State of the Market | Q1 2023

STATE OF THE

QUARTER ONE 2023 MARKET

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Welcome to our Quarter One State of the Market report for 2023.

Just like that, the first quarter of 2023 has come to a close. It has been a busy first quarter in a year that has finally felt somewhat back to the pre-COVID normal.

Across our business, Find has been busy and has been growing - welcoming numerous additions to the business including Ray Low in our Auckland IT & Digital team, Mike Wilson in our support team and Alexandria Norgate in our Auckland Corporate recruitment team. We’re also over the moon to be welcoming Kelly Merson back to our Wellington Accounting team after a year away on Parental Leave. On the ground we’re seeing Cost of Living as a hot topic amongst candidates, and an election year is always an interesting time in a recruitment market.

The year has started off with the kind of gusto that we’ve grown accustomed to! Our Wellington Accounting and IT/Digital teams both held events in the capital, we attended a networking lunch with the Gender at Work Community, and our Auckland Corporate team escaped to Queenstown to celebrate the year that has been.

The recruitment market in Aotearoa remains steady, and we’re seeing more interest from candidates in international markets, whilst also seeing local interest on the rise. We’re looking forward to a busy year ahead, working with awesome kiwi businesses to place talented people into the right roles.

As with previous editions, we’ve compiled insights, thoughts and data around the New Zealand employment market to give you a front-row look at what we’re seeing.

We hope you enjoy, and look forward to working with you closer in 2023, On behalf of the Find Recruitment group, Ngā mihi, Rob

Woodward

Rob Woodward Director, Find Recruitment

To celebrate reaching 7,000 connections on LinkedIn, we’re giving away a $500 dining experience in your nearest city! To enter, simply visit our website and enter through our competition form, or click the button below to go into the draw to win.

Entry is easy and you can enter as many times as you like throughout the month of April! Simply fill out the competition form for each friend you’d like to refer, and you’re in the draw to win!

We’re renewing our commitment to keeping Aotearoa clean, green & beautiful.

We are now a Positive Business! We’re delighted to announce the launch of our partnership with the passionate team at CarbonInvoice™ to take meaningful and immediate action for our environment.

On your next invoice, you will see a line item informing you about the positive impact of your project. Every time you receive an invoice from us, CarbonInvoice calculates the emissions produced from the work we have done for you and then they plant native trees locally in New Zealand to remove the emissions generated from us working together.

We cover the cost of the carbon removal. You don’t need to do anything extra - except pay the invoice, of course! We are delighted you have chosen to partner with us as we make steps towards a greener planet just by choosing to work with us.

As you’ll know, we’re doers at Find. We tried the traditional consultant-based certification route, and spent money trying to reduce our carbon emissions. Ultimately this didn’t make the impact we felt it should. With CarbonInvoice, we’re proud to say we’re making an impact, and are rolling this out across our entire business right now.

Following a successful trial with CarbonInvoice, we’re proud to say we’ve funded the planting of 101 trees so far, with many more to come!

(Approx 810 in the next 12 months!)

“Congratulations to the team at Find Recruitment for their leadership, action and becoming a Positive Business. We are proud to help Find continue to live their values and have a positive impact for them and their clients.”

Who are the team at CarbonInvoice?

A local NZ-based startup, CarbonInvoice is supporting professional services businesses in Aotearoa, Australia, and the United Kingdom to deliver on eco-goals and offset carbon emissions.

Looking for the easiest way to start your climate journey? Look no further, you can sign up here.

You’ll start to see the CarbonInvoice Positive Business badge appearing across our website, business proposals and much more!

Carlos Chambers, CEO & Co-Founder CarbonInvoice

Changing the Gender narrative in Aotearoa

In 2022, the Find Recruitment Group proudly joined up with the Gender at Work community and took the GenderPledge. Committed to increasing awareness of equity and tolerance across our business and clients, we’re proud to now present a series of key questions that we’ve posed to the educated minds of the Gender at Work community.

The theme of International Women’s Day this year is #DigitALL. What does this mean to you?

There are two different, equally important, angles on this year’s theme. First, #digitALL is about working towards ensuring that digital and online spaces are free from harm and violence. Social media can be levelling, in that everyone can have a platform and therefore, a voice, which can be empowering. However, online spaces can also harbour some nasty behaviour. Like in the offline ‘real’ world, we need to seriously address the level of online violent behaviour that is targeted towards women and girls.

DigitALL is also about ensuring equitable opportunities for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). While there has been some progress in this sector, there is still a long way to go, with women only making up around a quarter of professional IT roles, and less than 1 in 20 girls consider a career in STEM, compared to 1 in 5 boys. We need to see much more visible steps taken to address this disparity.

What do you believe employers can do better to eliminate gender biases within the workplace?

Knowledge is power, once we know the problem or that certain biases exist, we can then address them. Having said that, not knowing is no longer a valid argument. There is so much information freely available now on gender biases in the workplace, the impact of these biases, and how to address them, that all workplaces should be aware and taking active steps to address them. There are many steps businesses can take, such as measuring their gender and ethnic pay gap and offering unconscious bias training. But if businesses want to make real change, they should get in touch with our Gender at Work team, who can provide advice on initiatives that can be introduced to address gender equity.

What is the goal of the Gender at Work community?

At Gender at Work we invite organisations of all sizes, industries, and sectors to be part of a movement progressing gender equity at work across Aotearoa. Gender at Work includes our GenderTick accredited organisations, as well as organisations who for them, GenderTick might be aspirational. The aim for Gender at Work is to bring together organisations who are committed to addressing gender equity in their workplaces.

Dellwyn Stuart, CEO YWCA

Dellwyn is passionate about gender equality and wants to amplify the voices of young women. She has over 30 year’s experience in both corporate and private business, has led a family foundation (the Stevenson Foundation) and a major charity (Cure Kids). Among her governance roles she has served on the Board of Philanthropy NZ. In 2017, Dellwyn founded New Zealand’s first Women’s Fund.

What sort of things do you see that are often misconstrued as helpful to empowering women, but often actually aren’t?

There is sometimes a focus on ‘fixing the woman’, such as leadership courses that focus on improving women’s confidence. However, the problem doesn’t lie with women, the problem is the system. If women have a confidence problem, it is as a result from repeatedly hitting their head on the glass ceiling, or working in organisations where discrimination remains unaddressed. To be gender equitable, organisations need to take a holistic approach, that involves formal and informal practices across the business, and involves all employees.

What sort of behaviours should companies begin to exude to achieve gender equity? How do you think this can be made more openly obvious?

Fundamentally, gender equity is about being fair. The barriers that each person faces are unique, depending on the intersections of gender with race, ethnicity, religion, class, ability, sexuality and other identity markers. So a blanket, one-off diversity policy approach won’t necessarily be effective. However, if an organisation focuses on providing a workplace that is fair for all their employees, then that will more likely translate into open and transparent behaviour that embraces equity.

Mindthegap has been a big project that the Gender at Work community has helped to drive, encouraging employers towards pay transparency. Many employers are uncomfortable with this trend. Do you have any insight or thoughts into how it actually affects business performance?

We know that most businesses find pay gaps when they do the simple analysis involved. They haven’t set out to discriminate, but it is there. The good news is that even when we have seen organisations report large gender pay gaps – eg 30% - they have been celebrated for being honest and starting on the journey to fix them.

Transparency is a key value in our lives today and we are seeing more and more employers put a pay bracket on their job ads. Job seekers are very positive about this trend as it signals fairness and improves loyalty.

Moving towards greater pay transparency is the direction the world is going in and we shouldn’t be afraid of it in Aotearoa. We have strong privacy laws that will guide a respectful implementation of what is long overdue here.

Press Release: Mark Harper appointed Recruitment Director

FIND ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW APPOINTMENT!

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our very own Mark Harper to the position of Recruitment Director for Find Recruitment Wellington Limited. This well deserved appointment will see Mark take up leadership of our Wellington Corporate team - bringing together the Accounting and Corporate groups into one formalised team.

For over eight years Mark has worked tirelessly to promote Find Recruitment and its values to our clients and candidates and has achieved incredible success, first as a Senior Recruitment Consultant and subsequently as the Manager of the Accounting Recruitment team.

Mark’s prior success in corporate (non-accounting recruitment) in a role pre-Find further amplifies our faith in him and he is looking forward to revisiting the sector and helping our recruitment team grow and develop.

This new role recognises the success and commitment Mark has made to Find Recruitment and reflects our confidence that he will use his energy, impeccable leadership skills and keen client focus to grow the Accounting and Corporate businesses further.

Mark will continue to be supported in his role by his talented team of recruiters, as well as by Rob Woodward and Julian Greaves who will be focusing on both client relationship management and executive recruitment within the team.

This is an exciting time in our journey towards delivering truly exceptional outcomes to clients and finding amazing candidates nationwide!

Congratulations Mark!

Maintaining your remote culture.

Ah, building and maintaining a remote team culture, what a fun challenge! While working remotely has its perks, like no dress code and the ability to work from your couch, it can be tough to maintain a sense of team spirit. But don't worry, I've got some tips to help you out!

First, building a remote team culture starts with communication. Make sure everyone is on the same page about the company's goals and values, and encourage open and honest communication between team members. And don't be afraid to have a little fun with it - throw in some emojis or GIFs to lighten the mood!

Next, it's important to find ways to keep the team connected. Set up regular video calls or chat channels for team members to touch base and socialize. You can also plan virtual team-building activities, like trivia games or online happy hours, to help build a sense of camaraderie.

Now, onto preserving the remote team culture you've worked so hard to build. Remember to recognise and celebrate team members' accomplishments, even if it's just with a virtual high-five. And don't forget to have some fun! Incorporate inside jokes or share funny stories to keep things light-hearted.

Lastly, maintaining a remote team culture means staying adaptable. As your team grows and changes, be open to new ideas and ways of doing things. And if something isn't working, don't be afraid to pivot and try something new.

So there you have it, folks! Building, preserving, and maintaining a remote team culture may seem daunting, but with good communication, connection, recognition, and adaptability, you can create a fun and supportive work environment no matter where your team is located.

Pete Thompson Director Find IT Recruitment Auckland

A strong start to a strong year.

2023 has got off to a busy start for our Wellington Tech team and for the first time in over 5 years we are starting to see strong tech candidates coming into the market, this appears to mainly be due to the fact NZ businesses are kicking off restructures which are following the trend of global restructuring and a refreshed drive for efficiency.

Sadly, a job loss is a significant life event that can be emotionally and financially challenging. If you or someone you know has been made redundant, it is essential to seek help and advice to navigate the process of finding a new job and there are plenty of people and organisations around NZ that are willing to help and that includes the team at Find Recruitment.

If you have been made redundant or someone you know has, we have created some tips that will hopefully help you in your job search;

Creating a strong resume and cover letter is essential to a secure a new role in the tech sector. Technical job seekers need to ensure that their CV and cover letter showcase their technical skills and experience. We strongly advise job seekers to tailor their CV and cover letter to each job they apply for and highlight the relevant experience and technical knowledge.

Preparing for technical interviews is also critical in securing a new job. Technical interviews often involve technical questions and coding challenges. We always encourage our candidates to research the company and prepare answers to common technical interview questions.

You should also practice coding challenges and problem-solving exercises with friends or family members and role play mock interviews. If you haven’t interviewed for quite some time suddenly being thrust into a formal interview situation is daunting, the more prep you can do the better you will fare.

Finally, it is essential to maintain a positive attitude and persevere in your job search. It is essential to stay motivated and focused. We always encourage candidates to stay connected with their professional network and to reach out to recruiters and hiring managers for advice.

If you want to discuss your approach to your job search or need any help with reviewing your CV please click the button below and one of our team will be in touch.

Click here for more!

Josh Rea ICT Practice Manager Find IT Recruitment Wellington

Celebrating Exceptional Women

#IWD2023

Recognised annually across the globe, International Women’s Day is a routine celebration of fantastic women from every corner of the world, and every aspect of our life. This year the world is #embracingequity for International Women’s Day and we’re proud to be joining in this pledge. Some of our wonderful women at Find have shared what celebrating International Women’s Day means to them, and how they’ve seen their industries evolve over the years.

Below, Sif Arnardottir, Sheronika Shandil, Samantha Morris, Kendall Bushby and Amelia Nelson have shared their thoughts around the importance of International Women’s Day.

Celebrating Women’s Day can serve as a source of inspiration and empowerment for women, both in and out of the workplace. This celebration can motivate people across the world to persist in efforts towards achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. Moreover, it presents an occasion to acknowledge the significant contributions that women make to society and the economy.

It is so important to celebrate the achievements of women and particularly gender equality in the workplace – especially the gender pay gap as IWD shines a light on it. Recognising IWD can help businesses attract and retain top female talent, as it signals that the company values and supports women in the workplace. This can lead to increased employee satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity.

From a technology market perspective, the shortage of women in Tech roles has been a challenge for many, many years. Celebrating the women that we do have in Tech roles raises awareness to other women who may not feel comfortable about getting into tech or on the fence about getting into Technology that there is a support network out there

and they too can climb the Technology career ladder. It’s always been a male dominant area and we just need to keep showcasing women in tech to show it is possible.

We’re seeing more companies/organisations wanting to focus on finding female candidates where possible for their Tech teams and this may be from an increasing awareness of gender balance in teams. However, it’s important for us to influence young women at college when they are making decisions about their career path as it starts with college students choosing Technology as part of their tertiary study.

From a general perspective – It’s empowering to see companies who actively go out to engage female students at College for Career Open Days to hear more about careers in fields that are often more male dominated careers. There are more “women in tech” community groups where women can join and receive support from their female counterparts including be part of a support network for career progression ideas as well as general support for navigating their way in male dominated environments.

It is important for businesses to recognise and celebrate IWD because it is an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of women in the workplace and beyond. Celebrating International Women’s Day can help businesses to build a more inclusive and diverse workforce, foster a more positive workplace culture, and drive better business outcomes.

Celebrating International Women’s Day sends a powerful message that businesses value diversity and inclusion. It also helps to create a culture of respect and appreciation for women in the workplace.

The Labour Market: A year ahead

Being eternal optimists at Find we don’t like the R (recession) word that is widely bandied about at present. But if it comes, we’ve been there before (these rambling thoughts are based on the corporate labour market, to give it an old fashioned reference lets call it ‘White collar’ although that seems very dated in these days of swag).

A complicating factor this year will be the general election which can definitely slow the labour market - Wellington especially. Having recruited for 24 years I’ve seen a few of these periods and find myself asking, will this one really be any different? Who knows to be honest, but if we look at past trends what we can expect to see is possibly a movement upwards in unemployment stats and a short-term rebalancing of contract jobs vs permanent jobs. Yep, it’s a recurring election spat topic, every party blaming the other and quoting numbers and employment classification terms without context. Contractors will be cut to make statistical FTE reporting look good and some contractors will move to permanent jobs for a sense of security through troubling times.

Pre the 2008 GFC New Zealand’s unemployment rate was 3.8%, peaking to 6.6% 18 months later (source Stats.govt.nz) and the last reported one at December 2022 was 3.4%. So, if we do enter into a slower economic phase we are starting from a low unemployment base. Some forecasters are picking NZ is already in recession (official stats take some time to flow through) so this is a good thing – the sooner we are in the sooner we are out!

If the labour market does slow, the tricks for making oneself employable through this period don’t change – have a well presented and accurate CV, work on your interview skills and presentation and think laterally about how your skills and experience can be applied. Build a relationship with 2 or 3 recruiters and keep up relationships with ex colleagues, they are a very valid source of work opportunities and referrals.

So lets see what happens, Find is still as busy as ever with client demand for staff. Recruitment can be a lag indicator but as with previous periods of uncertainty, an old adage springs to mind – “the more things change, the more they stay the same”

Mike Mckay Director Find Recruitment Wellington

Robust Emergency Planning: Here’s what you need to know!

Aotearoa has been rocked this year by numerous catastrophes and events across the nation (not to mention things from years prior), which can leave us wondering; what is the best way to take care of my team and business? While I work in an office day-to-day, are you ready for catastrophe to strike, of any scale, while you’re at work?

Well, we’ve compiled 5 key methods to help you get an emergency plan in place, stress test it, and have it ready to activate when things happen. A robust emergency plan is a crucial component of any successful business. It can ensure the safety of employees, protect assets and property, and mitigate financial losses in the event of an emergency.

IDENTIFY POTENTIAL RISKS

The first step in developing a robust emergency plan is to identify potential risks to your business, of which we found, the more we looked in to it, the more risks we identified! Risks can vary depending on the type of business you have, its location or the type of work you and your team do, however its important to identify the risks you may face. Some common risks that businesses may face unexpectedly include natural disasters, cyber attacks, physical security breaches, and supply chain disruptions. Once you have identified potential risks, you can develop strategies to mitigate or respond to them.

CREATE A COMMUNICATION PLAN

A communication plan is critical during an emergency. We blew the dust off our one prior to the pandemic and update it regularly with contact information of our teams (a number we had their old home address) next of kin and any other relevant information (essential medical conditions they wish to disclose, or arrangements for children, for example).

You should also establish a chain of command for communicating with your team and clients so that everyone is aware of the situation and can take appropriate actions. This also helps ensure that your team and people know who and where to look to for a response during these situations.

DEVELOP EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES

It is essential to develop emergency response procedures to outline the steps to be taken in the event of an emergency and (see below, run them through it). For example, if there is a fire, employees should know who the warden in your office is, how to evacuate the building and where to go. If there is a cyber-attack, employees don’t want to look sideways unsure on what to do next, instead they should know how to protect sensitive data and systems.

Ask for a First Aid volunteer in the team (2 ideally if one is away, and ideally a Mental Health First Aider also). Does your officer have a defibrillator and do people know where the nearest one is and how to operate it?

Do a regular review and update regularly to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

TEST YOUR PLAN

THIS IS NOT A DRILL – well, yes it is, but act like it isn’t and test your emergency plan. It is crucial to ensure it will work as intended so we don’t look dizzy and confused, and its important that leadership is across the finer details so you have a united front! Identify if you need to make any changes in your plan and practice on a regular basis.

CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE YOUR PLAN

You’ll maintain a regular review and update of your plan and essential contact list, but as the world changes and your business evolves, consider new risks in your business that may require updates to your plan. A more modern one to get you started inlcudes the rising impact of AI on our staff and workplaces.

WHAT NEXT?

So here’s a check list:

3 You’ve developed a robust emergency plan is in place.

3 You’ve done the drills, got the employee & contractor participation to ensure their safety,.

3 You’ve ensured the protection of your company’s property and mitigate financial losses

3 You can ensure that your business is prepared for any emergency.

Bringing in a 3rd party professional service can help also. As an example, for professional advice we use HazardCo (this is not a sell), St John’s for our First Aid training and we know the whereabouts of defibrillators at our client locations - such as ASB Bank branches.

Simon Rooney Director Find Recruitment Auckland

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Early cinema would have us believe in the rise of an artificially intelligent overlord. Doomsday robots that gain access to worldwide systems, take over the world and live in a tech environment that is functional and orderly. For some, the rise of AI may be reminiscent of these films, yet for most AI is revolutionising the way we live and work. From healthcare to finance, education to logistics, AI has transformed various industries, enabling companies to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability. However, AI is not just beneficial for companies; it also has a significant positive impact on employees.

IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY

One of the most significant benefits of AI is its ability to automate repetitive tasks. In traditional workplaces, employees spend a considerable amount of time performing repetitive tasks, such as data entry or sorting. AI can take over these tasks, allowing employees to focus on more strategic and value-adding tasks. For example, AI-powered chat-bots can answer basic customer inquiries, freeing up customer service employees to handle more complex issues.

Moreover, AI can help employees streamline their workflow by providing them with personalised task lists, prioritising tasks based on urgency, and providing suggestions on how to complete them efficiently. By eliminating time-consuming tasks and optimising workflow, AI can improve employee productivity and job satisfaction.

ENHANCED DECISION-MAKING

AI can also assist employees in making better decisions. By analysing data and providing insights, AI can help employees make informed decisions quickly. For example, in the healthcare industry, AI can analyse patient data, such as medical records and lab results, to identify potential health risks and suggest treatment plans.

Similarly, in the finance industry, AI can analyse market data, such as stock prices and economic indicators, to make investment decisions. By providing employees with accurate and timely insights, AI can help them make better decisions and improve their performance.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

AI can also help employees in their learning and development. By analysing employee performance data, AI can identify skill gaps and provide personalised training and development programs. For example, if an employee is struggling with a particular task, AI can suggest training programs to help them improve their skills.

Moreover, AI-powered virtual coaches can provide personalised feedback to employees, helping them identify areas for improvement and providing suggestions on how to enhance their performance. By providing personalised learning and development opportunities, AI can help employees grow and advance in their careers.

IMPROVED WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Written by AI,

AI can also help employees achieve a better work-life balance. By automating tasks, AI can reduce the workload of employees, allowing them to focus on their personal lives. For example, AI-powered virtual assistants can help employees manage their schedules, reminding them of important meetings and deadlines.

Similarly, AI-powered chatbots can answer basic customer inquiries outside of working hours, reducing the need for employees to work overtime. By helping employees achieve a better work-life balance, AI can improve their mental health and job satisfaction.

SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS

AI can also enhance workplace safety. By analysing data from sensors and cameras, AI can identify potential hazards and alert employees to take necessary precautions. For example, in manufacturing plants, AI can detect anomalies in equipment and alert employees to potential malfunctions.

Similarly, in construction sites, AI can analyse video feeds and identify potential safety hazards, such as workers not wearing appropriate safety gear. By providing employees with real-time information on potential hazards, AI can improve workplace safety and prevent accidents.

AI has significant benefits for employees. It can improve productivity, enhance decisionmaking, provide personalized learning and development opportunities, help achieve a better work-life balance, and enhance workplace safety. Obviously it’s far from perfect, and there are still a lot of unknown factors at play, however we are already starting to see many of the benefits and positive outcomes impacting kiwi businesses!

Screened by Humans

Sif Arnardóttir Senior Consultant Find IT Recruitment Auckland