand the big picture, and create strategies for success. The Hamilton based team delivers HR support at all levels, from HR strategy and management to day-to-day administration. The firm launched DIYHR.CO.NZ earlier this year, with its first online course The Change Game, designed to equip leaders to manage change or undertake restructures. “We’re genuinely intrigued about the barriers facing businesses, and work with the decision makers to co-design solutions that give clarity.” “We often talk about helping clients see the forest for the trees - we see our role as helping them navigate the blurry grey areas and bringing colour and clarity to the picture.” “If you’re asking yourself the big questions like, “how do we make more from what we have and keep the skills we have for as long as we can?”, then we suggest you give our team a call.”
HR AND RECRUITMENT 23 WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS May/June 2021 HR and immigration support for employers of migrant workers Critical immigration changes are about to impact the ability of employers to keep their migrant workers. Do you employ staff on work visas? Businesses employing migrant workers can get specialist HR and Immigration support to ensure they are well positioned to support and retain those workers through the changes. Neazor Brady are experts in helping New Zealand businesses manage and retain their migrant workers. They offer a unique blend of comprehensive HR, employment law and immigration expertise, including 15 years’ specialising in work visas. This enables them to ensure their clients meet all the HR compliance and documentation requirements needed to successfully support their employees’ requests for work visa extensions and residency. Neazor Brady Partner, Catherine Neazor Brady, says, “Significant immigration and visa changes are being implemented this year that will impact all businesses employing migrant workers, and especially those that employ six or more migrants. It’s important that employers understand how these changes will affect their business, and how they can best prepare for them.” From 1 November 2021, Employer Accreditation with Immigration New Zealand will be compulsory for all employers who sponsor work visas. Changes will also be made to the types of visas available, the level of compliance required for accreditation, and remuneration thresholds (likely to increase on 1 July). The entire landscape for employing migrant workers has changed. This has created a lot of uncertainty for those workers and heightened the need for businesses to be well prepared to support them. Catherine, who is a Chartered Member of Human Resources New Zealand and a Licensed Immigration Advisor says, “The entire landscape for employing migrant workers has changed. This has created a lot of uncertainty for those workers and heightened the need for businesses to be well prepared to support them.” Neazor Brady is currently helping businesses put the necessary processes and documentation in place to secure their critical employees’ work visas before the new changes take effect. Catherine adds, “The accreditation process for businesses employing six or more migrant workers is expected to be robust and many employers may be in for a shock at the level of HR and compliance related documentation required.” Applications for the new visa accreditation open at the end of September, and with up to 30,000 employers needing accreditation, Catherine urges employers to act now to avoid inevitable delays in processing applications. Neazor Brady offers a free no-obligation consultation to discuss how the visa changes will potentially affect your business and what you need to do to prepare for it. Book your consultation today, email: info@neazorbrady.co.nz What you need to know: From 1 November 2021, Employer Accreditation with NZ Immigration will be compulsory for all employers who sponsor work visas. After 30 June 2021, you will not be able to apply for/ renew accreditation under the current schemes. Applications under the new scheme open late September 2021. Your staff can only apply for Essential Skills Work Visas and Work to Residence until 31 October 2021. Your business cannot support Temporary Work Visa applications after 1 November 2021 (until accredited). Immigration estimates 1 month processing time for employers with
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Waikato Business News May/June 2021

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