News & Insights

What is actually going on with the Construction & Property market in New Zealand at the moment?

Candidates in the property, architecture, construction and engineering industries currently have a fair amount of control over the job market. Clients are struggling to fill roles, and ultimately candidates will go wherever the best offer is. Because of the range of opportunities out there, candidates are no longer staying in jobs they aren’t satisfied with – so once you find top talent, it’s a good idea to have strategies in place that will increase employee satisfaction and wellbeing. Offering more money isn’t necessarily the answer to retaining staff as there are a range of other factors that also need to be taken into consideration. So, how do you encourage employees to stick around? Recognition and rewards Everyone wants to feel valued for the work they show up to do each day. Recognition and rewards can increase employee engagement, otherwise known as their involvement and enthusiasm in their work and workplace. According to a 2021 global report from Gallup , “business units with higher employee engagement achieve higher productivity, better safety, lower turnover, higher customer loyalty and higher profitability”. You could create a rewards system to incentivise staff, hold a morning tea or lunch to celebrate achievements, send an email to all staff highlighting a person’s efforts, or post about an employee's success online. It doesn’t need to be elaborate – often the most effective form of recognition can be as simple as going out of your way to tell someone that you appreciate the hard work they do. Corporate Social Responsibility Would you work for a company whose values and ethics differed greatly to yours? People want to work for companies that do good in the world, and identifying a charity or organisation to support can be a great way to build positive team spirit and loyalty. There are plenty of ways you could do it, such as organising a team volunteering day or holding a themed morning tea to raise funds. Consider supporting local organisations too – harnessing the power of community is a great way to uplift people. Small perks and benefits Not every company has the ability to offer extremely attractive salaries to attract and retain staff. Think about what other benefits you can offer that might be really valued. For example, daily fresh fruit or snacks in the break room, a nice coffee machine, time out areas with a dart board or table tennis, or the ability to finish early on a Friday. Don’t underestimate the little things that can improve employee satisfaction and wellbeing. Flexibility If there’s one thing the past year and a half has taught us, it’s that being adaptable to change is incredibly important. Flexibility has become one of the most sought-after qualities in a role, and flexible working arrangements can build trust and commitment within the workplace. Flexibility encompasses a broad range of working options, including compressed workweeks, part-time arrangements, job sharing, flexible arrival and departure times, remote work options, or even simply an understanding that it’s okay to attend school activities, necessary appointments, or family emergencies. Being open to flexibility shows employees that you genuinely care about their wellbeing and their life outside of work, which is a vital part of building loyalty. The candidate short market poses challenges for clients, but it’s nothing that the one eighty recruitment experts haven’t seen before. We provide a consultative service – if you’re needing advice around retention strategies or have any other recruitment needs, please get in touch via hello@oneeighty.co.nz.

At one eighty recruitment, we continuously talk about the current state of the market being ‘candidate short’. To put it simply, there are more job opportunities than there are available candidates, and employers are struggling to find the right people for roles — so, how does this affect you when job hunting? What do you need to be aware of when looking for a new role? You will have a choice As a candidate, you have lots of different options when it comes to applying for jobs and accepting offers. It’s important that you don’t feel as though you have to take the first role you are given. This is why it’s valuable to team up with a recruiter — we can discuss your needs, help you explore your different options, and then the choice is yours. We want to help you — and we’re more than happy to take your CV to potential employers, but the choice will always be yours. You can be picky about what you want Employers are continuously assessing what benefits they can offer in order to attract and retain staff. So, what exactly are you looking for in a job? If you’re after the flexibility that allows you to go and attend your child’s school play, then just say so. Or, perhaps you're only wanting to work a certain amount of hours each week. There will always be better opportunities out there and employers who will be willing to make things work for the right candidate with the right skills. You should be aware of recruitment best practice Partnering with a recruiter is one of the most valuable things you can do when job hunting, but it’s important to know about best practice. A recruiter needs to put themselves in your shoes. They need to know the ins and outs of every candidate in order to find a role that’s perfectly suited to their skills, their needs and their personal preferences. Because of this, you should be wary if a recruiter fails to ask you in-depth questions or doesn’t make a huge effort to get to know you. Lots of recruiters move too fast, leading to candidates feeling pressured to take on roles that aren’t a perfect fit — and that’s the last thing you want to happen. You will have a perfect match out there Working with a recruiter isn’t just about finding a job that matches your skills or qualifications — it’s about finding a perfect match from the job requirements to your potential new colleagues. one eighty has relationships spanning 15+ years in different industries. These long-standing relationships mean we know the finer details about each company we work with. For example, team fit is important — you may be looking for a family oriented company with many of their employees at the same life stage as you, or perhaps you’re of a younger demographic and would prefer to work with a young professional bunch? Whatever your preference, we will be able to find the perfect match for the next step in your career. It’s a tricky job market to navigate, but it’s one that one eighty recruitment are very familiar with. Thanks to our long-standing relationship with clients and our tailored recruitment approach, one eighty recruitment experts are still finding candidates the right roles that are suited to them. If you’re wanting help to find your next job, get in touch with us today.

We’re halfway through the year and the one eighty office is busier than ever. It’s a great change to what we saw a year ago, but things are not looking at slowing down anytime soon. A big skill shortage still remains across the board, with clients still struggling to find the right candidates for their available positions. Because of this, we are advising clients that they need to be assessing their current approach and shifting their strategy appropriately in order to fulfil their recruitment needs. It’s often as simple as this: clients need to be open to diversity. It may seem as though there is only one solution to solving a skill shortage in your team — hiring a qualified staff member with years and years of experience under their belt. But in this candidate short market, it’s not enough to hope that you can convince a highly qualified candidate to pick your company over another. There are a range of different recruitment options that you may not have even considered. What about utilising semi-retired people? Reassessing work loads to bring on a part-timer? Hiring a student for junior-level tasks? Graduates? Employing more women in predominantly male dominated industries? It’s also important to look at the specific role requirements you are wanting to hire for. When you sit down and really analyse the needs of your business, you may find that you don’t actually need another architect, but rather a project manager or coordinator. It can take a bit of strategy and creativity, but it’s not an impossible task. The one eighty team are continuing to fill job vacancies, and we’re slowly seeing more clients rise to the challenge. It’s normal to feel hesitant when trying something new, but our one eighty team are confident in their ability to provide innovative, tailored and cost effective recruitment solutions despite the difficult circumstances. We’re also noticing an increasing need for clients to be putting themselves in the candidate’s shoes. When looking to attract the perfect candidate, you need to understand what they might want. Remember that you were a candidate once too, but also acknowledge that different generations have different needs and preferences. At one eighty recruitment, we are very people-focused. Our relationships with both candidates and clients are highly valued, and it’s part of our job to bridge the gap between the two parties and ensure that both needs and expectations are being met. Making the effort to get to know the people we are working with is truly second nature for us. As the second half of 2021 approaches, the team at one eighty are looking forward to continuing partnering with clients and candidates to deliver success. It’s currently a tricky job market to navigate, but it’s nothing that our recruitment experts haven’t seen before. For help with all your recruitment needs, reach out to us today.

It’s fair to say that the past 12 months have been a whirlwind of uncertainty. With New Zealand’s COVID-19 border restrictions now easing up, as a country we’re coming out the other side and the job market is reflecting this. There is high demand for candidates in all of our sectors. To be concise, the market is booming — but clients are still facing a number of challenges when it comes to recruiting the perfect candidate. The rapid speed of the market means that people aren’t moving for money, but rather for great opportunities that need filling ASAP. This hot demand means that candidates have no choice but to move quickly. With job opportunities increasing, many candidates are leaving jobs they held onto a year ago for security. Candidates will not be remaining in positions they are unsatisfied with, which begs the question around what unique advantages clients can offer in order to attract and retain staff. The opening of the trans-Tasman bubble will see many candidates leaving to Australia for work. Australia has an attractive job market and lots of enticing opportunities, especially for younger candidates. If the borders open completely, these younger candidates will head off on their OE’s — increasing both the candidate shortage and the difficulty to recruit. The market that we’re currently facing is no stranger to one eighty recruitment and our team are still finding the right candidates for our clients. Our attraction strategies and sourcing techniques make it easier to navigate the challenges that the market presents — so at the end of the day, both clients and candidates walk away happy. Although recruitment is harder than ever right now, long-standing relationships with clients + the “secret sauce” of recruitment = success. At one eighty, we take the time to understand what both clients and candidates are looking for so we can make the perfect match. It's a hard market to recruit in right now, so partnering with an expert delivers results. Please contact us at one eighty to discuss your recruitment and job needs.

Employee onboarding certainly has changed during COVID-19. Truth is, core principals still apply; be organised, utilise systems, and deploy expertise from the business. Utilise Technology Most businesses working remotely have already deployed cloud tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack, Skype etc. Collaboration of teams online enables new employees to instantly be part of the team. Set Up with the Gear Courier all equipment required for the job to the employee; laptop, phone, stationary prior to the start date with online tech support for set up. This should be no different to the first day in the office. Set the Schedule Prepare a detailed onboarding module and schedule for the new recruit. Provide details of the schedule on the first day. This will build rapport with the new hire as they will see the investment you are about to put into them. What a great feeling. Be Prepared for Additional Support Be prepared that new employees may need a little extra help to get started. Set up a buddy system, and clearly communicate who to go to for support. Utilise your Existing Team What value can the existing team add to the onboarding process? How can they assist in the onboarding process? Utilise the existing team as possible to ease the team pressure. Be Flexible Expect that onboarding your new recruit during COVID-19 may take slightly longer and usual, and that’s ok – just be prepared and flexible. Use Video or Phone as Much As Possible Rather than email, we suggest using video or phone as much as possible with the new recruit. This builds connection, but also ensures there is no misunderstanding of tone or expectation. Encourage Connection Encourage connection by setting up ‘after work drinks’, ‘lunch dates’ including one on one time with other team members to build relationships and connection. This will help with overall satisfaction and act like a ‘water cooler chat’. Video is going to help with this. Overall, onboarding remotely is simply a time to get creative. As businesses we have to keep moving forward with delivering projects and services even under these special circumstances. If we can assist with confidentially sharing details of how other clients have successfully onboarded during COVID-19, please feel free to reach out.

COVID-19 has changed the way businesses operate. A lot of teams are working remotely and navigating a ‘new normal’. Our clients are all dealing with the changes differently, but one thing remains certain – businesses will hire again. So, in the meantime, employer branding is incredibly important to build and maintain relationships. Keep Communication High Now, more than ever, it is important to keep communication high. Now is not the time to drop social marketing (or, perhaps it is time to get started!). Share stories of how the team are adapting to working remotely, or how the team are heading back to work under new health and safety standards. It is important to think long term here. Future employees and connections will love seeing the proactive steps you are taking to protect and support your existing staff. Add Value How can your business add value to stakeholders and connections? Sharing hints, tips and free resources or time. Some businesses that are building excellent connections during this time are offering their time free to help people. For example; perhaps a 15 minutes phone chat to help potential employees/connections with upskilling or tips about how to succeed in your industry. Be Timely, and Relevant Be prepared to pivot and adjust your story daily, or, almost hourly at the moment. As the environment in which we work changes all the time, it is important to stay relevant and appropriate. Is the messaging sensitive? Lots of people are feeling stress and pressures, so keep that in mind and be kind. Work in the Now Stay in the ‘now’, don’t worry about the ‘far out future’. What do you need to support your business now and what do you see in the short-term future? It can be easy to become overloaded with worry with ‘what if’s’. Staying focused and working in the short-term as we navigate the new norm is going to help with staying focussed and achieving milestones. Keep Activity Up Above all, don’t fall into a big black hole. Keep the activity up. Talk with suppliers, customers, stakeholders, recruiters, speak with potential new recruits, and keep connected. Employer branding truthfully, is really just basic marketing. Keep communicating, keep activity high, be truthful to your brand and keep moving forward. Feel free to reach out if we can assist with employer branding ideas or have an phone chat with examples of what we are seeing in the market place that is working for others

What will the employment market look like as we move out of lock-down and into some form of normality? “Some form of normality” – it’s a phrase that our clients and me have used regularly as we (hopefully) start to see the light at the end of the tunnel with regards to the COVID-19 lock-down period. We all tend to agree that the lock-down period finishing won’t be a flick of a switch, back to normal and we will forget about social distancing and working from home. No it will be a gradual process which could take months or even years in some industries to return to some form of normality. However in some instances I don’t think we will ever return to what we knew pre-COVID-19 and probably for the better. Based on conversations with suppliers, clients, candidates and my team here are a few things we think that we can expect coming out of lock-down: 1) Not all businesses will rush back to their offices. 2) Most businesses will re-work their working from home policy having seen how productive staff can be. 3) Some businesses will never return to a traditional office space – instead continuing in a virtual remote basis. 4) We will all utilise online video platforms much more given the productivity advantages. 5) There will be more nationalisation and potentially internationalisation of work. Locality will no longer be as important. 6) Business owners will be a lot sharper and tougher having gone through this experience. Costs will be monitored and I think we will see a lot shrewder and savvier business decisions being made. 7) Unproductive non billing, non-useful, non-productive middle management roles could go given we have seen how well workers work when given the autonomy to do so. 9) Those businesses that have held onto staff and supported staff will see the rewards of doing so through their team culture. 10) Health and safety will become an even bigger essential part of any business. 11) The businesses that have focused on helping, supporting and not selling during the lock-down will see that loyalty repaid by their customers. 12) Companies that are able to adapt to the new normality will rise to the top. So as we return to some form of normality I’m interested to see what the next few months and then few years looks like. I’m not pretending it’s not going to be a challenge, but I like change personally and thrive off it. Any other major changes to the way we do business on the horizon? I’d love to hear any specifics about the construction, property and engineering industries in particular. Mike and the one eighty team,

Market insight from Susannah Shackel - Team Leader Professional Support. Professional Support, like all specialisations and industries at present, has taken a dramatic hit with overnight nearly all of our live roles being put on hold. Talking to my clients about the live roles that we were working on before lockdown the message was the same, all roles will become available again but when and what shape is unknown - a lot will be based around when we can get back to some sense of 'Business as Usual', new budgets and the amount of work that is out there. After researching what happened with recruitment in previous recessions (1989 and the GFC) the pattern was the same - permanent recruitment fell off fast and took much longer to pick back up and while there was initially a decrease in temp recruitment, the latter picked up a lot faster with businesses feeling taking on temporary staff gave them more flexibility and was a lower risk of an on-going overhead while the economy rebuilds. In simple terms - Temp = options! Other Client Insights: Most private clients are working at 80% while Government remains at 100% All construction clients are spending a lot of time working out their health and safety protocol for when they return to work at level three. These are comprehensive and some clients have requested extra health and safety support Clients have said how well their teams have adapted to working from home and a lot of clients are looking at redoing their ‘working from home policies’ to allow more flexibility when life returns to 'Business as Usual'. Clients have also mentioned the expensive overheads that come with working in an office - something that small businesses may consider changing Government clients are very keen to get recruiting again and we have had new roles in this week Candidate Insights: As we near the end of four weeks of Level 4 lock down, candidates seem to be much more positive and optimistic than when the lock down was initially announced. This can potentially be attributed to the fact that candidates have accepted the current situation and have put contingencies in place moving forward Speaking to candidates predominantly in the Professional Support space, there doesn’t seem to be too many redundancies and candidates are still keen to hear about other potential opportunities Candidates are however now more open to the type of roles they are willing to be put forward for i.e. temp, contracting or permanent as they realise that the job market will have changed and they cannot necessarily be too selective on this front As I am in a unique situation where I am talking to a lot of different clients across different sectors please let me know if there is any other insights you would like to hear about. Keep safe, keep well and keep in touch. Susannah Shackel Team Leader - Professional Support