RWC can help refill talent pool

The eyes of the world will be on New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup - but will firms be able to use this exposure to attract high-calibre talent from abroad? Photo / Mark Mitchell

Despite the international drawcard of the Rugby World Cup, it would appear that expat Kiwis are not rushing home to join the party.

When asked about their motivation for returning to New Zealand after working overseas, most Kiwis would talk about the lifestyle on offer here and the type of environment in which they wanted to raise their families.

This year one could easily assume that Kiwis based overseas have an extra incentive to return, with the World Cup just five short months away.

With the spotlight firmly on New Zealand the timing could not be better; many businesses are already seeing skills shortages and the talent pool that has been bountiful over the past two years is depleting rapidly in a growing number of sectors.

This is particularly true for some businesses - many hotels are fully booked for the games and sales are expected to at least double for luxury and duty-free goods, as well as across the fast-moving consumer goods industry, which includes beverage and food production.

An increase in the use of public transport is also anticipated and the telecommunications industry is expecting that extra resources will be required to support our mobile networks throughout the tournament.

Trish Mclean, CEO for Retailworld and Hospoworld Resourcing, says: "We are already experiencing a skills shortage across the hospitality sector but there has been no noticeable shift in demand for the retail industry.

"In particular there is a strong demand in the bar-management and chef sectors but this can not necessarily be attributed to increased demand in advance of the Rugby World Cup."

Ideally the Cup would present an opportunity for businesses to "talent bank", effectively ensuring they have the best skill sets available to them by leveraging off the influx of talent entering the New Zealand market for the games.

However, many businesses have not implemented a strategy to use the Cup to attract talent for current or anticipated skills shortages.

The reasons for this are generally two-fold: many already have global networks for such purposes while others have already planned for the additional resources needed.

Businesses that are directly involved with the games, such as through sponsorship, may be focusing more on the networking and business-development opportunities as opposed to adding to headcount.

Robert Walters' International Development team speaks to candidates based overseas on a daily basis. When asked about their plans for the World Cup, the majority of Kiwis were not planning their return to New Zealand around the games. Instead they were focusing on a return over our summer months, traditionally the busiest period for returning talent.

For those who are planning on coming over to watch the tournament, the great majority plan to return to the United Kingdom after the games to resume their careers overseas.

There are a number of reasons why the World Cup is not the talent drawcard one could assume it might be. Many New Zealanders are electing to remain in the UK until the Olympics next year. With ticket sales opening last month, many Kiwis who were considering returning to New Zealand have since put plans on hold in favour of the Olympics.

We may indeed become even more short of skills as we enter next year, as Kiwis who have postponed their OEs because of market conditions decide to jet off and participate in world events.

So how can we ensure we're attracting the best talent to our shores? The answer is simple: highlight what makes New Zealand such a great place to work.

While market rates in New Zealand may not always compare favourably to the British pound, particularly at the senior end of the market, there are many opportunities available here which pay equivalent salaries, with the added bonus of offering the sought-after New Zealand lifestyle.

The Robert Walters global salary survey for this year demonstrates this point by comparing the salaries that can be expected across some of the positions for which we typically recruit in both countries (see text box).

Furthermore, because of the size of the New Zealand market the opportunities available here often offer more scope, broader responsibilities, greater autonomy and variety.

As one candidate put it, "the great thing about roles in New Zealand is that as the workforce is so much smaller than the UK there is more opportunity to work across a much wider variety of work".

Keryn Dunn, who returned to New Zealand at the beginning of last year after six years in London, had a positive experience re-entering the New Zealand employment market.

"I found [the return] a pleasant surprise from a career-development perspective," she says.

"I have a very real and clear career path in front of me and I also have the benefit of work-life balance and living close to my family and friends."

Understanding how skill sets can be transferred across countries will enable employees with international experience to add value to an organisation.

Many of the candidates we spoke to talked about the myopic view employers in New Zealand could have when looking at overseas-based experience.

Candidates said employers often took the stance that things are done differently here, so experience is not comparable.

As the recruitment industry becomes more globalised, employers need to understand and embrace the experience that Kiwis returning to New Zealand bring home with them.

The flow of Kiwis heading to and returning from overseas does not appear to be affected greatly by the World Cup but it is still an excellent opportunity for employers to think about strategies they can put in place to ensure they are an attractive option for returning candidates.

As the availability of highly skilled professionals within the New Zealand market continues to dwindle, there are two things that are going to greatly impact the ongoing innovation and success of New Zealand businesses.

Firstly, tailored and effective learning and development strategies will help employers ensure retention of key staff. Secondly, robust recruitment processes will help employers react quickly to secure the skill sets they are after.

With the spotlight shining on New Zealand, engaging with overseas-based talent and showcasing what your business has to offer will ensure not only the integrity and longevity of your brand but also the ongoing flow of highly skilled professionals keen to work with your business.

* Hannah Francis is an international development and marketing executive at Robert Walters.