What a weird start to the year! Albeit, in the context of the last few years being the strangest years of my life (… well to-date)!

Recent figures released from Stats NZ, show that unemployment has fallen to its lowest level on record, to 3.2% in the December 2021 quarter. That’s 34 percent below where it was a year ago, making New Zealand's unemployment rate the fifth-equal lowest in the OECD. Employment also rose by 27,700 in the quarter, suggesting that – despite our ongoing challenges in facing a global pandemic – NZ businesses are clearly continuing to hire new talent.

At this time of year, it’s not uncommon for people to feel fatigued and ready for some time to kick back, relax and refresh, as the year comes to a close. This year, with all is twists and turns, that sentiment seems to be louder and more frequent. Whether it has been spending too much time with your household members or not enough time with other friends or families; thinking about variants and vaccinations; balancing new ways of working; dealing with busier periods or quieter periods; not being able to do your sports or hobbies; we have all had something or multiple things that have impacted us.

Organisational leaders are being driven to focus on, and enhance communications with their team members like never before. Whilst that’s easily requested, it can be fraught with challenges. In this article we share a few lessons, hard-learnt, by others.

As a leader, hands up, who is having fun?

The Government recently announced a new round of funding for business support, to be deployed through the Regional Business Partner Network (RBP).

Ken Brophy, Director, K3 Consulting

Like many of us in NZ, I am writing this from the pleasant surrounds of my lounge, with the rest of my family ‘getting dibs’ on the more appropriate working spaces…but hey, none of them have the basketball hoop this close for the mini breaks!

So here we find ourselves, in lockdown. I think it would be fair to say that many of us are disappointed, having hoped that ‘herd immunity’ might have been achieved through vaccination roll out, but not surprised that we are here again.

Ken Brophy, Director, K3 Consulting