The biggest problems for New Zealand businesses - Cooking the Books

Having the right company culture helps in recruitment.

Each week BusinessDesk and the NZ Herald’s Cooking the Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it’s what really matters to employees in 2023. Hosted by Frances Cook.

We hear a lot about the war for good talent right now, and how businesses are struggling to find and keep the best workers.

So it’s timely that Mercer has just put out its Global Talent Trends Survey for 2023, which for the first time includes data specifically looking at the New Zealand situation.

So what are the biggest problems for New Zealand businesses? The theme seems to be overwork.

Sixty-one per cent say too many priorities are distracting their people, 47% say there’s a lack of capability and future skills, and 42% say employee exhaustion.

What to do about it?

Well, the research shows money does talk, and it’s often the best way to get people in the door. But after that, you need good company culture, and to be talking to your people honestly about what they need.

For the latest podcast I talked to Mercer New Zealand’s head of workforce solutions, Andrew McKechnie.

For the interview, listen to the podcast here.

• If you have a question about this podcast, or a question you'd like answered in the next one, come and talk to me about it. I'm on Facebook here, Instagram here, and Twitter here.

• Listen to the full interview on the Cooking the Books podcast. You can subscribe on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.