The employment landscape in New Zealand has been in a state of transformation for some time, driven by advancements in technology, global economic shifts, and societal changes.
As we step into 2024, Kiwi businesses can expect change to remain a constant as they adapt to the latest changes, whilst forecasting what the future of work may look like for their operations. Here, we share our view on some of the top HR and employment themes likely to dominate in 2024.
Your place or ours?
Over the past 12 months, there has been a noticeable shift towards employees returning to the office environment. Remote work became the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic, but with Covid-based restrictions now behind us, a growing number of businesses are enjoying the renewed benefits of in-person collaboration, spontaneous office interactions, and a cohesive business culture that is much harder to replicate in a virtual setting.
Having said that, we don’t foresee the need for employees to pack up the home office just yet. Smart organisations are finding ways to strategically blend the best of both worlds, implementing hybrid work models that cater to employee preferences while ensuring a dynamic and collaborative work environment that puts employee wellbeing, collaboration, and a holistic approach to productivity at the heart of their workplace strategy. Kiwi businesses are encouraged to regularly review their policies around the location of work and ensure fairness is applied consistently to such policies.
Culture kings
Allowing flexibility around where employees can work today also forms a key part of why people choose to stay with a company. With New Zealand’s labour market still tight, a strong workplace culture will continue to be an increasingly important feature of any organisation’s employee value proposition (EVP); forming the foundation for employee engagement and well-being and guiding expectations around how individuals within an organisation interact and collaborate. Our advice to organisations looking to develop their EVP is to craft a culture that promotes and facilitates continuous learning; this will be nothing short of essential as you adapt to a swathe of developing trends – not least artificial intelligence (AI).
Intelligent AI
There’s no doubt to it, AI is here to stay and whether that excites you as an employer or not, you’ll need to be across what it means for your business in 2024. Managing AI in the workplace requires a considered and strategic approach that balances innovation with ethical considerations. As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into business operations, many Kiwi organisations will find themselves needing to establish clear policies and guidelines which address issues such as data privacy, algorithmic transparency, AI bias, new ways of working and the potential impact of AI tools and technologies on human jobs.
The re-introduction of trial periods
Just before Christmas 2023, ACT MP Todd Stephenson’s Bill to extend the 90-day trial period to all Kiwi businesses, regardless of their size, was passed. As 2024 progresses, we can expect this decision to boost the confidence of Kiwi organisations looking to hire new talent. Job seekers are also set to benefit, as employers who may once have dismissed an applicant for not possessing the ideal skills and experience, may now be open to on-the-job training for potential recruits with the right attitude and aligned values.
We can help
Change is a constant in business but that doesn’t make it any less daunting, especially when it involves staying abreast of industry trends and challenges and ensuring you and your employees stay on the right side of the law. If you need support establishing what new or impending rule changes mean for your business or want some advice on the best way to approach workplace culture, hybrid working arrangements or any other HR-related change, we can help. Our initial chat is always free, and if you decide you’d like some independent, impartial, and up-to-date support, you can make use of our qualified HR expertise for as little as an hour, or as long as you’d like. It’s up to you.
Disclaimer: While this article provides commentary on HR and employment law topics, it should not be used as a substitute for professional advice for specific situations. Please seek professional advice for any questions specific to your workplace.