FYI July 2015

NORTH HARBOUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEMBER NEWS AND INFORMATION

JULY 2015

Smart ideas for landing the very best employees for your business

GOLD SPONSORS Meet our new supporters Pg 12

SURVEY RESULTS New initiatives members want to see PG 24

DATA SECURITY Tips for protecting your digital device PG 26

nhba.org.nz

CONTENTS & FROM THE CHAIR

F

FROM THE CHAIR

irstly, I’ve fielded a few comments regarding my piece in the last FYI; “giving members a serve” about needing to engage more. So it is only fair that I thank all of you who took the time to complete our members’ survey recently. We are currently planning our budgets for the next three years.

Quality feedback on your priorities is invaluable in prioritising our programme delivery.

From talking to members and from my own personal experience, it was no surprise to learn that the survey showed that the majority of businesses in our area are expanding and expect to recruit more staff in the next 12 months. Our region is booming and long may it continue.

More worryingly, nearly 40 percent of those surveyed stated that acquiring the right staff with the right skills is a major issue and a potential brake on their business. Again, this is no surprise to anyone who has needed to recruit recently.

Identifying this trend was the stimulus behind NHBA’s expansion of our business

More worryingly, nearly 40 percent of those surveyed stated that acquiring the right staff with the right skills is a major issue and a potential brake on their business. Again, this is no surprise to anyone who has needed to recruit recently.

regardless of what it’s called, what it is about is an innovative solution to some of your recruitment needs and an opportunity to kick-start that project you’ve been mulling over – forever.

Brave the wintry weather to hear the likes of Gerry Lynch, CEO of Mars NZ, voted the best employer in NZ, talk about staff engagement.

Above all, take heart from the fact that if you are one of those 40 percent of businesses that are struggling to recruit; you’re not alone. We hear you and we are here to help. Just like we are here to advocate on your behalf for better transport connections, organise a recycling programme, extend our camera network.

So, see you at the next event?

That’s what NHBA is about. We are your Business Association. We exist to empower your business.

So; read how to find the best employee for your business. Sign up for C3 nhba.org.nz/c3 – I keep calling it speed dating for interns but

Yours sincerely, Kevin Moore Chairman

training curriculum over the last year – giving you resources to support your own recruitment, retention and training initiatives.

It’s also the reason for our cover story this issue, the driver for our C3 Internship Programme and reflected in the calibre of business speakers that we have hosted recently.

IN THIS ISSUE 3 4 6 7 8

From the Chair In Brief Dates for your Diary Events Review Upcoming Events

10 Who’s Who 12 Gold Sponsors 14 Understanding new Alcohol Regulations 16 Landing the Best Employee 18 Crime Prevention 19 Cyber-security

20 24 25 26 27 29 30

Transport Survey Results Legal Security Governance Associate Members Property

NHBA GOLD SPONSORS 2015 – 2016

CONTACT FYI MAGAZINE General Manager - NHBA Janine Brinsdon janine.brinsdon@nhba.org.nz

Editor Anne Gray annegray@xtra.co.nz

Advertising Sharron Drew comms@nhba.org.nz

Design Lewis Hurst lewis@hcreative.co.nz

Printer Trade Colour Print tradecolour@orcon.net.nz

North Harbour Business Association 12 Parkway Drive, North Harbour, 0632. PO Box 303 126, North Harbour 0751 Office 09 968 2222 Web nhba.org.nz The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers.The publisher does not endorse any person, company or organisation that advertises in this publication.

NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 3

IN BRIEF

A beacon to attract local and international competitions

T

he Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre at AUT Millennium has been officially opened by Sir Owen Glenn, Hon. Murray McCully and Mayor of Auckland, Len Brown.

Sir Owen Glenn, a significant contributor to the project, was delighted that the new facility is nearing completion.

“It is my honour to have my name associated with this new state of the art Aquatic Centre.

We are a maritime nation, with abundant inland waterways, which we have learned to enjoy and it would be my wish that every New Zealand child be taught to swim before reaching the age of six,” he says.

“I know many fellow citizens share this wish with me and it is contingent on our Government and community to implement a plan to achieve this objective.

“This magnificent facility should be seen as the beacon to attract

Front (from left), Cathy Shaw, Lotto NZ Community Benefits Manager, Sir Graeme Avery, AUT Millennium Chairman and Founder, Sir Owen Glenn, Murray Reade, CEO Lion Foundation. Rear (from left), Bill Plunkett, Lottery Significant Projects Fund Committee member, Hon Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation, Auckland Mayor Len Brown, AUT Millennium CEO and New Zealand Olympic Committee President, Mike Stanley.

both domestic and international competitions.”

The facility, which is in its final stages of construction, will be the new home of aquatic sport in New Zealand and an international competition venue.

“This is another example of Sport New Zealand’s continued investment in a network of high performance facilities to give our athletes the best chance of success on the world stage,” says Sport New Zealand chief

executive, Peter Miskimmin.

The National Aquatic Centre, in partnership with the Auckland Council and with the support of the Lottery Grants Board, Lion Foundation, Sport New Zealand and the Glenn Family Foundation, meets the growing demand for flat water from both the public and high performance aquatic sport.

High Performance Sport New Zealand CEO Alex Baumann is delighted with the new centre and the important part it will play in

high performance sport.

“This pool is a great addition to the National Training Centre, and will help our athletes achieve their full potential,” says Baumann.

Swimming New Zealand and New Zealand Water Polo will base their offices in the new facility along with Paralympics New Zealand, which will operate its high performance programmes at the centre.

The facility will also expand AUT Millennium’s award winning Swim School and Water Safety programmes, as well as aquatic sports and public swimming.

AUT Millennium chief executive and New Zealand Olympic Committee president, Mike Stanley, says the centre is an excellent example of strong partnerships working together to meet both local and national needs.

The centre is due for completion in August.

YOUR FINANCIAL SECURITY IS OUR PEACE OF MIND Life’s path is subject to change and the changing of family’s needs impact not only on day-to-day money matters, but also stress the importance to plan for how to protect loved ones’ financial futures.

We are passionate about helping people to plan for their future.

We specialise in personal service, offering our clients peace of mind by protecting the financial security of their families through personal insurance cover.

Neil Tuffin CA AFA

We can help you chart your course to obtain cost effective insurance.

To arrange a meeting please contact us on: P. 09 414 6078 M. 021 0844 2524 E. ptuffin@maat.co.nz

Paul Tuffin RFA

IN BRIEF

Local exporter wins Auckland export award Albany based Imake has won a major Auckland export award.

I

make, which exports brands which allow people to make handcrafted cheese, sausages, cider, beer, spirits at home, has won the BDO Food & Beverage Exporter of the Year Award at the Air New Zealand Cargo Auckland Export Awards.

The company, which was one of 25 finalists in seven categories and beat three other finalists in the food & beverage category, was presented the award by Robert Foster, partner of BDO, for its export sales in DIY food and beverage brands; Mad Millie, Mangrove Jack’s, Still Spirits and its newest – Grainfather.

It launched this new brand into the United States market recently at the AHA National Homebrew Conference and went into the United States following

successful launches in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe in less than a year.

A statement from the company says it is taking on the brewing industry and redefining homebrew as something that can achieve craft beer status all over the world. “Demand for this grows as the craft beer craze takes the world by storm,” the company says.

Imake’s art began in a single homebrew store in Petone, Wellington more than 20 years ago. Led by Kiwi Peter Eastwood, it has since grown into a wholesaler, distributor and retailer and moved to Auckland where it is now based in Albany. It has a second office in Brisbane, Australia and warehouses in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Imake uses a mixture of its own warehouses plus distributors to ensure a global coverage. Its biggest export markets are Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom respectively.

Victoria Eastwood, General Manager, Ingrid Allsop, Design Manager, Saskia Thornton, Marketing Manager, Nicki Dainty, Product Manager, Anabelle Boret, Technical Manager, Matt Blackwood, Purchasing Manager.

Clinton McClean, Operations Manager, Peter Eastwood, Managing Director, Jean Markarian, Finance Manager, Barry Cowen, International Sales Manager, Matt Blackwood, Purchasing Manager.

54

IN BRIEF

6 3

BY THE NUMBERS

Diary Dates July

August

15 C3 Connect. Communicate.

Collaborate.

10 Certificate in Small Business Management

Some top level figures from our June Member Survey. Here is what we know about our local businesses.

BUSINESSES ARE PRIMARILY SMEs

70%

of businesses

have 20 employees or less.

SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NATIONWIDE COMPANIES

66%

are nationwide

businesses and 23% of businesses are local businesses. The remaining are exporting or export focused.

MASSEY UNIVERSITY, ALBANY CAMPUS

NHBA and Massey University are working in partnership to launch a new event that will help you to meet and engage with potential interns or employees. Come meet students that are eager to work, learn and share their knowledge. Reserve a free space for your business today.

Time: 3–5 pm REGISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL register online nhba.org.nz/c3

20 Certificate in Money Management TRAINING SEMINARS

VAST MAJORITY OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE WELL ESTABLISHED

46%

of businesses

are in the growth phase of business, 44% in the mature phase of business with 10% in the start up phase.

MAIN BUSINESS CHALLENGES

44.19%

rated

The Certificate in Money Management (level 3) NZQA approved course for people who wish to manage their money and grow their personal wealth. CMM covers banking, insurance, estate planning, property ownership, sharemarket investment, buying a business and is free for all NZ residents. CMM is fun, practical, informative and is enrolling now for a start in the third week of July this year. The programme runs one night a week at 6pm in Albany for 20 weeks and finishes at the end of November 2015.

If you wish to become financially independent and plan for your future, (for free) please go to pennysworth.co.nz or contact Bill on 021904977.

24 NHBA Women in Business

local competition as the

ANNAH STRETTON @ AUT MILLENIUM

main business challenge.

A fashion designer and entrepreneur with a social conscience, guest speaker Annah Stretton is one of New Zealand’s leading business entrepreneurs. Annah has a creative presence in the fashion world and is now offering her experience, insight and unique life story as a speaker.

Time: 10.30am–12.00pm nhba.org.nz/events

YOUR PRIORITIES

45%

rated crime

prevention programmes as the top priority.

6 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

The Certificate in Small Business Management is an NZQA approved (level4) course enrolling now for business people who wish to have a relevant plan for their existing business or are considering a start-up in the near future. This practical course is free to all New Zealanders who meet the residential requirements and covers strategic analysis, business law, marketing, human resources, operations, basic accounting and financial reporting. Classes are one night a week from 6pm for 36 weeks and start in the second week in August 2015 until the end of May 2016. There are no tuition fees and all resources are provided free.

To find out more information on the CSBM course and how to enrol, please go on-line to pennysworth.co.nz or contact Bill on 021904977.

19 NHBA Women in Business DEVONPORT CHOCOLATES @ AUT MILLENNIUM

From one product in 1991, the humble truffle log, to a boutique chocolate maker and retailer today. Come and hear the journey of Devonport Chocolates. Its strategy is linking traditional retailing with online retailing.

Time: 10.30am–12 noon nhba.org.nz/events

September 17 NHBA Business EXPO Bookings are now open. Limited stands.

Contact Debra Metcalfe on admin@nhba.org. nz to secure your space at this show case event. nhba.org.nz/expo2015

24 North Shore Professionals – Networking Drinks THE MERCHANT BAR AND KITCHEN

Catch up with North Shore Professionals at their next event. They will be meeting for after-work drinks and nibbles at the Merchant in Albany. Make an evening of it and invite your colleagues and friends. Grab your free ticket early.

Time: 5.30–8.00pm themerchantbar.co.nz

To keep up to date with what’s on please see nhba.org.nz/events If you’d like to feature your events in future editions of FYI Magazine please contact comms@nhba.org.nz

EVENTS

Top negotiating tips from a master

I

f you want to be an effective negotiator, the number one thing is to always try and put yourself in the mind of the person you are negotiating with, Minister of Trade and veteran trade negotiator, the Hon. Tim Groser, told the 100 attendees at a North Harbour Business Association lunch.

He outlined his extensive experience in trade negotiations, having spent the past 35 years in a huge variety of trade-related roles as New Zealand emerged from the 1970s where the country basically had one trade partner and no

Minister of Trade, the Hon. Tim Groser.

trade agreements, reminding the audience that the CER with Australia was our first.

And, he said, over the years he has learnt the human reality behind negotiations – a tip which anyone involved in negotiation could use in their business.

The high cost of drugs Ten percent of workplace accidents involve some form of drug or alcohol abuse, meaning there is a high cost of such misuse to you as a business owner.

T

he need for all employment contractors and contractor agreements to have a clear drug and alcohol policy and an education programme as part of their business processes was highlighted by Teresa Carter from The Drug Detection Agency at a recent NHBA event.

Such a policy will not only protect the business owner but also employees and clients.

She said that drug users are three times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident, are one third less productive and have a 40 percent higher absenteeism rate. In turn, New Zealand grown cannabis is 30 percent more potent than that produced overseas With changes to the Health and Safety Reform Bill due later in 2015, duty of care will become even more important with increased repercussions – including imprisonment, if businesses are found guilty of not proactively managing their health and safety policy.

You may not think you have a problem, however New Zealand and Australia have an horrific claim – the highest in the world for drug usage (except heroin). New Zealand has a higher methamphetamine usage than Australia – not a great statistic. And between nine and 14 percent of the Oceania population use cannabis.

Teresa said the effects of cannabis can be detected from two to 30 days and synthetic cannabis for up to 72 hours.

If you are concerned, there are several testing options available to you. Urine testing is the most common for one-off situations. Hair testing cannot be cheated and is used if you want to establish a pattern of drug history of up to three months.

If you want more information, please contact TDDA on 09 589-1852.

“Work with looking at why [that person] is sitting opposite you – what do they want and then work out a customised message about what you can do for them.”

He said that a case in point was the FTA with China. Why would this world powerhouse agree that tiny New Zealand could be China’s first free trade agreement?

New Zealand knew China had no experience in negotiating FTAs, as it had just joined the World Trade Organisation, and New Zealand had a reputation of being the All Blacks of trade policy.

New Zealand’s central message to China was that it needed to “get in this game” and why not take a small country like New Zealand and use this FTA negotiation as a way to develop policy and ideas.

Successful negotiation is about working out what the other party wants and how you can fit into their plan, he said.

Getting the right people on the team

N

HBA was delighted to host Mars NZ’s general manager Gerry Lynch as the guest speaker for its latest business capability workshop.

More than 30 business people heard about the journey Mars New Zealand has undertaken to lift its employee engagement from one of the lowest within the Mars International group with 40 percent annual turnover of staff, to be the winner of Best Workplace awards in New Zealand in 2013 and 2014.

Gerry spoke about the importance of clear goals and alignment between the teams. How they encouraged, from top management down, the importance of getting the right people on the team, and the wrong people off the team. He quoted Zig Ziglar – “You don’t build a business – you build people – and the people build the business”.

He also stressed that engagement is an ongoing conversation – not just an annual survey. If done right it will lead to increased profits and growth.

But true engagement is only possible if there is an environment of trust and a sense of hope.

In terms of building trust, Gerry emphasised the importance of sharing results – be that of surveys or internal and external feedback – good or bad.

Doing what you say you are going to do will help build openness and provide clarity.

Guest Speaker Gerry Lynch

A sense of hope is built when the employees have a clear sense of where the organisation is going. For example, if the business is only growing by 1 percent, for a high performer that may appear too slow. But if the long term options look better, sharing this information is likely to retain the star performer, as they are engaged with the bigger picture and can sense the excitement and hope this provides.

And finally. If things are not going quite to plan, rather than ask people what they are thinking – ask how they are feeling. For example if people are leaving, admit it doesn’t feel good and that you do care. Be clear that there are many drivers behind these decisions so that those remaining don’t jump to conclusions and therefore contribute to an unhealthy culture. Gerry spoke from his experience how addressing the human elements in such times, often led to process improvements.

The depth of Q&A’s showed how much his presentation was appreciated. Thanks to Edge Employment for its sponsorship of the workshop with North Harbour.

NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 7

EVENTS

Learn from the best:

Devonport Chocolates’ business journey

D

evonpor t Chocolates is a boutique chocolate maker and retailer, a family business which has had great success.

The first chocolate shop was opened in Devonport in 1991 and has become a local attraction with a kitchen where you can view chocolate being made and ask staff about the process.

Chocolates are freshly made to order using the finest ingredients and the most popular chocolate is Rachels Caramel - a delicious gooey caramel with a hint of sea salt. This chocolate is named after Rachel, one of the chocolatiers who created the recipe for it.

Fascinated by flavour combinations, the chilli and lime and Cointreau orange truffle slices have been a huge success and the company’s lemon date truffles and passionfruit honey truffles won gold stars at The Great Taste Awards in the United Kingdom.

The international staff of chocolatiers set the standard for delicious chocolates that are perfect every time.

NHBA members can learn about their journey, what has worked and what hasn’t and about their strategy in linking traditional retailing with the online portal, which creates a consistent customer experience.

They will also explore marketing on a shoestring and how they gained buy-in from staff to the Devonport Chocolate experience.

Save the date Women in Business

When: 19 August 2014, 10.30am to 12noon Where: AUT Millennium, 17 Antares Place, Albany Cost: One member free, $45 plus GST for additional guests.

Non-NHBA members welcome at $65 plus GST person.

More info: nhba.org.nz/events

Worksafe Asian Business Event

M

ore than 40 people attended a presentation for our Korean and Mandarin speaking members by Worksafe on the new Health and Safety Law that is due to come into effect in the near future. Members who attended valued the opportunity to learn about the new law and how they can gain assistance with ensuring that they comply with the requirements. The event also provided a good opportunity to network and to learn about the services available from BNZ and Westpac . A big thank you to all who made this inaugural event a success.

That’s a lot of waste

M

ore than 69 cubic metres of inorganic waste was collected during NHBA’s first Inorganic Waste Collection held just over a week ago.

A total of 33 companies registered for the Inorganic Waste Collection as Junkrun raced around the district, picking up reusable, e-waste and general inorganic items from the businesses. Then they delivered all the reusable items to Massey University where it was displayed for community organisations to come and uplift items they could use.

We are very pleased that community groups such as Plunket, the English Language School and other North Shore schools benefited from this opportunity and items made available by NHBA members included two large plasma screens, office chairs, display systems, mirrors and IT equipment including photocopiers.

All e-waste was uplifted and dealt with by Zero Waste which is a NHBA member. Thank you to everyone who took part.

8 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

Emmy Mei and Angela Kim our amazing volunteers.

3 DAY SALE !

Soft Toys, Gifts etc.

Factory sale of end of lines, seconds and damaged packaging.

Soft toys, gift items, souvenirs and stationery. Leading brands.

First time in a few years and greatly missed by many.

The Antics Sale is back. Clearance prices.

Antics Marketing Ltd 6 Beatrice Tinsley Crescent (off William Pickering Drive) Albany Wednesday 29th July Thursday 30th July 31st July Friday 9.00am until 4.00pm (late night Thursday until 6.00pm) Payment: Cash, Mastercard, Visa and Eftpos.

(No cheques)

WHO’S WHO

A quick catch up with Innopack Global Innopack Global’s general manager for Australia and New Zealand Denise Blake has some excellent advice for businesses which are just starting out.

What are the origins of your business and the scope of the business today?

Innopack Global is the sister company (and extension) of Innopack in China which is a global sales and procurement hub. It was originally set up to sell pails from the owning family’s pail plant.

What have been your key business milestones and successes to date?

Our key milestones have been meeting the client engage-

ment targets we set and then converting those clients into ongoing sales.

What is the best business advice you have received?

“Set up in the Cloud”. Our file sharing with our Chinese peers is the foundation of our business and fundamental to our success. In New Zealand it has also allowed our small team to keep working around sick peers/ children and to travel and remain active with our clients.

What has been your biggest business challenge to date?

Matching client growth to the funds to hire necessary staff – we are all multi-tasking to get through each stage.

What advice would you give to businesses just starting out?

Prepare. Prepare. Prepare.

Before you commit to anything spend lots of time on setup options and potential issues. Do a simple 18 month plan as each six months will have different

needs and ensure you have a plan to cover change.

With the benefit of hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently in building your business?

We would have extended the careful setup in New Zealand to overseas as well. This would have saved me six months of training and brought funds in earlier.

innopack.com

WHO’S WHO

Loving what you do Marty Johanson of Composite Developments (NZ) can’t think of a better job to be in than that involving activities that you love and get paid for.

What is the origin of your business and the scope of the business today?

Composite Developments N.Z. (C.D. Rods) was set up in 1981 with the help of the D.F.C. and an American businessman called Richard Kantner who owned and ran Composite Developments Corp U.S.A. out of San Diego. In those days an import licence was needed to bring in the raw materials to manufacture products such as rod and tubular blanks, not an easy feat back then when you were up against the big boys competing for a share of allowable licence.

C.D. Rods started out in Target Rd, Glenfield then in 1998 was one of the first factories to be based in Piermark Drive with the wild life such as pheasants, possums and wild cats.

In those days we had up to 40 people working in the company and at the height of production the Redington company in the USA was the bulk of the export business. This changed over the years to see Russia and the Ukraine become the biggest export customers. However with the demise of the relationships between these two the past 18 months has seen this business drop to one tenth of what it was two years ago.

On the good side we exported our biggest order of fly rods for 17 years to the U.S.A. a month ago which hopefully bodes well for the future.

C.D. Rods closed its manufacturing facility almost eight years ago and started up a joint venture in China which has taken a while to get up to speed and to the quality required of C.D. products here and around the world. Accepting this move was a tough call both by us and the loyal customers we have, however we have now shown we are able to provide an even superior product at a much more affordable price and, dare I say it, better quality.

C.D. is also a major supplier to the retail market in New Zealand of hunting and fishing products representing some of the biggest names in the industry.

Our staffing levels have dropped back from what they were but in these days of lower margins and the fierce competition one has to constantly look at ways to improve efficiencies to maintain a bottom line.

this has come about through some very hard work by the team over the years. One of the success factors here is that as passionate fishos we are involved 100% with all the rod designs we sell here in NZ and overseas, being rod designers has definitely facilitated this to give us an advantage too. However we are also heavily involved with the reel designs.

Overall the key to success is the team you have around you, without them you are going to struggle.

What is the best business advice you have received?

Work hard, have fun, be fair and always be honest – what my parents taught me – and you see this in 99 percent of successful businesses.

I think this is a very important motto to adopt right from the start so that everybody (staff and customers) knows where you are coming from and what/who they are dealing with.

Then of course comes the second one, the running costs of a business get paid for by margin, not sales.

What have been your key business milestones and successes to date?

What has been your biggest business challenge to date?

Establishing markets as a little company from a small country - including Australia, U.S.A., South Africa, France, Spain, Germany, Holland, Poland, Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, Croatia and Kazakhstan to name the majors. The Pacific Islands continue to be a very lucrative market for all our products too.

The development of the Okuma brand to be number two in the market place today after 10 years has also been a major win for us and

The biggest challenge for my wife and I was when we first started the business up, being totally under-capitalised and always short of the next dollar. Finding the right staff too, especially in the manufacturing days, people on the Shore were not that abundant in years gone by and weren’t that keen on labour jobs in a factory either. Today it is all about being globally competitive, your next dollar depends on your ability to compete with the computer screen, for sure.

What advice would you give to businesses just starting out?

You need to do your homework about what it is you are getting yourself into and really need to ask yourself if you are going to be passionate about what you are doing. Without this I reckon you are certain to go the wrong way.

Ensure you are able to locate the right people to help you on your journey, meaning it is a lot easier to get the right people in certain areas for the right job, “horses for courses” Make sure you have a good mentor if you are a little unsure. Advice comes easy from a lot around you, just listen and take on board those aspects you feel would enhance this journey.

A lot around you have been there and done that. Times do change but the basics don’t in many ways.

With the benefit of hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently in building your business?

Probably as 90 percent of business people say: “If only I had more time to be with the family” and looking back there was no doubt easier ways to have done what we have done together but of course it hopefully comes through in the prodigy too. It has been a great journey for me and hopefully the teams that I have been involved with over the years. I can’t think of a better job to be in than that involving activities that you love and get paid for?

Marty Johanson is the managing director of Composite Developments (NZ) Ltd. cdrods.co.nz.

NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 11

GOLD SPONSORS

NHBA

@NHBAOrg

NHBA represents 4000 North Harbour business & property owners, providing local gvt representation, transport, crime prevention & economic development programmes

Meet our new Gold Sponsors NHBA is delighted to announce the appointment of our Gold Sponsors for the coming 12 months. Their additional financial contribution demonstrates their commitment to North Harbour and their support for you – our local business and property owners. We encourage you to show your reciprocal support, by giving them the opportunity to be involved in your business, should you have the need for their products or services. To learn more, please visit nhba.org.nz/sponsors

BNZ Partners b nz.co.nz BNZ Partners brings a fresh approach to business banking. Its built around your need for a consistent financial relationship with someone that listens and understands, then supports you and your business success. Our team at Constellation Drive covers a range of specialised areas, is empowered to make quick decisions and has on-the-ground understanding of the local market. The Partners Centre is a unique approach to business banking,

AUT Millennium a utmillennium.org.nz AUT Millennium is New Zealand’s home of high performance sport and a world-class centre helping our community to be healthy and our top athletes to be champions. We’re a multi-discipline organisation with a wide range of skills, experience, knowledge, capability and facilities; including conference and gym.

Simpson Western Lawyers s impsonwestern.co.nz Legal excellence and a real commitment to personal service equals exceptional results. The firm is proud of its growth on the North Shore – made possible through the expertise and specialist skills of their legal advisors and their extensive business and personal networks that generate referral business.

Pickles Café and Catering p icklescafe.co.nz @pickles enjoy excellent service, great coffee, quality meals and the best catering on the North Shore. Spacious modern surrounds for your business meeting or function. Soundproof meeting room available with projector.

Driveline d riveline.co.nz Let Driveline take the hassle out of your next business car lease or purchase. See us for free independent advice on vehicles and vehicle finance, all makes and models, new and used. Plant and equipment finance also available. Talk to us about our preapproval offer for NHBA members.

12 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

GOLD SPONSORS

MiIT m iit.co.nz Miit #servicesupport - hear what our customers are saying: Cloud: remote desktop, server, very well managed without issues; Online backups: excellent service able to rely on you to answer my queries; VoIP: superb service, it works better than we could ever have hoped; UFB: Affordable, fast, reliable Internet with a service to match.

Eclipse Recruitment e clipse.co.nz The team at Eclipse Recruitment is passionate about helping you achieve business success through your people. We work alongside you to find people who fit your role, industry and culture. Eclipse specialises in administration, accounting, sales & marketing and executive recruitment, and offers a suite of psychometric assessments and HR consulting services.

Global Security Solutions g lobalsecurity.co.nz lobal Security is NZ’s largest privately owned security company. We provide our clients’ full range of G security needs in-house to ensure the most efficient solution. We are committed to building strong relationships and are currently one of two suppliers for NHBA’s nightly patrol security programme. If you want an effective yet simple fully integrated security solution we are here to help.

Labyrinth Solutions Ltd website.co.nz

Labyrinth Solutions delivers a single solution for managing all your digital touch points (website, digital signage, touchscreens and mobile apps) from one central platform. Talk to us about how our total solution offering can empower your business to deliver a unified marketing and communication strategy for a superior customer experience.

Speedy Signs Albany s peedysigns.co.nz Speedy Signs Albany - located on Paul Matthews Road opposite the Post Shop. If you need a sign, any sign whether for your building, vehicle, event or other, we are the company to see. We’re local just like you and can help your business here or anywhere else nationwide. Grow your business faster with Speedy Signs.

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NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 13

ADVOCACY

Understanding the new alcohol regulations

© TRAVIS WISE FLICKR.COM

Changes to regulations around the sale of alcohol in the Auckland region may impact on you, as a business owner and/or a consumer.

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nder the new Provisional Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) adopted by Auckland Council in May there will be reduced hours for the purchase of alcohol, affecting both supermarkets and off-licences, and there will also be an impact on the sale of alcohol close to schools.

The Provisional LAP, which aims to mitigate the risk and reduce the impact of social harm from alcohol, has regional policies as well as some special rules for the city centre and the “Priority Overlay” which covers suburbs experiencing higher levels of alcohol-related harm.

The Priority Overlay encompasses 23 suburbs across the region. These areas have priority status as they are places with high levels of alcohol-related crime, high numbers of populations that experience disproportionate harm from alcohol, and/or high numbers of existing alcohol licences. North Harbour BID is not in the priority overlay area.

The key policies in the Provisional LAP are: • Opening hours: Regional off-licence hours of 9am to 9pm (e.g. bottle stores, supermarkets); regional on-licence hours of 8am to 3am (e.g. bars, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs), except for in the city centre where on-licence hours will be 8am to 4am; club licence hours of 9am to 1am (e.g. sports clubs), with an allowance for RSAs to open at 5am on ANZAC Day; and special licence hours to be decided on a case-bycase basis.

• Restrictions on the location of new licences: A Local Impacts Report for higherrisk licence applications, which will include reporting on local schools and land uses; a two-year freeze on new off-licences in the Priority Overlay and the city centre; and a

14 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

presumption against granting new offlicences in neighbourhood centres and in the Priority Overlay and the city centre once the freeze expires.

• A Local Impacts Report for the renewal of higher-risk licences in the Priority Overlay to help with setting conditions.

• A range of discretionary conditions able to be applied to licences.

Definition of “New Off-licences” The Provisional LAP includes a definition for the term “New Licence”, so that applications for premises that have traded within the previous six months under the same kind of licence are not captured by the Temporary Freeze and Rebuttable Presumption policy elements.

This ensures that the Temporary Freeze and Rebuttable Presumption will not apply to an application for a licence where a premises has been sold or changed hands. Any business within the areas where these density and location tools apply will not be immediately de-valued because of the Auckland Council Local Alcohol Policy. This reflects the submissions NHBA made to the council and we are pleased it has been considered.

If you have any questions or would like to know more detail, please contact NHBA general manager, Janine Brinsdon on Janine.Brinsdon@nhba.org.nz or on 09 968 2222 ext 204 Full details of the policy can be viewed here: aucklandcouncil.govt. nz/EN/LICENCESREGULATIONS/ ALCOHOL/ALCOHOLPOLICIES/Pages/ helpshapeaucklandsalcoholpolicy.aspx

Albany Highway North Upgrade 6 Months old

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uckland Transpor t’s Albany Highway Nor th Upgrade is six months old with much of the underground services relocation, drainage and stormwater work well underway. New retaining walls, lighting and footpaths are now evident near Rothwell Ave where the old power poles have been replaced with underground ducting.

The signalised Rosedale Rd intersection is due for completion in July, and a new bridge is rising adjacent to Days Bridge south of the Albany Expressway.

Drivers are advised to watch their speed through the almost four kilometre construction zone, with local police keeping a firm eye on the 30kph limit.

The project is due for completion in 2017 and will deliver: • Reduced congestion due to transit lanes.

• Improved intersection safety.

• Dedicated cycle facilities.

• Safer pedestrian crossings.

• Better and safer access to schools.

• Improved access to commercial centres for freight vehicles.

If you would like to receive weekly Albany Highway North project email updates, please contact Nettie Bird on 0800 300 007 or email nettie.bird@ fultonhogan.com. Alternatively you can visit www.AT.govt.nz/albanyhighway.

You can direct any project queries or concerns to AT’s stakeholder liaison Greg Horne at greg.horne@aucklandtransport.govt.nz or on 027 606 8948 or 09 355 3553.

Fulton Hogan staff members Allan Wright - Safety, Quality and Environmental Advisor (left) and Nettie Bird – Communications Liaison Manager, discuss Auckland Transport’s Albany Highway North Upgrade with Year 4 pupils from Albany Primary School.

NHBA and Massey University through this initiative can provide the ‘human resource’ your business needs – motivated, skilled people who are eager to work, learn and share their knowledge.

This inaugural event is for businesses to meet potential interns or employees and speak with students directly about your ideas.

Students have the savvy and drive to contribute to your team.

15 JULY 2015, 3PM TO 5PM MASSEY UNIVERSITY, ALBANY CAMPUS

RESERVE A FREE SPACE FOR YOUR BUSINESS TODAY!

Registration is essential

Register online

nhba.org.nz/c3

COVER STORY

Smart ideas for landing the right employee for your business Hiring the right employee can take your business to a new level, but if you make an error of judgement and take on the wrong person, it can have long term repercussions. So how do you find the very best employees for your business?

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he buzz words in employment circles seem to be ‘cultural fit’ – knowing what the culture of your company is and whether an employee will fit in with that culture.

Your culture means your way of approaching business, a way of thinking and operating that’s unique. This affects the way your business operates and the way it’s seen by customers, according to an excellent article on hiring tips for smaller businesses from cloud accounting provider, Xero. It notes that you, as business owner or founder, have a big influence on your company’s culture, but so do the people you hire.

In turn, the New Zealand general manager of nationwide recruitment company Tradestaff Janice McNab’s tip, first and foremost for smaller businesses looking to hire a new employee, is that you must be really clear on the sort of person that will fit into your organisation. And that is about recognising if your organisation is a good fit with that person too.

She says to consider the sort of people that will integrate into your business.

On any given day Tradestaff has 2000 to 3000 people working, both on short term and long term contracts and Janice McNab told FYI that currently New Zealand has a “very candidate-short market” and she does not think that will change any time soon.

Tradestaff specialises in the trades and technical areas and she notes that in both

16 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

Christchurch and Auckland they are seeing a shortage of every type of employee.

So once you are clear on the sort of person that will fit in, “then make sure you are very clear what skills are non-negotiable versus what skills you can introduce and teach. What are the must-haves and the wants”, she says.

Janice McNab says that if you spend a bit of time at the start getting a clear picture of what this employee is going to look like and what things they have to have to be of value to your organisation, this helps if you do get a candidate, but they are not quite ideal.

Her third point was that businesses need to be really considering somebody that is coachable.

“So number one is the fit, number two is the skills you have to have and three is finding a coachable candidate.”

These points are also reiterated on Business. govt.nz – the government business website which provides a huge amount of information designed specifically for SME businesses. It says that deciding you’re going to get help is one thing, but getting the best type for you is another and business.govt.nz suggests you first need to consider things like: • How much work actually needs doing.

• When work needs to be done by.

• The difference between an employee and a contractor.

• What level of responsibility you’re willing to take on.

• What the rules are around different employee types.

The site has an infographic to help gain an overview of the different types of help available and decide what kind of help might suit you best. It also provides a very useful Employee Cost Calculator to get an estimate of what hiring that employee might cost.

See business.govt.nz/ employeecostcalculator/ And once you have hired you will need a written employment agreement which you must have for all employees — although you don’t need them for contractors or unpaid interns or volunteers. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) provides an Employment Agreement Builder, which can help you create the right contract for your business.

See employment.govt.nz/er/starting/relationships/agreements/builder.asp

Four in ten professionals are turning down jobs that fail on flexible working arrangements.

Tapping into your own networks Recruitment agencies are expert at finding employees for all types of businesses, but if you want to undertake the hiring process yourself

COVER STORY

the XERO article points to several ways to tap into your own resources.

• Use your LinkedIn account: Search for people in your location and industry with the right skills. Update your profile to let people know you’re hiring.

• Talk to local business agencies and make sure you network socially and you may find yourself introduced to the ideal candidate.

• Add a ‘We’re hiring’ link to your website and email signatures.

What to ask your candidates An excellent article from Inc Magazine notes that the most important thing to understand when hiring people is what drives them. “The key in hiring the best people is to look for foundational traits that speak to their sense of purpose, what drives them to achieve, how they deal with failure and success, how they think, and why they do what they do. Once you get close to these, you’ll know if someone is right for

• Advertise on job websites.

• Ask your business partners and clients.

• Use your social media accounts to announce that you’re hiring.

How flexible can you be?

In a tight job market, it is useful to note that four in ten professionals are turning down jobs that fail on flexible working arrangements, according to a new whitepaper from professional recruiter Robert Walters.

your organisation, ” says author Thomas Koulopoulos, founder of the Delphi Group in an article on the six questions to ask to find the best employee.

See inc.com/thomas-koulopoulos/6-interview-questions-youmust-ask-if-you-want-to-hire-thebest-people.html In turn, Xero’s guide to hiring says to give candidates the opportunity to talk about themselves and their goals.

For example: • Ask them about their successes: Encourage them to talk about their achievements, even those

It says that 40 percent of professionals say they would reject a job offer if it lacked flexible working opportunities yet, despite this, barely a third of employers say they promote flexible working policies when advertising for new staff.

The whitepaper, which surveyed thousands of professionals and hiring managers in Australia and New Zealand, also reveals that 88 percent of jobseekers are more likely to consider a role that allowed for flexible working.

outside work. A well-rounded individual should be a useful addition to your team.

• What do they think about your company?: See if they’ve done their research about your business, as it’ll give you an idea of their commitment.

• Enquire about hobbies and interests: Employees with good work-life balance tend to be more productive and creative. Find out what they read, what they watch, how they learn new skills.

• Go for a walk with them: Perhaps give them a tour

of your premises or take them out for a coffee – and talk while you walk. You’ll get a better idea of their personality than you will in a formal interview environment.

• And the final word of advice: Go with your gut.

As a business owner you sometimes have to go with what feels right, because that feeling is the reasoning of your unconscious mind.

See xero.com/nz/small-business-guides/business-management/hire-employees/ NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 17

CRIME PREVENTION

Keeping yourself and your business safe The business community is exactly that, a community and the biggest prevention tool available to you...is you, says Scott Cunningham.

©istockphoto.com

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he school holidays are rapidly upon us.

With the increase in people and therefore customers into stores and shops, there is a greater risk to retailers of petty crime.

It seems to be an opportune time for a reminder about keeping yourselves, staff and stock safe from a very small, unscrupulous element in our community that would take advantage of any small lapse of attention.

Inexpensive measures such as locking your staff’s personal belongings in a room, locker or cupboard is a simple way of preventing offenders entering “staff only” areas and taking wallets, bags and cell phones. Equally, making sure that private entrances and windows are always secured again prevents unwelcome visitors from entering your premises.

If you have CCTV equipment then please make sure that it is functioning, correctly positioned and that you have clearly displayed a warning to all entering your premises that CCTV cameras are operating and they will be recorded. This is a great prevention tool.

As always the business community is exactly that, a community and the biggest prevention tool available to you….is you. If you or your staff see something suspicious please contact the Police but also take a minute to let your neighbouring business know so they can be more vigilant.

Creating a list of contact telephone numbers and email addresses is something that only takes a few moments but will increase the communication and act to heighten the community’s awareness of criminals looking to offend in your area.

Another effective prevention tool that I have mentioned in previous months is the fitting of safer screws to your vehicle’s number plate, and in a great illustration of community, NHBA and the North Shore Community Patrols have

in recent times banded together to further raise the awareness of the screws.

I have been speaking with David Loader, Crime Prevention Support NHBA, and he informs me that they have been out in force fitting the screws to a large number of vehicles within the NHBA zones. Whilst on their own one vehicle fitted with tamper proof screws may seem ineffective, collectively the number of vehicles is

in the hundreds and this, most definitely, does have a positive impact on reducing the incidents of vehicle crime.

This is a great initiative and a brilliant partnership working towards a safer community.

Senior Sergeant Scott Cunningham is the youth and communities manager, North Shore, for the New Zealand Police.

REMEMBER: Secure your vehicle registration plates As outlined in our last issue, North Shore Police are seeing an increase in the number of vehicle registration plates being stolen. The plates are then attached to stolen cars for more serious crimes and petrol drive-offs from service stations.

With the support of the Ministry of Justice, NHBA has invested in signage and secure number plate screws to help keep your company vehicles and staff cars safe and secure. We are offering to fit the security screws to your registration plates, at no charge, on-site at your premises.

Businesses in the NHBA district that would like this free service can contact Dave Loader on 021560287 or email crimeprevention@nhba.org.nz 18 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

CRIME PREVENTION

Why you need an ICT policy You need a company policy that states whether the internet should be used mainly, or solely, for business and defines what ‘limited personal use’ of the internet means if you’ve allowed it, writes Raimond Donk.

©istockphoto.com

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echnology has enabled new ways of working, including how employers may monitor staff; both within and outside the workplace.

Employers can track internet usage, personal emails, time spent on the phone, numbers called; they can track mobile phones and company vehicles using GPS software. In some instances they can use covert surveillance.

Lines have blurred between working and private life; the visibility of social media means employers have reason to be concerned about employee conduct, both on and off the job.

Dismissals have occurred due to reputational damages relating to social networking sites.

In 2010 a public service employee posted political views and derogatory remarks about public servants and was subsequently sacked.

Likewise another group dismissed an employee for operating a publicly accessible Facebook page that denigrated a work colleague.

The interplay between privacy and employment law raises some challenging issues for employers – a workplace is more of a public place than the worker’s own personal space or domain.

Employers have rights that could be viewed no policy on internet use and didn’t follow as privacy-invasive; they are entitled to ensure due process. workers are not acting inappropriately in relation Lawyers Chapman Tripp say the right to to the business, colleagues, or customers. access staff’s personal emails or browsing There are several employment law cases history depends on the email and internet workdealing with employees who’ve been dismissed place policies employers have communicated. for inappropriate use of internet facilities. As with all things fair in employment, it’s about Interestingly, the Privacy Act hasn’t played a transparency. significant role in these You need policy that cases – more on factors Employees generally need to states whether the including company poli- know what information you are internet should be used cies regarding internet collecting; be aware of privacy and mainly or solely for busiuse, the nature of usage, employment laws and how they ness and define what training provided and apply before you go snooping. ‘limited personal use’ length of service. of the internet means Naturally employees if you’ve allowed it. Be also have rights; the tricky part is determining clear on phone and/or email usage; on web where to draw the line. The ERA awarded an access rights – what staff are allowed to access, employee $5,000 in 2013. change or download.

She had deleted her browser history to Finally, employees generally need to know hinder investigation; used the MYOB system what information you are collecting; be aware to run her side-business; updated her of privacy and employment laws and how they business’ Facebook page and created apply before you go snooping. promotional material – all at work. Her dismissal was found “unjustifiable” as the company had Raimond Donk is from Fourth Monkey Ltd. NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 19

TRANSPORT

Have your say on public transport A new bus network is proposed for the North Shore and you have until mid-July to make your views known.

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full review of public transport is taking place Auckland-wide and the focus has now turned to the Northern area. Auckland Transport opened its consultation period for the region early in June and you have until July 13 to make your views known.

In essence all current services will be superseded by a completely new network due to be rolled out in 2017 and the key points include: • New frequent services across the North Shore.

• Busway stations will become hubs.

• Rapid buses on the busway.

• A simpler, connected bus network.

Auckland Transport says a new way of calculating fares will be introduced in 2016, based on how many zones you travel through as part of your journey.

Passengers will not be charged more for transferring onto different services as part of the same journey. You can see more details on this at AT.govt.nz/ simplifiedzonefares.

As Auckland Transport notes in a statement, the new network will shift it to a completely new way of operating.

Anthony Cross, public transport network manager says that rather than just making modifications to bus routes here and there, they are addressing the structure as a whole.

For the North Shore, this means making the Northern Busway more accessible to more people, and also increasing the number of local and Auckland-wide destinations you can travel to once you get to a busway station.

“It’s about increasing the freedom of where you can go and what you can do with public transport,” he says.

“Our current network isn’t built for transfers, which limits the number of destinations you can travel to easily. It’s also focused on catering to commuter travel,

20 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

with frequent services running during morning and evening peak.

The changes we’re proposing will overcome these limitations, by providing services that are designed to connect with each other, a new zonal fare system, as well as high frequency services that run all day, every day.”

This includes four new frequent

services proposed for key routes across the North Shore. These buses will run at least every 15 minutes between 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week, so passengers can simply ‘turn up and go’, even on the weekend. The Frequent Network will be supported by Connector and Local services, with lower frequencies appropriate to passenger demand.

Go online and look at how the new bus network could work for you. If you have any concerns now is the time to tell Auckland Transport. For more information see at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/new-public-transport-network/new-networkfor-north-shore/

TRANSPORT

NZTA Update Alternative motorway plans taking shape

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ince we last wrote in FYI in January this year, the NZ Transport Agency has made significant progress narrowing down the recommended options being proposed for the Northern Corridor Improvements project.

More detailed geotechnical design, traffic modelling and the results of safety analysis work have all been combined with really valuable insights from stakeholder and public feedback to help assess the shor tlisted options against a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) framework.

Once the recommended option is finalised, we will be able to consult further on the design and seek stakeholder and public feedback once again. This will include contacting property owners whose property is identified in the recommended option as being affected, to offer them a meeting with our team and property advisors to explain what the impact may be, and what happens next in terms of next steps on a final decision.

We’re incredibly grateful to all those local organisations including Auckland Transport, Auckland Council, the NHBA, local community board members and iwi representatives who sit on our Project Reference Group and have given invaluable amounts of their time as we continue our investigations. We’re looking forward to continuing to talk with them, all other interested parties and the public in this next round of feedback.

By early next year we hope to be able to do this again a third time. By undertaking multiple rounds of consultation we hope to fully canvass the community, incorporate your input wherever we can, and build widespread understanding of what this project wants to achieve on all our behalves.

Doing nothing is not an option For the ‘do nothing’ predictions make it clear why these plans are so important. They show significant increases in peak hour delays on both SH1 and Upper Harbour Highway within the

Have your say The Northern Corridor Improvements project aims to build a new motorway-to-motorway connection linking the Northern Motorway (SH1) and an improved Upper Harbour Highway (SH18) with the upgraded Northwestern (SH16) motorway and Waterview Tunnels (Western Ring Route).

This will provide an alternative

next decade, stifling local industry’s ability to move freight, slowing down movements on local connections, and making commuting through to the central city untenable for many. The infrastructure will be far outpaced by housing and employment growth. Importantly, it also shows a continued risk of harm to people at high speed intersections.

These are the reasons the Northern Corridor Improvements project is one of several key projects in Auckland being accelerated. By working to timeframes that include design and lodging consents in 2016-17, and construction beginning in stages from late 2017-18 until approximately 2021, we hope to see northern travellers and freight using a new, efficient alternative motorway route and avoiding the central city well within the decade.

We also hope to see the Albany and North Harbour community enjoying more travel options

route from the North Shore to and from Auckland Airport, West Auckland, Manukau and Hamilton.

It will also improve capacity through the area and create more local transport choices, including better walking and cycling connections. There are also plans to extend the dedicated Northern Busway to Albany Station.

including more walking, cycling and bus facilities, with better access into and out of Albany.

The Northern Corridor Improvements project team has an office based in Rosedale and can be reached on ph 0800 NCIPROJECT or northerncorridor@nzta.govt.nz. For more information please contact Sarah Cronwright, Principal Project Manager or Aimee Brock, Senior Advisor, Communications & Stakeholder Liaison.

The NZ Transport Agency will be seeking feedback on the updated option for this project soon.

The nzta.govt.nz/auckland-northern-corridor website will be updated regularly with news over the next few weeks and months so we encourage you to check it regularly. When the recommended option is available we will also ensure

NHBA members are notified.

Alternatively come and see us:

• Weekdays between 9am-4pm at our office at 33A Apollo Drive, Rosedale (drop in or call 0800 NCIPROJECT for an appointment)

• At one of our next open days, business or community events (check our website for updates).

NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 21

TRANSPORT

Improving traffic flow

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uckland Transport is proposing to introduce a clearway along Tawa Drive to improve traffic flow and reduce queues.

The proposed changes along Tawa Drive will provide a clearway between Albany Expressway intersection and Rosedale Road roundabout.

During the morning peak, there is a high demand for traffic entering Tawa Drive from the northern catchment (Albany Expressway, Greville Road and the motorway) in the southbound direction and the queues on Tawa Drive extend through to Greville interchange. The two reasons for this are: • A queue can quickly form when a vehicle is waiting to turn right into a private access and there is no space for motorists to pass on the left due to parked cars.

• The Rosedale Road/Tawa Drive roundabout is at capacity.

The proposal is to provide a clearway from 7:00am – 9:00am Monday to Friday on the eastern side of Tawa Drive to provide enough space for motorists to pass vehicles waiting to turn right into properties on the western side of Tawa Drive.

What works are to be done?

The Tawa Drive southbound morning peak clearway will include the following work: • Installing 7:00am - 9:00am Monday to Friday Clearway signs on the berm area along the eastern side (southbound direction) of Tawa Drive.

• Installing a No Stopping At All Times (NSAAT) restriction around the corners and directly opposite the Miro Place

and Titoki Place intersections.

• Installing a NSAAT restriction around the corners of Rosedale Road and Tawa Drive intersection.

Once Auckland Transport has reviewed comments from the affected businesses, which closed in mid June, it will finalise the design and the programme for engaging a contractor and physical works will start in August 2015. We will update our website as any news come to hand.

Apollo Drive roundabout improvements

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uckland Transport is proposing to put in no stopping broken yellow lines around the Orbit/ Arrenway/Apollo Road roundabout as there are concerns raised around safety issues.

Issues have been raised in regard to accessibility and visibility due to vehicles parking too close to the roundabout and Auckland Transport has sought feedback from those directly affected by the proposal as part of the consultation process.

Submissions closed on June 12 and a final decision will be known by the end of July.

All the details are on our website nhba.org.nz/site/transportinfrastructure-news/news-34/yellowlines-for-apollo-orbit-roundabout

22 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

Are you looking to grow your business in 2015?

Do you need to increase sales?

Do you want to bring in more customers and revenue?

Join BNI New Zealand – The country’s largest structured business networking organisation for small to medium businesses.

BNI New Zealand was started in 1999 and since then we’ve grown to over 2600 members and over 120 groups around the country. In 2014 our groups generated over $69 million in business – a figure that will rise this year. Visit a meeting for free today.

Why BNI?

•

Proven structured networking that works. BNI is a business community that creates opportunities through referral marketing based on trust and giving. Business owners from all types of industries (only one trade representative per group) meet weekly to exchange referrals and grow each other’s businesses.

•

An international model with global connections. With over 170,000 members worldwide, BNI is the largest business networking organisation in the world.

•

A local focus. BNI is represented across the North Harbour region and the greater North Shore. Meetings take place every week in Glenfield, Albany, Takapuna, East Coast Bays and Silverdale. Visit a meeting for free to see how we do business.

•

BNI has a strong community focus. We are a national partner to Hospice New Zealand and annually raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for this important cause which includes support for Hospice North Shore. Our philosophy is that Givers Gain in both business and life.

To find out more and to attend your first meeting, free of charge, and entirely without obligation, Contact one of our North Shore Directors: James Cozens 027 536 3346 Richard Foulkes 027 4955 143 Mariska Mannes 021 418 996

SURVEY RESULTS

New initiatives members want to see Members of the North Harbour Business Association are actively seeking to engage more directly with other businesses in the area.

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ur annual membership survey asked members what new initiatives they would like to see and the option of the establishment of industry cluster groups saw half of the respondents saying they would like to be part of an informal industry cluster group.

It also showed that some 40 percent of respondents would like to see NHBA facilitating deals amongst members and 37 percent would like to see NHBA offering internships or apprenticeships to students. There was also strong support for a commercial property owners page/resource on the NHBA website.

As to what we know about the businesses in your area, the survey found that: • The majority of businesses are well established: Approximately 70 percent of companies had been operating for 10 years or more in the area. Roughly 10 percent of businesses are in the start-up phase, 46 percent in the growth phase and 44 percent in the mature phase.

• Businesses are SMEs: 70 percent of businesses have 20 employees or less.

• Largest sectors are business services and manufacturing: Of the companies who responded to the survey, the largest sectors were business services – 16 percent and manufacturing 13 percent.

• Most businesses are either locally or nationally focused, as opposed to exporters: 23 percent are local businesses, 66 percent are nationwide businesses and roughly 10 percent are exporting or export focused.

• The top three business challenges: Were local competition, maintaining business profitability and acquiring appropriately skilled staff.

24 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

What are your priorities?

Of the services we offer crime prevention was rated as the top priority by both business owners and commercial property owners with 45 percent of respondents rating this as very important and 46 percent as somewhat important.

The second priority was advocacy followed by business networking/connectivity while training and education programmes were rated as less of a priority.

Thank you to all those companies which contributed to the annual survey. We asked you to share information about your business

and the challenges you face, in addition to canvassing your feedback, thoughts and priorities on the programmes we offer.

This information helps us to determine how we build programmes to support your business or commercial property investment.

This year, for the first time, we also developed a separate survey for commercial property owners to ensure their views and preferences were also captured.

We appreciate your feedback, your time and your enthusiasm for what we can achieve collectively.

Congratulations Claudia @ the HubNZ who won our prize draw for completing the survey

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: LEGAL

What is reckless trading?

©istockphoto.com

Did you realise that as a company director you could be held personally liable for reckless trading.

Victoria Palfrey explains.

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ave was the sole director of his company. exciting new products from the USA, Europe It had been struggling and had racked up and Asia and he was sure that if he stocked significant debts. Dave thought that the a better range he would be more competitive. company could probably eventually pay these Dave decided that, although the business was off and was working on a couple of deals which struggling, interest rates were low so it would he thought would earn the company big money. be a good time for him to borrow and make a The parties on the other side of both deals were large order for new products from overseas. non-committal but Dave was sure they were just He could then finally stock everything he needed to compete and the business would keeping their cards close to their chest. take off again. Dave went After several months ahead and placed a signifof the company’s debts Continuing to trade while icant order. creeping up, creditors insolvent (or on the brink of The new stock arrived started to demand repayinsolvency) because of the and Dave continued to ment and the company director’s own self-interest trade for several months was struggling to meet (rather than in the interest but his big deals never the demands. Dave realof creditors) can amount to eventuated. The company ised that things were reckless trading. had now been insolvent getting tight. In fact, the for four months and credicompany was on the brink tors were closing in. of insolvency. However, One of his creditors got wind of Dave’s Dave thought that the deals in the pipeline might come through soon and, as a guarantor significant order and accused him of reckless to the company’s debts, he had a substantial trading. The creditor told Dave to settle his interest in the company continuing to trade debts immediately or he would be calling in and recovering. With this in mind, Dave put the liquidators and taking Dave to court for a off repayments and assured his creditors that breach of his duties as a director – he also told Dave that he would be personally liable for the everything was fine.

At the same time, Dave was concerned company’s debts. Dave spoke to his lawyer and because his competitors had a wide range of realised that he was in hot water.

Key points to remember

• Directors can be personally liable for reckless trading.

• Continuing to trade while insolvent will not automatically be considered “reckless”.

However, reckless trading may be established if a director allows a company to trade for several months while insolvent in the hope that the company will recover.

• Continuing to trade while insolvent (or on the brink of insolvency) because of the director’s own self-interest (rather than in the interest of creditors) can amount to reckless trading.

• Reckless trading can also be established if: °° a director has taken an illegitimate business risk (e.g. the director acted unreasonably or contrary to orthodox business practice); °° creditors were not given notice of or did not fully understand the risks being taken with their funds; and/or °° the risks were serious in the context of the particular business environment.

Victoria Palfrey is a senior solicitor with Davenport Harbour Lawyers victoria.palfrey@davenportsharbour.co.nz davenportsharbour.nz NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 25

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: SECURITY

Tips for protecting your digital device Here are some vital tips to ensure your digital device is as secure as you can make it. By Chris Hails.

1. Lock your smartphone: Use a pin, password, complex swipe or other option to restrict access to your phone should it be lost or stolen. Whilst there may still be ways for persistent attackers to gain access to your device, taking steps to prevent casual use is essential and helps secure the contents of your phone – especially your photos and contacts – from prying eyes.

Check settings to enable automatic screen locking after several minutes of non-use.

2.

Investigate security software that lets you find, lock, wipe or disable your phone: Many popular smartphones come with easy options to help you locate your device, flash up a message on screen to anyone finding it or to activate a loud noise to aid recovery or deter a thief. This may be part of the operating system or available as a stand-alone app or bundled with an anti-virus security suite.

3. Consider installing anti-virus software: Smartphone operating systems are constantly 26 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

being improved with steps taken to patch security holes as they are made public. Although the majority of malware or malicious software remains focused on desktop computers, 99 percent of mobile malware is targeted at Android devices and an anti-virus package is another line in your defence. New computer security threats are being developed every day and mobile malware continues to be highlighted as an emerging risk.

4. Keep your operating system up to date: How easy this task is depends on your chosen device but NetSafe encourages smartphone owners to actively apply operating system updates when made available. Newer versions of software tend to be more secure and your smartphone is a powerful computer that also needs protecting.

Try to keep a clean device by routinely removing data that doesn’t need to be kept on your phone just in case you lose it or someone gets access to your collection of risky selfies.

5. Be cautious about what apps you install: Stick with the official marketplaces to avoid installing malicious software and be cautious about what permissions are requested during the installation process. Does that free game really need to be able to read or send text messages or access your camera? Many mobile malware threats are developed and most active in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Ukraine

but security companies have reported mobile malware being detected in more than 50 countries to date.

6. 'Jailbreak' at your own risk: There may be some benefits to trying out a new operating system for your smartphone but dumping the manufacturer’s system can also expose you to increased risk. Make sure you fully understand what the process involves and any additional security features that may be required to avoid malware threats.

7. Backup your device and the data stored on it: Imagine the downside to losing your phone and with it your full list of contacts or photos from a recent trip. Try to keep a clean device by routinely removing data that doesn’t need to be kept on your phone just in case you lose it or someone gets access to your collection of risky selfies.

8. Consider the risks of using free wi-fi: The potential for having your emails, banking transactions or purchases intercepted may seem small but NetSafe would still encourage smartphone owners to stick with trusted data connections or your home wi-fi for sensitive activities. Investigate Virtual Private Network (VPN) security apps if you really need to connect to open hotspots.

Chris Hails is from Netsafe. netsafe.co.nz chrisH@netsafe.org.nz For more hot tips go to http://eepurl.com/VLbur

©istockphoto.com

N

etSafe has recently published research on Kiwi attitudes to smartphone security based on survey responses received online. Overall, the data shows some positive trends as more individuals and businesses take advantage of mobile devices. Nine out of 10 New Zealanders who responded to the survey now use a lockscreen to protect their phone and the data within, a big rise on 2011.

But there is more you can do. Netsafe has published tips which cover a host of mobile device issues and they are well worth investigating further. Here is a taste of them.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Does your board operate with a decision filter?

©istockphoto.com

By pausing and giving all board members the chance to take a wider view and voice their opinions, the chances of the board making a poor decision are significantly reduced, says Tristan Dean.

I

sit on a school Board of Trustees, which is usually straight forward when things are going well, and challenging when they are not. Despite a school being very different from your typical SME, there are many operational parallels between school boards and corporate.

Despite my experience with corporate boards, I have learned a lot from five years working with a school, both from the smart board members and the complex situations we have faced.

As part of our board processes, we have a regular board self-review – a chance to reflect on board performance and where we could improve.

A recent review led us to reflect on some unanticipated consequences that had come from an important decision that we had made. While we still firmly believed that the decision made was 100 percent correct, we managed to unintentionally upset certain people, primarily because we hadn’t adequately considered their point of view.

We also realised that we hadn’t managed to communicate our decision quickly enough to all interested parties, before it spread through the grapevine.

While we ultimately ended up in the right place, our processes and execution caused additional time and energy to be spent tidying up the mess.

As a result of this review, I implemented a change to our board processes to reduce the chances of a similar problem occurring again.

The result was the development of what I called ‘The Decision Filter’. It was a simple document that the board would refer to when any board member felt the decision being made was in any way ‘material’ to our organisation or any of the stakeholders in our organisation.

The new approach firstly requires us to pause and think before passing a material resolution. It then involves the following methodical process: • Every board member confirms that they have been given adequate information and time to make an informed decision.

• Every board member is given the opportunity to raise concerns and disclose additional information.

• We then consider how stakeholders in the organisation may be affected by our decision.

• Lastly we confirm that board members still believe that the decision being made is in the best interests of the organisation and is in line with the mission, beliefs and values of the organisation.

If the resolution proceeds, the final step is to implement a structured and agreed communication plan regarding how, and who, to communicate decisions to.

While seemingly a simple and obvious process, too often I hear of boards of various organisations pushing through decisions without fully appreciating all the implications.

Often dominant board members push through a decision without providing adequate information, or considering how stakeholders will be affected.

By pausing and giving all board members the chance to take a wider view and voice their opinions, the chances of making a poor decision are significantly reduced. hayesknight.co.nz Tristan Dean is a business advisory director at Hayes Knight’s.

NHBA.ORG.NZ FYI JULY 2015 27

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PROPERTY: COMPLIANCE

Your responsibilities as a commercial property owner Your commercial property is your investment, so do you fully understand your responsibilities under the current Building Act? Janet Marshall explains

I

f you own a commercial property, there are responsibilities contained in the Building Act 2004 to ensure your buildings are safe to use.

If your property contains specified systems the Building Act requires you to have a compliance schedule and you must ensure the effective operation of all the specified systems for the life of the building.

This is achieved by continuously meeting their respective performance standards and all the inspection, maintenance and reporting requirements of the compliance schedule issued by the council. Some examples of specified systems are: • Automatic fire sprinkler and emergency warning systems.

• Air conditioning systems or mechanical ventilation.

• Lifts, escalators or other systems for moving people or goods within buildings.

• Electromagnetic or automatic doors or windows.

To help ensure your responsibilities have been met, the Building Act requires you to sign, issue and publicly display an annual building warrant of fitness and provide a copy annually to the council of the district the building is in.

For those buildings under a body corporate, this is undertaken by the body corporate manager.

The schedule must be kept on site and made available to council officers, independently qualified persons (IQPs) and authorised agents.

If you do not have a compliance schedule, or if your Building Warrant of Fitness has expired, you may be prosecuted.

If your commercial property becomes vacant you, or your authorised agent, should advise the council to apply for an exemption as to whether

30 JULY 2015 FYI NHBA.ORG.NZ

certain systems can be suspended (excluding the fire alarm).

Additionally, we do not recommend that you arrange for the power to be disconnected as the IQPs may have difficulty checking systems in accordance with the compliance schedules.

As an example, one commercial development was issued with a Building Warrant of Fitness, but many of the individual units were not visited by the IQP. One of the systems had clearly not been checked and in fact the unit had the power

What the terms mean Building consent: An approval issued by a building consent authority (the building control department of the district, city or regional council) to undertake building work in accordance with the approved plans and specifications Building Warrant of Fitness: Form 12 - A written statement issued annually to the council, a copy of which is also publicly displayed in the building.

The building warrant of fitness is a declaration by the building owner, or the building owner’s agent, that all the specified systems

disconnected for a number of years. The property owner was under the assumption that all systems had been checked as there was a current Building Warrant of Fitness.

Keep up to date. Ensure you seek advice from your body corporate, property manager or lawyer.

Further information can be found at dbh.govt. nz/blc-building-act Janet Marshall is from Colliers International. janet.marshall@colliers.com

in the building have been inspected, maintained and reported in accordance with the compliance schedule for a period of 12 months prior to the issue date.

Certificate of Compliance (Form 12a) – with inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures: This form is used as verification that the inspection and maintenance procedures under the compliance schedule have been carried out. They are issued by each independent qualified person who undertook inspection or maintenance of the building’s specified systems.

Code Compliance Certificate: A certificate issued by a council, at

the completion of building work, confirming that the council is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work undertaken complies with the Building Code and approved building consent.

Independent Qualified Person (IQP): A person (or company) approved by the council as qualified to inspect, maintain, and report on specified systems.

Resource Consent: A document issued by council giving town planning approval for certain activities and buildings on a property (covered by the Resource Management Act 1991). This could be for a change of use.

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