Discussion: What goes into NZ's greatest workplaces?

Workplaces are evolving to better accommodate what Kiwis want. Photo/Getty Images.

The final edition in our series, made possible by MYOB, looks at the thinking behind some of New Zealand's most desirable workplaces.

The playful aesthetic of fancy tech startups is often held up as an example of what modern workers want in their workplace.

But colourful bannisters and quirky sleep pods aren't necessarily enough to keep modern workers happy.

It turns out that workers are actually looking for more than surface-level trinkets.

And while millennials - and other younger workers - are often framed as completely different from their predecessors, the reality shows that there are some important similarities.

Much like those who came before them, millennials, too, are looking for development, stability and a decent salary.

As it turns out, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

This creates a number of challenges for employers, in that they have to separate perception from reality, preconceived ideas from facts and the gimmicks from the things that can make a material difference to employees at the business.

Getting this wrong can mean the difference between retaining quality staff and watching from a distance as they wander off to your competitors.

So, what can employers do to ensure they don't fall for shiny trinkets and rather focus on what's really important to their workers?

Sharon Zollner, chief economist at ANZ; Sara Chatwin, a workplace psychologist at MindWorks; and Lizzi Whaley, the CEO Spaceworks, join the NZ Herald's Will Trafford to look into what Kiwis expect from their employers.

This is also your last chance to vote in some of our most popular polls over the course of the series.

Do gimmicks matter?

What is most important to Kiwis?

Do workers want to take personality tests?

Are millennials worse off?

Is it time to ditch the 9-5?