PULSE
CHAMBER
JULY 2015
2 3 4 &5 6 7 8
•
•
CEO MESSAGE Amalgamation – it is now Urgent! Another six months has past and we are still in the same position regarding Council structure for the region. If we look back to 1880 we find the start of a division that keeps Hawkes Bay tied to beliefs and values of a fixed mind-set long since passed. A fixed mind-set does not enable the owner to identify deficiencies and modify their view for a more prosperous outcome. A fixed mind-set therefore holds us back. Dr Carol S. Dweck writes in her book MINDSET, how to fulfil your potential,
“For twenty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value.” If we take the essence of this quote and apply it to the region of Hawkes Bay what should we do? What do we want for this region, its economic position that supports it environmental and social position? If you asked all the civic leaders in Hawkes Bay despite their personal view on amalgamation I am pretty sure you will find a common theme about being a great place to live, work and play. A great place to do business and an exciting place for our children to come back to once they have achieved their OE dreams. So if we all want the same thing then is it time to adopt a view for this together? Does this Local Government Commission decision not provide us the diving board to demonstrate our prowess to the rest of the country? Is this not the opportunity to make a stand so that the other regions take us seriously as a great place to do business, a great place to find staff,
a great place to live and a region that leads innovation and technology? What was Silicon Value before it became the centre of the World as we know it? Does the structure matter if we all commit to the same value? The Chamber Team and Board are determined to make this region the best place to do business in New Zealand. Yes we will have to beat some drums, yes we will have to stand tall in debates but make no mistake we will drive a positive change for the economy of Hawkes Bay. Jim Collins wrote in his book, Good to Great,
“One of the distinguishing factors of great organisations was the type of leader who in every case led the company into greatness. These were not the larger-than-life charismatic types who oozed ego and self-proclaimed talent. They were self-effacing people who constantly asked questions and had the ability to confront the most brutal answers – that is to look failures in the face, even their own, while maintaining faith that they would succeed in the end.” Let’s get the process started so we can make the right decision for our Local Government structure for a prosperous regional future that show the regions we are alive and thriving and should be taken seriously. From where I sit and from the conversations I am involved with, we need to increase our confidence, not our arrogance, our confidence. We need to create a culture of aspiration. Bringing people and businesses
CHECK THIS
SPACE
OUT IT COULD BE YOURS!
page 2
down to the lowest common level will stymie Hawkes Bay. Let’s look for great examples of business and regions and learn how they got there so we can apply similar processes to our unique assets for a greater share of the pie. I was excited to see Air New Zealand and Lagardere Unlimited Oceania come up with a proposal for Hawkes Bay, the Queenstown of the North. Now we have another signature event – the Run Away Marathon in Hawke’s Bay. These events attract visitors with discretionary funds keen to achieve their goals and experience great places like Hawkes Bay. Business people are courageous and focused on a goal – let’s lead the way for this region and the country – let’s commit to a regional vision and make it happen, together. Together everyone achieves more – T.E.A.M. Wayne Walford CEO Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce
It’s the perfect place to let your fellow Chamber Members know about your recent achievements & any special offers you may have. To find out more about securing this spot in the newsletter – CALL ME TODAY!
ANGELA BELLAMY | 06 873 1197 | angela.bellamy@hbtoday.co.nz
LION FOUNDATION YOUNG ENTERPRISE TRUST Teachers from a few of our schools in Hawke’s Bay were asked the following questions of what they thought of YES Maurice Belz – Karamu High School 1. Why does your school invest in YES? Gives the students “real life” business experience within a controlled environment and it has become popular, valued by students and obviously, parents. 2. How does YES differ from other classroom subjects? In some ways it is similar to Art or Design. You plan and develop a concept that you execute. The difference is that it is done in a team setting 3. Is Financial Literacy important to Year 12 & 13? Yes, very much 4. What advice would you give to a teacher thinking of starting YES? Give it a go, do it small if you have to, and dovetail what the students do on YES with the achievement standards as much as possible!
Ange Rathbone – Woodford School 1. Why does your school invest in YES? It provides an amazing platform for learning – it gives the students a Real world context 2. How does YES differ from other classroom subjects? (don’t currently teach it as a subject – it is co-curricular for our girls) 3. Is Financial Literacy important to Year 12 & 13? Absolutely – 100% Money makes the world go around!
AE
4. What advice would you give to a teacher thinking of starting YES? Go for it – the students learning is authentic and varied. Highs and
Small to Medium Business
lows, mistakes and wins. Life lessons occur along the YES journey that will put then in good stead in the business world.
Shane Gregory – Napier Girls High School 1. Why does your school invest in YES Because the programme offers real world learning experiences for students in a business context. 2. How does YES differ from other classroom subjects? It provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate enterprising attributes through active participation in a company run by the peer group. It gives students a chance to shine in ways that other subjects cannot. 3. Is Financial Literacy important to Year 12 & 13? It should be! Many students leave school without basic financial literacy skills 4. What advice would you give to a teacher thinking of starting YES? Talk to a teacher who has been running the programme for a while to get a sense of what actually is required to effectively implement the programme. Use the YES manual exclusively in the first couple of years to get a clear understanding of the structure of what needs to be taught. Also, it is helpful to have some business contacts in the specific directorship areas who can potentially mentor the groups.
Ph: (06) 876 5111 www.besttravel.co.nz, www.bestcruise.co.nz
page 3
Rachel Hulls - Havelock North High School 1. Why does your school invest in YES? HNHS has been offering YES for over 20 years. For us, YES complements any Business course, we see it as practically impossible to teach business meaningfully as a subject without the practical side which YES provides. The competitions that YES HB run throughout the year are really good as milestones for encouraging the students to keep moving forward with their companies. 2. How does YES differ from other classroom subjects? YES is different to other classes as its so student driven, teachers encourage, guide and sometimes tell off. There are usually lots of small achievements along the journey to celebrate. 3. Is Financial Literacy important to Year 12 & 13? Financial very important, lots learnt in setting up the bank account even and handling money, not much on personal budgeting which they probably need more. 4. What advice would you give to a teacher thinking of starting YES? Have one group to start so get used to timelines and what has to happen, persuade them to pick something simple and fool-proof at first until you get more confident. Pick a good CEO and be strict on workload. Don’t let them invest too much capital.
Going further, staying in touch
RECRUITING FOR SUCCESS
F
inding out as much as is relevant and possible about your preferred candidates before they are offered employment can save thousands in costs for business and staffing disruption, lost continuity and potential litigation. Strategic Pay recently identified that statistically turnover of staff in their first 12 months of employment was at 8%. With this level of turnover in the first 12 months in mind, clearly getting the recruitment process right is paramount for both the employer – as well as the employee. Interviews should only form a part of a recruitment and selection process. To ensure you get as much information as possible to support your decision-making, we also recommend you use the right ‘tools’, such as structured reference checking and a pre-employment questionnaire as the minimum. These checks can be done quickly and cost effectively. Depending on the type of role and business, other tools that may also be required or appropriate include: • Psychometric testing • Work based testing • ACC pre-employment check • Driver checks/TORO • Health checks/physical capability assessments • Police check or police vetting • Children’s worker safety check (new in 2015) • Credit checks If you would like to know more about what recruitment processes and pre-employment checks would best support your business and recruitment decisions contact a member of the Grow HR team in our Hastings and Napier offices by phoning 06 878 5454 or 06 835 0532.
page 4
WORKPLACE CONFLICT AFFECTS PRODUCTIVITY
N
ew research by Fair Way into the extent of conflict in the NZ workplace found “within a 12 month period, almost a quarter (24%) of employees had experienced at least one disagreement or argument at work that distracted or prevented them from doing their job. That research suggests that the lost productivity is significant particularly as one third of the disagreements lasted longer than a month”. I am a professional Mediator and Facilitator and I also have a significant background in Employment Relations. Having provided mediation or facilitated assistance in over 2800 situations of conflict. The research outcomes did not surprise me but clearly highlight the need for more focus on assisting organisations to equip staff - in particularly their leaders - with skills to manage conflict effectively. Workplace conflicts are inevitable. We have different attitudes on just about everything and our differences can lead to disagreements around:
how to undertake a task, performance, fairness, remuneration, workload, promotion, the way something has been communicated, workplace change and like in all relationships, just about anything. Conflict is a great opportunity for workplace engagement, good old fashioned debate and can help in building stronger and more respectful relationships. Unresolved conflicts on the other hand do not generally disappear; they fester away and affect your business and the Fair Way research tells us that we have too much unresolved conflict.
How do you manage conflict in your business? I run workshops for workplace leaders on ‘having difficult conversations” Helping leaders identify when disagreements are emerging, and providing them with the skills and confidence to get in at an early stage and get things back on track and resolved. Obviously
conflict is often easiest to resolve at an early stage but occasionally a resolution is not found and mediation can help. The word Mediator goes back to the Latin word Medius which means Middle. A mediator stays in the middle, not on one side or the other but working with both parties to help them find a way to find a resolution.
Exploring positions, perceptions and possibilities! As a LEADR accredited Mediator and a member of the advanced panel of mediators I can confidently offer assistance in any type of conflict and my practice covers employment,
page 5
family, commercial and community dispute resolution. With a significant background in Employment Relations I also offer my skills and assistance to businesses that need advice or support on any employment relations issues. Wendy Kazianis: Director www.mediationz.co.nz www.nzemploymentrelations.co.nz 02102379341 Fair Way research: http://www. fairwayresolution.com/sites/ fairwayresolution.com/files/images/ FairWay%20workplace%20study%20 booklet_AW-Screen.pdf
DIRECTOR ORDERED TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMPANY GST LIABILITY
A
recent case in the High Court provides a useful reminder of the importance of Company Directors’ duties and the seriousness of the financial consequences where those duties are breached with respect to tax obligations. Brooklyn Rise Limited purchased and developed five residential units. Upon the subsequent sale of the units, the company incurred a material GST liability but made no provision for payment of that liability. The company was eventually liquidated on the application of Inland Revenue and the liquidators brought a claim against the sole director on the basis that he had breached his director’s duty under section 136 of the Companies Act 1993. That section requires that a director must not agree to a company incurring an obligation unless the director believes, on reasonable grounds, that the company will be able to perform that obligation when required. The Court held that the director had breached that duty and was required to personally contribute $165,000 of the GST shortfall. The Court did not accept that the director could rely on anticipated profitable returns from “stage two” of the relevant development, as a possible source of funds to meet the GST liability. The case is a timely reminder that liquidation of a company is not necessarily a complete answer to unpaid tax liabilities of the company or to director liability. If you’d like to discuss the above please contact Greg Neill, Tax Advisor at Crowe Horwath, on (06) 872 9250. This information is general in nature and readers should seek specialist advice before making financial decisions.
A
significant portion of our Hawke’s Bay community is affected by life-limiting illness, death and bereavement every year. And it’s not just the person who is ill that suffers – their carers and families can also attest to the stress, anxiety and health impacts. But what of the impact on the work place? In addition to a concern over loss of productive work hours, corporates have a social responsibility to care for their staff. Cranford Hospice recognises that the willingness to do so is usually there, but the practical implementation may be more difficult to achieve. The Compassionate Cities Charter, which has been adopted at a number of organisations across the world, may help to fill this gap. The Charter provides a checklist of ten practical principles that local authorities might implement in their institutions, organisations and businesses to promote care for one another during life’s most testing times. If you are interested in finding out how your business can better support your staff and your community around the issues of death and bereavement, please contact Cranford Hospice. We would love to share the ideas and principles outlined in the Charter, and work with you to make your organisation – and our community – a more compassionate place.
UPCOMING EVENTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING When: Venue: Time:
13 July 2015 Hawke’s Bay Business Hub 5.30 – 6.30pm
The Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting is to be held on Monday 13th July at the Hawke's Bay Business Hub. At the recent Special General Meeting the Chamber
BA5 AT NOW NZ When:
22 July 2015
Venue:
86a Austin Street, Onekawa
Time:
5:30 – 7:00pm
Price:
Members FREE Non-members $15 inc GST
NOW NZ the local broadband and calling service provider invite you to join them at their Napier based HQ to enjoy drinks and nibbles for the launch of their partner programme. Come and find out how NOW is
working closely behind the scenes with local IT and PBX phone system providers to deliver outstanding customer service and solutions to Hawke’s Bay businesses. PLUS enter the business card draw on the night to go in the draw for 6 months worth of FREE unlimited broadband with a phone line at home (Subject to network coverage, terms and conditions apply)
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SPEED NETWORKING EVENING When:
12 August 2015
Venue:
Vidals Winery, 913 St Aubyn Street Hastings
Time:
5.30 – 7.30pm
Price:
Members $10 + cash bar
Let’s create a more compassionate community! We would love to help your business to better support
your staff through issues of death and bereavement.
Please contact Cranford Hospice on 878 7047 to find out more. cranfordhospice.org.nz
page 6
Constitution was changed to enable a smaller governance board of 7 to lead the Chamber rather than a board of 14. To facilitate this process the current board have all retired meaning 7 positions need to be filled at the 2015 AGM. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there.
The Chamber of Commerce invites its members to this opportunity to meet a range of new business people. Business in Hawke’s Bay is successful through networks and relationships. Join us!
№9-5555
CREATING COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES
BAY IMMIGRATION – NEW ZEALAND IMMIGRATION SPECIALISTS
B
ay Immigration provides expert help to individual visa applicants, as well as providing advice and specialist consultation services to New Zealand employers and recruitment agencies across the country for both temporary and residence visas. Directors Sally Forbes and Rachel Lishman are experienced, qualified Immigration Advisers licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority. Having both had extensive experience through their previous employment with Immigration New Zealand, Sally and Rachel both understand what is required for an application to be successful. This type of advice is valued strongly in the individual and recruitment markets. Finding the best person for the role offered can be challenging enough without having to then deal with the immigration process. Sally and Rachel have a strong network of support and can streamline the process, while ticking all the boxes, for positive results. If you’re an employer or recruiter looking to diversify and strengthen your team with overseas talent, Bay Immigration’s expert advice can help. Sally and Rachel will advise on the best immigration avenues for your business and how to comply with immigration requirements. Their specialist knowledge and
representation will help you avoid unnecessary delays or expense, providing you with peace of mind and the talent you need to grow your business.
MEMBERS DIRECTORY
For more information call Sally Forbes 021 939 121 or Rachel Lishman 021 404 601. www.bayimmigration.co.nz
For Advertising Inquiries Contact Angela Bellamy 06 873 1197
For all your
Support your local community! Get involved with worthy local causes. 87 Te Mata Road, Havelock North 4157 p 06 877 8193 eastcoast.ps.org.nz
page 7
• Panel Beating • Automotive Paint Technicians • Loan Cars Available Free Pick-up & Delivery • Assistance with Claim Forms Repairers of all Insurance Companies. Phone 06•878 9772 Fax 06•873 4544 307 Eastbourne Street West, Hastings
ADVERTIS SING ENQUIRIES S Please call ANGELA BELLAMY
(0 06) 873 119 97
angela.bellamy@hbtoday.co.nz
SNAPPED BA5 AT ORMLIE LODGE
CHAMBER EVENTS Key dates for your diary. Book at www.hawkesbaychamber.co.nz HBCOC AGM
When: 13 July 5.30 - 6.30pm
Where: HB Business Hub, 36 Bridge St Ahuriri Napier. Ph 06 876 5938
BA5 at NOW
When: 22 July 5.30 - 7.00pm
Where: At NOW, 86A Austin St, Onekawa Napier
COC Speed Networking Evening
When: 12 August 5.30 - 7.30pm Where: Vidal's Winery, 913 St Aubyn St, Hastings
page 8