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Published Date: 23rd December 2024 Change and transformation are a growing priority and concern for many organisations here in New Zealand. Both employers and leadership teams are grappling with multiple internal and external pressures, making change management a critical issue for organisations and individuals alike. This challenge was the subject of Beyond Recruitment’s recent breakfast event, featuring guest speaker Megan Jenkins (Organisational Psychologist).With over 30 senior leaders in attendance, we had an insightful discussion on the forces driving organisational change and the challenges of resistance and fatigue. Led by Megan, we explored practical strategies for implementing successful change in 2025, drawing on current best practices.What is Driving Change in Organisations?During the discussion forum, Megan highlighted several key drivers of change that are shaping the future of New Zealand organisations and prompting leaders to reassess their strategic priorities. These include the ongoing wave of digital transformation (particularly the rise of generative artificial intelligence) alongside growing concerns around cybersecurity and privacy to protect organisations’ data. Businesses are also juggling the optimisation of hybrid working models with improving customer and employee experiences. Underlying all of this is the need for greater innovation and adaptability, as organisations need to remain competitive and resilient in today’s economy as well as jobs shaping for the future work environment. How Organisations are Tackling Change ManagementCurrently, organisations respond to change in two distinct ways, Megan says. On the one hand, forward-thinking organisations are embedding organisational change management (OCM) as a core practice, with the backing of their senior leadership. They’re also hiring qualified change management professionals to build internal expertise. These organisations are incorporating OCM capabilities into their leadership scorecards and facilitating workshops on change leadership and resilience. However, during the economic downturn, some organisations have taken the opposite approach – either scaling back or entirely dissolving their OCM functions. Interestingly, Megan notes that many of these organisations find themselves reinvesting in OCM years later once they recognise it as essential for managing successful change in the long run. Change Resistance and Fatigue Is RisingChange resistance and fatigue have become significant challenges for organisations, driven by a combination of societal, organisational and individual factors, says Megan. In the past few years, anxiety stemming from post-pandemic fatigue and the economic downturn has permeated organisations. This unease is further heightened by concerns about job security and increasing workloads – everyone having to “do more with less”. Included in the mix is the rapid rise of generative AI, which is leaving some employees feeling unprepared to adapt their skill sets. At the organisational level, resistance to change often stems from employees feeling uninformed, unprepared, or even disconnected from their organisation’s rationale for implementing change, Megan says. These feelings are especially prevalent in organisations that have ‘low change management maturity’, where internal stakeholder engagement and communication are poor and there is insufficient planning or leadership around change initiatives.Organisational history plays a role, too. When employees have previously experienced organisational change that was poorly executed, misaligned, or had conflicting changes, they’re more likely to be less trusting and more sceptical. At the individual level, Megan says that the personality traits of employees can also contribute to change resistance. People who are particularly conscientious, prone to worry or anxiety, or who lack confidence can further elevate resistance to organisational change. Managing Change Successfully So, how can leaders and organisations successfully implement change without alienating employees or walking into other common pitfalls? Megan says communication is key. Managing change requires clear communication of the "why" behind the change. Provide regular updates and opportunities for employees to feel involved and prepared. Without these measures, organisations face multiple risks, including employee dissatisfaction resistance and misaligned strategies. Improving Change Capabilities & Agility Active, visible sponsorship from leadership Effective role modelling of changeEmbed robust organisation delivery systems, including transparency of dependencies and riskRegular and relevant communication with employeesInvolve affected teams early in the process, for feedback and co-design opportunitiesHelp employees build resilience and an adaptive mindsetTrack, monitor and improveWhat Change Management Maturity Looks LikeCommunication practices are essential, but behind every successful change management initiative is thoughtful leadership. Megan has provided us with further insight into the best practices of organisations that are managing change effectively. Organisations with higher levels of change maturity regard change management as a strategic competency, she says. They prioritise enabling leaders to lead through change and helping employees build their change resiliency.What does that look like in practice? Megan says that organisations doing it successfully have established a formal OCM practice internally. This involves weaving OCM into the delivery function of the organisation and establishing controls to assess change impact, risk and business readiness alongside the delivery rollout of the change.OCM is made possible with the backing of senior leaders and embedding change managers into cross-functional teams to ensure impacts are carefully considered and well-prepared. Change Managers must be able to operate strategically, with a seat at the leadership table, so they can anticipate challenges and support a smooth rollout which, ultimately, is leader-led. Defining clear success measures is critical for tracking progress so teams can adjust change activities where necessary, Megan adds. Looking AheadAs we look forward to 2025, off the back of a difficult few years (post-pandemic and commercially), businesses are feeling the pressure to perform, build a positive culture and retain talent.Exhaustion has set in for many, exacerbated by downsizing, and is fuelling reticence about change. There will likely be continued pressure on businesses, along with heightened emotions and fatigue. Meanwhile, customer and employee expectations will increase. AI will continue to reshape work. By the World Economic Forum’s 2023 estimate, almost a quarter of jobs are expected to change within the next five years. Change capability and maturity will become increasingly critical for leaders in the years ahead, says Megan. On the ground, that means focusing more on transferrable skills and upskilling in new technologies – a priority for both leaders and employees. Further, we can expect a need to change our ways of working, such as processes, mindsets and behaviours. Organisations that do this well will be more adaptive, operate more strategically, and embed quicker, more successful change, she adds. New Zealand Recruitment Support and Change ExpertisePreparing your organisation for ongoing change is a necessity. Engaging a New Zealand recruitment partner with proven HR, Change and Transformation expertise can provide you with the resources to fulfil these goals and build a thriving business. At Beyond Recruitment, we provide employers with the right resources to lead positive change and strengthen their organisation’s change capabilities. If you’re hiring for an HR, Change, or Transformation role or need advice on enhancing your change management strategy, get in touch with Kris Attewell at 021 435712 or by email at kris.attewell@beyond.co.nz or contact the Beyond Recruitment team. We’re here to help you.

Published Date: 11th December 2024​Many New Zealand organisations are grappling with an HR capability gap at Senior Advisor and HR Business Partner level. This critical challenge was a key focus at a recent HR forum hosted by Beyond Recruitment. Our amazing expert panel led the discussion: Abbey Macalister (Head of People & Operations, Ministry for Regulation), Gina McJorrow (National HR Support Manager, Te Whatu Ora Health NZ), and Nick McKissack (Chief Executive, HRNZ) – accompanied by our own Sandy Eaton (Regional Manager – HR & Professional Services, Beyond Recruitment). With 40 senior HR leaders in attendance, we were privileged to engage in an open and insightful discussion about HR practices across Aotearoa. Attendees came from public, private, and not-for-profit organisations of varying scale. Here, we share the common challenges HR leaders are facing – and explore potential pathways to address them.Challenges for HR Business Partners and Senior HR AdvisorsInexperienced HR TeamsA key trend that emerged during the discussion is the growing skills and experience gap within HR functions. Particularly in the talent shortage post-Covid, hiring managers (under pressure to resource their teams) onboarded relatively inexperienced candidates for “Senior Advisor” roles. In an effort to retain existing kaimahi, many also prematurely promoted Advisors to Senior Advisor. With more junior people in Senior roles, the level of experience and capability previously expected at Senior Advisor level isn’t always being met.New Zealand’s HR Business Partnering is not generally as mature as overseas. A reason for this may be around the limited size of our population, as well as the smaller scale of our organisations. Attendees reflected that true Business Partnering is a harder model to do well in smaller organisations of sub-1000 people.The result is a capability gap where many people no longer bring either the depth or breadth of experience that would have traditionally been expected at this level. However, strong – and trusted – HR expertise is needed more than ever. With restructures and redundancies on the rise across government organisations, experience in complex Employment Relations (ER) case management, for example, has never been more essential. Blurring DistinctionsOne factor exacerbating these challenges is that the distinction between HR Business Partner (HRBP) and HR Advisor roles is often unclear. HR Business Partner is a commonly used title, but there is a question around whether HR functions (and organisations more generally) know how to use Business Partners effectively. HRBPs should work closely (in partnership!) with senior leaders and managers to understand the strategic plan – where the organisation is going, and what can be done from a People perspective to achieve that. HR Business Partnering can be quite commercial in nature. In contrast, HR Advisors provide advice to internal stakeholders around organisational policy, and guide cases in line with policy and legislative requirements. Often these two roles are operating without the degree of separation that they need to have. We may see this merging/muddying of water happening more often as HR teams are compressed in a bid to save on cost. The group discussed how hybrid roles without clear commissioning can lead to either the strategic or the operational deliverables being lost. How did we get here?The rise of premature promotions in HR does not have a single cause. At the heart of the issue, as our panellists noted, is the desire to retain good talent. Organisations understandably want to reward top-performing HR employees with promotions to keep them on board. However, this raises an important question: is it better to let them move elsewhere for their next step rather than advancing them prematurely into roles they may not be ready for? Implementing a purposeful learning and development programme could enable managers to answer this question with more confidence.The topic of remote work generated significant debate and was identified as a major contributing factor to HR capability challenges. Attendees noted that less-experienced kaimahi miss the hands-on learning opportunities and subtle cues that are only noticeable when you’re in the office, such as a change in an employee’s body language or a candid water cooler conversation. This can lead to ER problems escalating unnoticed. Many agreed that culture and engagement deserve more attention when managing remote teams. Additionally, inflating HR job titles or salaries to attract ambitious younger candidates has created confusion around expectations. With advertised salaries for HR Advisor roles ranging from $50,000 to $150,000, many candidates are left uncertain about where they fit.The Effects of an HR Capability GapThe discussion raised several real-world examples of what can happen when organisations rely on HR Business Partners and Senior HR Advisors with inadequate breadth or depth of experience.Managers and leadership teams might receive incorrect guidance or information, which can undermine their confidence in the advice and, in turn, encourage them to seek advice outside of HR. A lack of competency in HR advice can create broader ripple effects. It often leads to inefficiencies that require senior staff to step in and limits the organisation's ability to drive meaningful change or respond effectively. (For HR practitioners, the stakes are personal, too. Poor advice or decisions can damage their confidence and sense of self-worth.)Such effects can increase an organisation’s risk exposure. For high-risk areas such as ER, where mistakes can be costly, theory-based training isn’t enough. Attendees collectively agreed that HR practitioners need significant hands-on ER experience to be confident and effective – especially at Senior level. In the public sector, where change initiatives are frequent of late, these issues are just as noticeable. In recent consultations with senior change contractors, we observed that rushed processes and cost pressures have led organisations to increasingly rely on internal teams to manage change. This shift has added significant strain to HR teams, particularly in employee relations (ER), further highlighting capability gaps.Rushed or cost-focused change processes may have delivered initial savings, but we’re hopeful that future initiatives will use the expertise of experienced change contractors – because change is ongoing, not a one-off, and it’s crucial to get it right.How can we Fix It?Complex challenges, of course, require more than one solution. For effective hiring and development of HR talent, discussion participants highlighted several overarching strategies, including:1. Clarifying HR RolesDefine your HR roles with precision – what capability does your team require (now and in the future), and how can this specific HR role complement it? Do you need advisory capability, or are you looking for a truly strategic business partner? How does this tie into your broader organisational design? Avoid re-using outdated position descriptions or advertising aspirational roles or job titles that misrepresent the actual responsibilities of the role. When working with recruitment agencies, clearly communicate your needs and ensure the job title is level with the role’s scope. (Recruiters with genuine HR expertise will know when to seek clarification about the job description and provide healthy challenge at scoping stage!) 2. Assess Candidates’ Experience Levels against your RequirementsInvest in a robust assessment process when recruiting – whether you are hiring direct, or through a recruiter. Consider how a candidate’s specific experience will translate and fulfil your organisation’s needs. For instance, HR professionals from smaller organisations often gain broader hands-on exposure across the breadth of operational HR – but might not bring deep expertise in areas like ER. Working in larger organisations can lead to deep specialist skills in one aspect of HR, albeit with less hands-on involvement across the full gambit of the function. Which will work best for your team’s needs? Can you commit to actively coaching your new employee in their development areas?Including technical exercises during interviews helps assess candidates’ practical skills and approach to mahi.3. HR Professionalisation and StandardisationNew Zealand’s small, broad-scope HR teams benefit from using a tailored framework developed for the local professional environment. Adopting industry standards, such as HRNZ’s accreditation program, can provide structured development and improve capability across the HR profession.There is a strong argument for the HR profession to come together to collectively develop a clear HR career pathway. This could include formalising secondment opportunities across the system to ensure up and coming HR practitioners have the breadth and depth of experience they need to be effective. We also discussed cross-organisational workshops for developing kaimahi to learn from each other and other leaders. Final ThoughtsTackling HR capability gaps requires clear role definitions, thoughtful hiring, and a mature professional development framework. With the right groundwork before starting the recruitment process for a critical HR role, leaders can drive efficiency across their organisation and minimise employment-related risks. Engaging with a recruitment partner with proven HR expertise can provide you with the resources you need to fulfil these goals and build thriving HR teams. At Beyond Recruitment, we connect employers with HR professionals who enable them to drive positive change in their organisations. If you would like to discuss hiring for an HR role or advice on refining your HR capabilities, please reach out to our HR specialists, Sandy Eaton or Kirsty Clarke, or contact our team.

Published Date: 2nd October 2024​We recently caught up with Amanda King at NZ Post, who, less than two years ago, was a Senior Communications Advisor and is now an Organisational Development Lead. With Communications job opportunities significantly reduced in these challenging times, I thought you’d be interested in hearing the story of her successful career transition. With Amanda’s comms background, who better to tell the story than Amanda herself?Please give us a brief overview of your communications career and the areas of communications that you enjoy the most.I’ve worked in communications-related roles for most of my career. At school and university, I studied Arts – majoring in English and Film and Media. I’ve always loved telling stories and writing, so I was delighted to begin a career in communications. I started out in Central Government in 2008 in a graduate Communications Adviser role for 18 months, dabbling in writing, editing, planning and media monitoring and analysis. But my first role was cut short when I was made redundant along with the rest of our team as part of wider government funding cuts and a focus on reducing ‘spin doctors’ in the public service. The Wellington comms market in early 2010 was not great for a ‘new-to-role’ adviser, so I took the opportunity to travel for a few months and then move to Melbourne, where I quickly got a role at the Department of Primary Industries. This was a major career moment for me and where I figured out what I could handle in terms of the unexpected. I went straight into supporting comms for a major Biosecurity incident (locust plague anyone?) for a year, which required travelling around rural Victoria. It was a high-profile campaign, and I worked with the most amazing leaders who supported me to learn on the job. After the plague, I moved on to a variety of contract roles at the DPI, where I gained experience in media, social media, and internal communications.I then travelled again for six months and moved to London, where I worked for a large Cancer Support charity for four years – progressing from a Senior Strategic Comms Adviser to the Strategic Comms Manager, leading a team including internal comms. I’ve always had a passion for connecting and engaging with an internal audience as an advocate for the brand and reputation of a business. I left the UK for a bit more travel (there’s a theme here…) to return to New Zealand, where I took on the role of Comms Manager at a Crown entity leading a small team. In this role, I gained more experience in external comms, including media and stakeholder engagement and marketing campaign activity, as well as great exposure to how the Board operate and the wider government and political landscape.My role was disestablished while I was on parental leave, so I took the opportunity to reassess my new situation as a working parent and chose to return to a Senior Comms Adviser role. I joined NZ Post 4 days a week when my daughter was one – six weeks later, COVID hit. NZ Post, like many companies, went through major disruption. Comms needed to play a key role in connecting our people, helping them feel supported and safe and clear on what was happening, when, and why. I got exposure to many parts of the business through months of incident calls – it was a critical experience for me in terms of learning about our business and building relationships with many teams and leaders in a high-pressure environment.Looking back, those massive learning curves of new roles, new countries, and life changes exposed me to being uncomfortable. It’s helped build some resilience in myself and my approach to managing ambiguity and change, with some confidence that it will eventually be ok and that I will be able to navigate a different path. I’ve gone through two rounds of redundancy, and it’s not a nice experience – but it has made me stronger and made me clearer on what it is that I can contribute to make things happen and make a difference. I’ve learned I like big organisations, I like to work as part of a team, and I like to create and make things that help and support people to achieve more. That has translated well into my work in the People space.How did the job offer for a completely different specialisation come about?Three years (and another round of parental leave) later, our General Manager for Talent from the People team observed some work I was doing to explore how we best attract business owners to a new model we were looking to test in our delivery network. He was looking to fill a role focused on Talent Management for 12 months. He approached me to see if I’d be interested in applying for a secondment as he believed I had the right transferable skills to set me up for success in that role.What was your initial reaction to the proposed change?Initially, I wasn’t interested, and I didn’t think I had any of the right skills. I didn’t understand what talent management meant…so I started to explore the opportunity. I read. I listened to podcasts. I found companies and case studies that were doing interesting stuff in the space. I spoke with colleagues who had exposure to the field from previous workplaces and from within my company. I met with our Chief People Officer, with two other People GMs and I leaned on my networks to get an understanding of what was possible. What made you decide to make your career move?After a lot of talking and researching, I decided to get over myself and thought – ‘what’s the worst that can happen from taking on an opportunity to learn something new?’ I figured if someone was telling me they saw some potential in me to try something different and that I could do it and be supported to do it – then why not give it a go? So, I applied, interviewed and was successful in the secondment application. Nine months later, I applied for a permanent role in the People Experience team and am now an Organisational Development Lead.How have your skills in comms benefited your role in OD?There are loads of skills I’ve mastered through a career in comms that have helped me in this role.Comms has always helped me stay curious – and that helps when approaching anything new. Being able to articulate a solid vision, execute a strategy and bring people along on the journey are also key skills I’ve learned through comms.Going back to the basics of a good comms plan was a helpful starting point for working out my direction e.g. - defining the context (problem and opportunity), the organisational objectives, the key audiences, risks and issues and then following through on the delivery of a plan. Instigating new research and looking for existing evidence to help explore a problem and figure out where to go next is another great carryover from my comms days. I found my collaboration and relationship-building skills to be well-utilised in my new role. As a comms adviser, I could spot things that needed to be joined up – teams that needed to be engaged and brought in, and I made that happen. In addition to comms skills – I’ve realised that working on myself also plays a big role. So, keeping my mindset open and focused on learning and growth has helped me deal with setbacks and remain optimistic about the future. Being able to learn and apply that to new situations is a great skill to master, and change is a good opportunity to put that into practice. You need to work hard, though, to push through everything you need to learn – 18 months into this role, I look back and can’t believe what I’ve been able to do and what I’ve learned, and I’ve taken some big breaks to rest my brain so I can keep going.What do you love most about your role in OD?I feel that OD has really played to my strengths. I’m a very positive person, and I love to explore problems and design solutions that focus on helping others realise their potential. I get to support leaders in considering how they can get the best out of their teams and each other. And I get to be creative in my messaging and delivery to bring the work to life across NZ Post. So much of what I do is about story-telling and helping people understand what great looks like. What challenges did you experience with the change and how did you overcome them?I felt imposter syndrome very quickly. Would people be questioning why I’m in the role all the time? I had a very supportive leader who coached me through this transition, and I don’t think I would have had or taken the opportunity without someone observing me in action and knowing what I was capable of.Another change I’ve had to adjust to is setting the work plan and then delivering that – the role covers strategy and design as well as delivery, but I’m the subject matter expert. In comms, there’s often a team working on something that needs comms support that you can bounce off. In my role, I’m often bouncing with myself, which can be tricky and a bit lonely. I’ve started to approach people from other companies as well as my peers in the People and OD team to ensure I create a community of practice. Any advice to others who may be looking to make a change?Look at what your strengths are and become really good at making those show up in how you interact with others and the work you produce. Reflect on your own career highs and lows and think about what roles you’ve done that have made you feel great and why – and what roles made you feel like you weren’t and why. Get feedback from multiple sources about where you can improve and what they think you’d be good at to get some data points to help you navigate possible options. I’ve really enjoyed a UK-based company called Amazing If, who wrote the Squiggly Career – that book and their podcasts and materials are awesome for considering where you could go in your own career.Career change inspirationAmanda King’s journey is a powerful reminder of the value of transferable skills, resilience and embracing change. By staying curious, tapping into her communications expertise and maintaining a growth mindset, she successfully transitioned into a new field. Her story encourages professionals to reflect on their strengths, embrace opportunities for growth – and remain open to unexpected career paths. If you are currently treading a career change path or are considering your next steps, or already know what you want in your next role, get in touch with the Beyond Recruitment team today – we’d love to help you.

Published Date: 30th September 2024​Given the current job market, which features a higher level of restructuring activity, maintaining good relationships is critical for the long-term success of both hiring and finding a job. Relationships, however, are being somewhat marginalised in favour of a reactive approach to hiring when hiring managers who are under pressure are tempted to rush through the recruitment process. Not only is a rushed process more likely to lead to the wrong hire, but it also makes life challenging for candidates as well. Briefing a recruiter effectively isn’t a one-off task; it’s part of an ongoing mutual exchange between hiring managers and recruiters.Understanding how collaboration with recruiters works can help hiring managers find the excellent people they want for their team and help job seekers understand where they stand in the application process. I’ll explain why trust is the critical element at the heart of it all. Transactional Recruitment is Hurting Hiring ManagersAs recruiters, our work involves much more than finding a few candidates and presenting them to hiring managers. Before that, we do the research to understand your team, your work, and your goals to help you find the right talent. This approach benefits both employers and candidates.You may be surprised at how often the partnership between the hiring manager and recruiter goes off track when the legwork and thorough screening aren't done upfront. We’re seeing a lot of transactional recruitment because organisations are rushing to fill roles, resulting in poor hires.A transactional recruitment process typically starts with a limited brief and an urgent turnaround time, which can make recruitment feel like an afterthought. There's a lack of upfront information, forcing us to guess what the hiring manager really needs, especially when they aren’t clear themselves. … and the Candidate Experience is SufferingTransactional recruitment without strong relationships often leads to a hidden issue for organisations: a poor candidate experience.Many organisations are simply failing to respond to job applications, let alone give feedback – and it leaves a really bad impression. This issue is especially relevant now, given the current job market. Hiring managers are inundated with hundreds of applications and simply don’t have the time to filter and process them. As recruiters, it’s our responsibility to uphold the reputation of our clients by ensuring a positive candidate experience. Otherwise, it becomes a reputational risk for employers – especially in smaller communities like Wellington, where word spreads quickly. We are ultimately brand ambassadors for employers.When employers bring us in from the start, hand off the recruitment process, and trust us to manage it until it’s time to make the final decision, candidates receive the high-touch communication they need.Briefing a Recruiter Requires TrustCommunication and time are key to elevating your relationship with a recruiter from transactional to consultative. For any organisation hiring senior and specialist talent, being proactive will win out over being reactive every time. In practice, that means engaging with your recruiter before an urgent hiring need arises, even with casual coffee catch-ups. These informal interactions are what give hiring managers more breathing space to determine their priorities and build a genuine relationship with their recruiter. To make it work, maintaining a single point of contact is ideal. Having a single recruiter oversee your recruitment process ensures that their accountability is clear from start to finish. You’ll get greater focus and commitment, leading to higher-quality placements.With a well-established bond, the next step is to develop a job brief that has everyone on the same page. Adding a little more detail into a brief and allowing the recruiter enough time to manage the process thoroughly (e.g., a week to advertise and a week to screen) will maximise the chances of hiring an excellent candidate.Working with a Recruiter to Find a JobFor job seekers, building a relationship with your recruiter is just as important. When you are signed up to a New Zealand recruitment specialist you can trust, you will have opportunities to discuss your professional skills and goals so we can connect you with the right position. Make the most of them! Keep in mind that we don’t just present one candidate to an employer because we think they’re a great fit. Instead, we run a full, structured process, testing competencies to ensure everyone has a fair chance to secure the role.When working with us, you’ll be given a clear timeframe of the recruitment process, and what to expect for interviews and feedback. It’s a more structured and transparent process. Final ThoughtsUltimately, trust is the critical element in successfully filling a role. Hiring managers need to trust that their recruiter not only understands the technical requirements of the role but also listens carefully to their broader business needs, even picking up on nuances that may not be explicitly stated.We understand recruiters sometimes have a reputation for being pushy, but that’s not the reality for those of us who are true consultants. When you are working with a reputable New Zealand recruitment agency, we are partnering with you – not flicking over resumes!How We Can Help To add the human touch to your search for talent or for your next role, working with a respected New Zealand recruitment agency like Beyond Recruitment will give you more than a transaction – and get you a positive result that lasts.If you need help with hiring for your team, get in touch with me or the team at Beyond Recruitment. We will work hard to build a strong relationship with you, helping you make the right hire whilst providing an excellent candidate experience.