THE FUTURE OF GOING TO WORK
Together Stronger What’s behind the BID expansion Pg 9
Are you as good as your brand says you are?
Who’s Who? Meet the award winning Flintfox International team Pg 10
Health & Safety What you need to know about the new Act Pg 24
Business Success Building sustainability Pg 11
Community The healing power of pets Pg 22
MARCH JUNE 2019 2019 —— MEMBER MEMBER NEWS NEWS AND AND INFORMATION INFORMATION
Social responsibility Getting involved for the greater good Pg 30
businessnh.org.nz
THIS ISSUE
From the Chair The overall theme for this issue is “the future of going to work”. However imagine if there was no work to go to. Fantastic right? Well, maybe not. The reality is that, unless we address how we treat the planet and its resources, it will only be a matter of time before we all become “unemployed”. Whilst these problems are serious and immediate, they are solvable, but many of us are overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude of the problem and are not quite sure where to start. At Business North Harbour we want to assist you with that journey, in practical ways which will help you to make informed decisions that will help make a difference. At its last meeting, the board committed to include an additional four pages in future editions of FYI dedicated to social responsibility leadership and assisting our community with this. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Let’s all take that one first step, even if it’s a baby step. Peter Lamberton Chair, Business North Harbour
In this issue 4 6 8 9 10 11
In Brief Events Diary Dates, By the Numbers Advocacy Meet the New Board Members Business Success - ICB Retaining and Construction 12 Business Success - Sip Kitchen 14 Transport
16 17 18 22 23 24 26 28 29 30
Gold Sponsor - Kristin Crime Prevention Cover Story – The Future of Going to Work Community – Outreach Therapy Pets Money Matters Government Professional Development - Kristin Asian Business News Gold Sponsor – Spark Sustainability and Social Responsibility
31 Business Success – Abilities Group 60th anniversary 32 Commercial Property 35 Gold Sponsor - AccountabilityNet 36 Professional Development – Spark 37 Professional Development – Eclipse Recruitment 38 Gold Sponsors - AMPM Marketing, NAI Harcourts
BUSINESS NORTH HARBOUR GOLD SPONSORS 2018-2019
Women in Business Event Series Sponsor
Contact FYI Magazine Business North Harbour Acting General Manager Sarah de Zwart transport@businessnh.org.nz
Editor Lizzie Brandon lizzie@writesphere.co.nz
Advertising Charlie Haynes comms@businessnh.org.nz
Design Lewis Hurst lewis@hurstmedia.nz
Printer PrintLounge printlounge.co.nz
Business North Harbour, 12 Parkway Drive, North Harbour, 0632. PO Box 303 126, North Harbour 0751 office 09 968 2222 web businessnh.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.
JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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IN B RIEF
AED Locations Here’s a website that could help to save a life. Type an address into AEDlocations.co.nz and it’ll provide a list of all the AEDs (automated external defibrillators) in the area. More than 9,000 locations are now mapped on the website, and apps are available for Android and iPhone too. The website is sponsored by the likes of St John, the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, and the New Zealand Medical Association, and is described as a “community effort”.
Onfire Design strikes gold again… and again! Hot on the heels of recent successes (as reported in FYI March 2019), Business North Harbour associate member, Onfire Design, has jointly won a prestigious product design award for its work with Chapter2 Bikes. The Red Dot Award is globally-recognised, and also held by the likes of Apple, Ferrari, Dyson and TAG Heuer. Chapter2 Bikes’ CEO, Mike Pryde, said, “It just goes to show that innovative design principles, teamwork and a bit of Kiwi ingenuity can take you all the way. A big shout out to our graphic design partner, Onfire Design, who made a huge contribution to the bike’s appearance.” In July, along with other winners from around the world, Onfire Design will attend an awards ceremony in Essen, Germany, where the bike will subsequently be displayed in the Red Dot Museum. Furthermore, Onfire’s work with Luxerose Cocktail packaging has also been recognised at the Dieline Awards. Up against some of the world’s biggest designers and design agencies, Onfire placed first in the Dark Spirits category and third in the Luxury Limited Edition category.
New Zealand International Business Awards (NZBIA) 2019 These awards are delivered by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in partnership with ANZ. They “celebrate trailblazing, passionate businesses and people who are putting in the hard yards to grow our economy for the good of New Zealand and the world – in areas including innovation, design, capital investment, Māori business, and women in leadership.” Entries are welcome from businesses of all sizes, and are made via an online application portal. The closing date for entries is 8 July. Visit nziba.co.nz, and see how you could get involved.
Motor scooter safety Mopeds or motor scooters are becoming more popular around Auckland, possibly because they’re cheaper to buy and run than petrol-engine cars, and they allow access to special vehicle lanes (such as T2 and T3). However, Auckland Transport (AT) is urging people to invest in highquality safety gear, including a new helmet, and to use “scooter sense”. In the five years, 20132017, there were 77 serious crashes involving mopeds. More than 75 per cent involved another vehicle, and nearly half occurred when a vehicle was turning. AT’s three key recommendations for staying safe are to focus on lane position, speed, and stopping distance. There is a video which explains to moped riders how to respond safely when cars turn in front of them. ACC runs Scooter Survival coaching, which costs $20 for four hours on-road training. It’s designed to boost a rider’s skills and confidence, and make every trip safe and enjoyable. For more information, visit at.govt.nz/ driving-parking/motorcycles-and-scooters/ motor-scooter-safety
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IN BRIEF
“Do I need to wash the items I put in my recycling bin?” Here’s a quick reminder that Auckland Council accepts all of the following items in its recycling:
Conscious consumerism and your Kiwisaver The Sustainable Business N e t w o r k ( S B N ) r e p o r t s , “ We are in the middle of a profound cultural shift around sustainability. Conscious consumerism is on the rise, and this applies to every facet of life. This is especially true when it comes to money and how we choose to spend and save it.” SBN asks its followers if they know what their Kiwisaver money is doing now, and suggests a few simple steps and online tools to find out how and where the funds are invested. To find out more, visit sustainable.org.nz/sustainable -business-news/show-us-your -money
• Glass bottles and jars • Tin, steel and aluminium cans, including empty aerosols • Plastic bottles • Clear plastic food containers • Milk and juice cartons, including Tetra Pak® * • Paper, newspaper, magazines, advertising mail and envelopes* • Pizza boxes and cardboard packaging* • Egg cartons*
Before putting items in the recycling bin, please: • • • •
Rinse all containers Leave lids on bottles and containers* Remove any leftover food from pizza boxes Check that containers aren’t larger than four litres
*Some exceptions apply for Great Barrier Island.
Hacking may be as easy as 123… Millions of people are still using weak and simple passwords for sensitive online accounts. Analysis by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) found that 123456 appeared in more than 23 million passwords, and was the most common password on breached accounts. Other popular passwords included 123456789, “qwerty”, “password”, 1111111, and “blink182”. These findings reflect similar studies conducted in New Zealand over r ecent years. To create a strong password, NCSC
advice is to string together three memorable but random words. Business North Harbour member, Anthony McMahon, director of The IT Psychiatrist, also suggests: • Incorporating numbers and capital letters into your password to make it harder for someone to guess • Ensuring your information security policy covers password complexity as it will help your staff know what is required of them • Investigating the use of a password management tool to help create and store passwords
Shades of calm Want to destress at work? Consider adding a touch more blue to your office walls. An international survey conducted by GF Smith and the University of Sussex found that dark blue is “the world’s most relaxing colour”. More than 26,000 people from 100 countries took part in The World’s Favourite Colour Project. They were asked to pick their favourite colour and to name the word they most associated with it. Mid blues, turquoises and pinks all inspired thoughts of calm tranquillity, and the research goes so far as to suggest that even just looking at deep blues may actually lower a person’s heart rate. JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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EVENTS
Gilbert Enoka, “Leading in Challenging Times” 15 March Business Capability Programme: Leadership “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.” This was just one of many thought-provoking and stirring ideas shared during a dynamic lunchtime seminar. QBE Stadium was packed, and rightly so! Gilbert is a truly engaging speaker, who draws on his own life’s experiences to inspire and challenge. “Gilbert Enoka presented a fantastic leadership discussion that will contribute greatly to all manner of businesses. I myself will grow from this event & I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended.” “Hugely impressed. Quite possibly the best session I’ve ever attended anywhere. Truly inspiring.”
Gilbert Enoka
Nigel Latta, “Goldfish Wisdom” 8 May Business Capability Programme: Health and Well-Being Nigel’s career as a psychologist has run the gamut from assessing some of the country’s highest security prisoners to writing some of the most useful (and entertaining) guides to parenting. Nigel took his audience on an evolutionary journey spanning millions of years, explaining how humans’ brains are wired to be collaborative and social – and the negative health impact it can have when these instincts are ignored or denied. “It was brilliant - first one I’ve attended and I was really impressed!” “This was one of the best events you’ve run. Excellent speaker!” “Nigel Latta has to be one of the best speakers ever! I got a lot out of it both from a business and personal view!”
Nigel Latta
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EVENTS
Hady Wenham, founder and managing director of Forme Spa and Lisa Hill of Eclipse Recruitment
Hady Wenham, founder and managing director of Forme Spa
A special thanks to our event sponsor
4 April Women in Business Hady’s Q+A session with Lisa Hill, managing director of Eclipse Recruitment, was the most-attended Women in Business event so far. It was an insightful, thought-provoking and inspiring discussion, and it was especially interesting to learn how the “warm” personalities of the health and beauty sector have to manage the “cold” reality of sales figures and cash flow. “Absolutely loved the event, and enjoy meeting other like-minded women. Thanks Business North Harbour, you’re doing an awesome job!” “Incredible - quite likely the best high tea I have ever had!”
Professor Grant Schofield, “Brain Rules for Being Awesome” 28 March Business Capability Programme: Health & Well-Being
Professor Grant Schofield
Grant is a former Westlake student, who has blazed a trail with his confronting yet downto-earth approach. “Fitness is medicine,” he says, discussing scientific theories and his own research into how we can properly nourish, excite and rest our brains. “A great speaker - lots of useful content delivered in an entertaining manner.” “Brilliant, dynamic, knowledgeable, speaker with relevant up-to-date topic information. I really enjoyed it.” “Well worth the early wake up. The event ran seamlessly with friendly helpful staff on hand. Stunning venue and breakfast too!” JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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DIARY DATES
Diary Dates June 13 Women in Business
Time: 10.00 am-12.00 pm Venue: North Shore Golf Club, 51 Appleby Road, Albany Paula Bennett is the MP for Upper Harbour and has served in Parliament since 2005. Paula has held many high profile portfolios in her time including Deputy Prime Minister, and now serves at National’s Deputy Leader. She is also National’s spokesperson for Social Services and Social Investment, Drug Reform, and Women. Event category sponsor: Eclipse Recruitment
August 1 Mental Health First Aid in partnership with St John
Pencil it in
Time: 1.00 pm-5.00 pm Venue: Business North Harbour, 12 Parkway Drive, Rosedale
This half-day workshop will help participants learn to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health issues in work colleagues, friends and family members. Using a variety of best practice learning methods, including discussions, videos and scenario work, this course is ideal for anyone wanting to help recognise mental distress and what they can do to help.
November One Day Sale
February 2020
13 Business Capability Programme: Communicate with Confidence
Time: 12.00 pm-2.00 pm Venue: QBE Stadium, Stadium Drive, Albany Laurie Sharp, ASB’s head of coaching, is one of our most popular speakers. Having previously offered practical advice about how to motivate teams and get the most from ourselves and our staff, he now turns his attention to effective communication skills. This promises to be a session which is both highly entertaining and extremely down-to-earth.
20 Business North Harbour’s Business Expo
Engaging with Millennials
4 53
By the numbers
For more information and to register for any of these events, please go to businessnh.org.nz/calendar
84% 80% 87% 79% 32%
6
45%
8
41% 21%
Say they don’t trust traditional advertising Use social media as a means of finding work Say their smartphone never leaves their side Are on their phone for at least three hours a day Believe they will be working “mainly flexible hours” in the future Use personal smartphones for work (vs. 18% for older generations) Are likely to download and use apps for work purposes Say they’ve deleted a mobile app because they didn’t like the logo
JU N E 20 1 9 F YI B US I N ES SNH. OR G. NZ
Sources: mindsea.com, digitalcommerce360.com, smallbiztrends.com, Hubspot
ADVOCACY
Business North Harbour’s purpose is to represent you, our members, and to give you a voice. Our primary interests are around decisions that support or restrict business growth opportunities, impact on the cost of business, and restrict or enable economic development. Through the formal engagement process, our submissions provide business and commercial property owners with access to the key stakeholders and decision-makers shaping both regional and local projects, such as localised transport networks and key infrastructure investment. Almost halfway through the 2019 calendar year, and these are the submissions we have made on your behalf: • • • • • • • • •
Our Water Future April 2019 Auckland Council Budget 2019-2020 MPI Transitional and Containment Policy Signage Bylaw 2019 Public Transport Review Northern Corridor Improvements Albany Highway Review 54 Parkway Drive Proposed Development Rosedale Bus Station Proposal – which includes a review of Rosedale, Triton, Ta w a a n d A p o l l o D r i v e s a n d t h e i r intersections. • Albany Paid Parking • Constellation Drive Pedestrian Crossing • Spencer Bridge Full details of the aforementioned can be found under the Our Purpose section of businessnh.org.nz. We have also responded to project specific requests by our members. Currently, we are working on submissions for two bylaws. We are pleased to be supported on this project by Dr Grant Hewison, the director of Grant Hewison & Associates Ltd, a firm specialising in local government and environmental legal and consultancy services.
Trade Waste Bylaw
The headline changes to the bylaw are: • Providing clearer rules to determine when trade waste activities are low and when they require a trade waste agreement. • I n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e T r a d e W a s t e Control 2019 • More information about pre-treatment requirements • Defining matters to be considered in a trade waste agreement
Dr Hewison highlights a few key points: “There are questions whether the proposal will unnecessarily capture home occupations and home-based accommodation providers who may come within the definition of a trade premise.” “Questions also arise whether a large number of businesses, such as cafés, business offices, pet shops and laundries will have new requirements for grease traps/sink strainers and screens covering floor drains instead of just in-floor or in-sink bucket traps.” “It may also be that businesses must prevent food waste and other solid materials from entering the public wastewater system, perhaps preventing the use of ‘Insinkerators’.” “Businesses must also ensure that any discharge must not include rainwater, surface water, water seepage or groundwater.”
Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2019
This new bylaw proposes to: • Require people to deposit and dispose of waste appropriately • Require waste collectors and operators of waste management facilities, resource recovery facilities and donation collection bins to obtain a licence from council (although there will be some exceptions) • Align the definition of clean fill with the Auckland Unitary Plan, which may
require some previously exempt waste management facilities to obtain a licence • Require a waste management and minimisation plan for all trading, events, and filming that takes place in a councilcontrolled public place • Require a waste management and minimisation plan for any existing or planned multi-unit developments (although there will be some exceptions) • Clarify the rules to minimise the potential for shopping trolleys and unaddressed mail to become waste. Dr Hewison comments: “Perhaps of particular interest is how far the proposed bylaw and amendments extend to all trading and events in council-controlled public places (for example, will restaurants and cafes need these plans for street dining, or shops for street trading, or for all events). In addition, it will be of interest as to what exceptions apply for the requirements for a waste management and minimisation plan for multi-unit developments (and what these plans require when they do apply).”
The consultation periods for these bylaws end on 10 June for Trade Waste Bylaw and 16 June for Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2019. Please contact sarah@businessnh.org.nz if you wish to have your say on these matters. JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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MEET YOUR NEW BUSINESS NORTH HARBOUR BOARD MEMBERS Samantha Mills
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Samantha has more than 25 years’ experience leading contact centres and IT helpdesks. Her background also includes roles with large, multi-site outsourcing contact centres, in both the private and public sectors in New Zealand and overseas. Samantha is passionate about service across every customer touchpoint/ channel, and strongly believes that service excellence, brand management and optimised customer engagement are fundamental to the success of any organisation. Within her business she works hard with an outstanding team to ensure that each client builds strong processes to enable their business to collaborate and contribute to the success of any of its partner organisations. With her business sector facing some new and exciting challenges over the next few years with the introduction of new contact centre technologies, Samantha is determined to help her colleagues and members navigate these uncharted waters to ensure their success. Over the last five or so years, Samantha has really enjoyed collaborating with some amazing volunteers at CCiNZ (Contact Centre Institute of New Zealand), and most recently assisted CCiNZ as their treasurer and vice chair.
Greg Cramond
Business owner/operator, Cramond Electrical Services Ltd Greg has 25 years’ experience in the electrical industry, working his way up to the top level in most aspects of the trade. From recommending energy efficient light bulbs for an office to managing multimillion dollar residential apartment projects, Greg’s track record of quality workmanship and customer service excellence speaks for itself. He made the decision in 2005 to go out on his own in the electrical contracting field. This meant embarking on a steep learning curve to garner the skills to manage people and assets in a profitable, productive, and compliant manner. Greg’s built a great team of staff around him, and enjoys the confidence that brings. Greg’s lived on the North Shore for almost all of his life, and brings a diversity to the board as a local trade business in the area. Transit, transport and efficiency in the Business North Harbour and greater areas are high on his list of items requiring attention.
BUSINESS SUCCESS
Building sustainability ICB Retaining and Construction was founded by Regan Burke’s father just over 30 years ago. Regan has been the general manager for the past five or so years, having worked in many roles previously, including labourer, carpenter, admin, and project manager. He has seen massive changes in the construction sector over the last three decades, with health and safety probably being the most significant. “Quality controls are much stricter too which makes it all the more important that building companies optimise their finances and resources,” he comments. This means understanding the numbers in real terms. How does a figure on a spreadsheet actually relate to a member of staff, a piece of equipment, or building materials – which could be lying idle. To help the company run as efficiently as possible, and to mitigate some risks concerning time-related issues and/or liquidated damages, ICB has seized the opportunities offered by technology to keep track of projects, people and gear in real time. It was important to implement this approach without causing extra stress to the employees, some of whom had been with the company for 20 plus years. Regan had to persuade them that this was the way forward. “We pointed out how hard the existing system was for them – having to remember to write everything down, spending extra time on site – and how digital could make their lives easier,” he recalls. “Then we made sure that ‘the right people’ were using the new systems first so that other team
Regan Burke (L) with his brother, Mike
members could ask questions of their peers on site rather than having to come into the office.” There were incentives too for consistent reporting, including the “GC (great contribution) award” and a tablet given to anyone who produced their reports for three months in a row. Striving for ever more efficient business processes, and particularly with a focus on sustainability and reducing waste, Regan was inspired to go further. He is the driving force behind CivilShare, which he co-developed with his brother, Mike. The app is “a digital market place for contractors” which lets contractors buy or sell leftover materials, ask
questions, and share knowledge. It has seen a 60 per cent increase in users since November 2018 and, at the time of writing, has enabled more than 1,000 successful trades of resources and diverted more than 1,500 tonnes of waste from landfill. CivilShare is designed to have value at all stages of the business cycle. “When you’re busy, you need to find the resources. When you’re quieter, you need to get your gear out there,” explains Regan. This could help generate business income and also bring cost-savings in areas such as waste levies. “Presently the levy is $10 for every tonne sent to landfill, and the government is talking about hiking this by between three and nine times over the next few years. In Melbourne it’s already $180 per tonne.” One Auckland construction company has reported that it is more than $120,000 better off since adopting CivilShare and that it has diverted more than 280 tonnes of materials from landfill. The app has also been put to good use by Westlake Boys students, who used it to help build themselves a new clubhouse, learning valuable lessons about sourcing, building and recycling in the process. Moreover, Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff, has been quoted as saying: “Landfill, waste and illegal dumping have big environmental consequences and cost ratepayers millions of dollars every year. Council is fully supportive of efforts to reduce waste in the construction industry and backs CivilShare’s mission to reduce the country’s landfills.” Regan continues to develop new phases for the app, and actively collaborates with the CCNZ (Civil Contractors New Zealand) to share the benefits of the tech as widely as possible. “It feels good to try and make a difference, and to be an integral part of a community that’s doing what it can for our environment,” he affirms. JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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BUSINESS SUCCESS
Nourishing business success It all began on a ferry journey from Great Barrier Island. Vicky Plaistowe and Darren Blackwell were returning from a week of trail running, and conversation turned to how there was a lack of places where they really wanted to eat. Over the next 90 minutes, they scribbled down pages of ideas and questions – and the concept of Sip Kitchen was born. N e i t h e r Vi c k y n o r D a r r e n h a d a n y experience in hospitality or retail; she worked in corporates and he had his own painting and decorating business. Darren therefore approached someone whom they both respected, Hans Pronk of Merito Coffee Roasters in Birkenhead, and asked to volunteer at his store so that he could learn practical barista skills and get a hands-on understanding of the day-to-day running of a cafe. In the meantime, Vicky was using every spare moment to research and start collating nourishing smoothie and salad recipes. Sip Kitchen opened its doors on Apollo Drive in March 2014. Vicky and Darren had originally considered Browns Bay but liked the diversity of the North Harbour area. “I was rehabbing at IQ Pilates when our current premises became available next door,” recalls Vicky. “It wasn’t a café at that time, but it was a great spot and we could see how it was going to work.” Nearby there are sporting organisations such as Millennium Gym and CrossFit, as well as numerous offices. “We could offer a nutrient-dense lunch that could support a customer’s training regimen and that wouldn’t give an office worker the ‘3 o’clock crash and burn’.” Furthermore, the location provides good access to suppliers and speciality shops, and is close to the main arterial routes so that deliveries can easily come and go. “For the first two years, it felt like food boot camp,” Vicky says. “Hospitality is an extraordinarily tough industry with an
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JU N E 20 1 9 F YI B US I N ES SNH. OR G. NZ
We rely on reputable sources for nutritional information. If there’s a good body of evidence, then we’ll investigate how we can include it. astronomical turnover rate. Things move hard and fast, so you have to suck up your mistakes, adjust quickly, and carry on.” At first, Sip Kitchen’s customers were predominantly female and in their 20s to 40s. Health and wellness professionals and nutritionists were quick to jump in too. Now however the customer base is far broader. “Sometimes I’d look round and there wouldn’t be a man in sight! If we did
have a male customer, he tended to be an older gentleman who’d been instructed to eat healthier for a medical condition. Today we have loads of male customers, including quite a few tradies who come in to fuel up.” “The low-carb, high-fat ketogenic foods are attractive to men and women of all ages seeking weight loss or blood glucose management” she observes. This raises an interesting question. How does Sip Kitchen decide what to serve? What makes the difference between a diet fad and a genuine eating trend? “We rely on reputable sources for nutritional information. If there’s a good body of evidence, then we’ll investigate how we can include it. We also think about what New Zealanders are generally deficient in.” This would be, for example, iodine and selenium, so efforts are made to incorporate ingredients like Brazil nuts or seaweed into a variety of offerings. Sip Kitchen uses several digital systems (including MYOB and Vend) to provide real-time, meaningful data about what is being purchased, and when. The team also makes effective use of social media to engage in instant and interactive customer communications. A photograph of a dish on Instagram or Facebook quickly results in customers requesting that item in-store. The next phase will likely be a Shopify website to offer online ordering and expand the catering side of the business. “Customers get snippets of who we are on social media, but it’s not necessarily a cohesive message. It’ll be nice to share more of our philosophy and practices, while also reaching a wider geographical area.”
ADVERTORIAL
Q & A with Rachel Piriou After practising as a lawyer in France, Rachel made the decision to travel to New Zealand and has recently joined Monsellier Law as an employment advocate. Here, she shares with us a few insights on why she loves our beautiful country, and the opportunities that it has given her since arriving in January. Q: What brought you to New Zealand? A: Well, since learning to speak English in school, I have always wanted to live and work in an English-speaking country. I also love to travel. So, a working-holiday visa to New Zealand gave me the perfect opportunity to combine my two passions. After spending the first three months travelling up and down the North and South Islands, I have decided to settle on the North Shore. The Bays are beautiful, and I love waking up each morning near the sea. In France, I am from a rural background so living so close to many great amenities and being able to walk to work are just some of the real highlights for me of being in New Zealand. I have met some wonderful people; everyone here is so friendly and welcoming. Participating in events of Alliance Française has also given me the opportunity to meet many like-minded French people and I am amazed at how many of us are enjoying life over here. It’s great. Q: What attracted you to Monsellier Law? A: To be honest, I was looking for a practice that strongly aligns with my values. Monsellier Law represents everything that I truly believe in – it really cares about people and their individual needs. It’s not just a business, but an opportunity to make people feel that they are part of a bigger story and its future growth. Being in an industry where it is so easy for people to lose sight of what’s important, I am so excited to be working in an environment where I feel valued and able to make a difference. The culture is one of “people come first” and I feel very fortunate to work with Emma and her team in helping others address their employment and HR issues. Q: Tell us about your role – what is an employment advocate? A: Having practised as a lawyer in France, I am completely familiar with all employment related issues. Therefore, I am able to advise clients on a variety of matters – whether it is policies or processes, handling tricky situations with staff, making those tough decisions, or having the difficult conversations, I am able to help.
Employment law is such a fascinating subject and everyday there is a new issue to deal with – I love the variety. Right now, I’m working on a range of matters, but bullying and harassment seems to be the most common problem. As an advocate I can attend mediation and ERA hearings. In fact, in my short time with Monsellier Law I have already engaged in mediations, attended client meetings and drafted many formal documents. Working alongside Emma has enabled me to grow professionally already in just a few weeks – she makes sure to take the time to develop my skills and involves me in everything. It is such a great learning experience for me and being part of such a dynamic and encouraging team has really made me feel at home.
Monsellier Law represents everything that I truly believe in – it really cares about people and their individual needs. Q: What are the toughest challenges that you see for employers in New Zealand at the moment? A: Whether I am practising in France or in New Zealand, the difficulties are the same everywhere – the issues will always be similar. For me, employers need to have clear policies and processes - without those, it is not possible to manage staffing issues. Clearly set out step-by-step processes are so important in handling even the smallest of issues. Yet, I am amazed at how many businesses here do not have guidelines in place (and if they do, they are not being used). It’s one thing having the policies in place, but then the parties need to respect those policies and remember to use them whenever an issue arises. This is so important.
Q: When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your free time? A: I’m really lucky that I have a great work/life balance, so I do get plenty of time to pursue my other passions – travelling, cooking and going to the gym. We have a rule in Monsellier Law that once a month, everyone takes their turn in having a Friday afternoon off – this means I can take a long weekend and continue my sight-seeing tours. This weekend, I’m off to Waiheke (I secretly love their honey). Next, who knows – maybe a cultural trip up north to Waitangi. Also, being French, I am a food-lover so a trip to Takapuna market for fresh produce is a must, or a Sunday brunch at one of the many cafes in Browns Bay is always a highlight! Right now – living in a beautiful country, working with such a great team of people, practising a career that I love – what could be better!
For more information please contact: Rachel Piriou Employment Advocate rachel@monsellierlaw.com 021 794 977 (09) 801 5232
monsellierlaw.com
TRANSPORT
Feedback from Business North Harbour’s freight survey We asked you, our members, how you think conditions of the movement of freight within our area and to and/or from our area could be improved. Here are some of your suggestions: Better and bigger highways Response: NZTA is addressing this with the Northern Corridor improvements project. Emergency courier vehicles and trucks should have access on the bus and transit lanes. Response: We presented this option to NZTA at a national level. However, it was explained that this would be too difficult to monitor. Second bridge or tunnel Response: Business North Harbour sees this as a priority and is lobbying for it. Clear lane markings on Tawa Drive to allow for two-lane use in the mornings. Response: We have notified AT, which is currently reviewing the location. Traffic lights at Bush Road/William Pickering Drive instead of a roundabout. Response: AT is currently reviewing many of the key intersections within the area. Build some multi-level parking at the bus station so public transport users are not clogging the sides of the surrounding streets with their parked cars. Response: AT’s strategy is to generally provide park and ride facilities at stations on the edge of the Auckland Urban area, such as at Albany and Hibiscus Coast stations (to the north). Park and ride facilities in these locations have the effect of extending the reach of the public transport network and to areas that are less supported by feeder bus networks, and into areas beyond the immediate walking and cycling catchment of the network. This approach allows park and ride facilities to intercept longer distance car trips before they reach areas subject to commuter peak period congestion. Therefore at this stage AT will not be increasing car parking capacity for any stations within the urban area, to encourage commuters to leave their cars at home. Some traffic lights are on a slow cycle and traffic does not move through areas efficiently Response: AT advises that all traffic lights are frequently reviewed. Enforcement of the parking distance from the driveway. Often the trucks have trouble getting into the drive due to parking too close to drive and parking on both sides of the road. Response: Sarah de Zwart says, “Please notify me of your location, as we can organise AT to place ‘hockey sticks’ (lines) to ensure cars are parked legally.” Sarah’s contact details are at the foot of this page. 14
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Bus stats The latest data from Auckland Transport (AT) shows how the new bus network (implemented 30 September 2018) is having a significantly positive effect on passenger numbers. Transfer station Smales Farm Constellation Albany
Total passenger count for calendar month Aug 2018 Sept 2018 Oct 2018 Nov 2018 36,280 32,185 59,884 59,373 56,531 51,277 94,110 63,713 32,289 28,374 52,261 52,341
Please note, this data represents the number of passengers transferring at the station (ie: tagging off at a stop and tagging on for another service at that stop.) It does not represent the total number of people using the station.
To see how the bus network could help your business (and leisure) journeys, visit at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/journey-planner
If you’d like to investigate different commuting options and receive a FREE corporate AT HOP card with $10 paid travel, please contact transport@businessnh.org.nz
Reducing the road toll 64 people died on Auckland’s road in 2017, and a further 749 suffered serious injury. In each of these incidents, the driver’s speed was deemed to be a determining factor in the seriousness of the injuries sustained. AT is fast-tracking its implementation of a speed management plan for Auckland and delivering a $700 million safety infrastructure acceleration programme, estimated to reduce deaths and serious injuries by up to 18 per cent over an initial three-year period and by up to 60per cent by 2028. $210 million of the total expenditure is coming from the Regional Fuel Tax (RFT). All local boards made their own submissions for this project. Hibiscus and Bays’ summary (of which North Harbour is a part) is available to read here: at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/ safe-speeds-programme/local-boardroad-safety-improvements-2018-to-2019 Infrastructure NZ recently published its own statement calling for “evidence-
based decision making” to bring down the road toll, and saying: If we really want to lower the road toll we need to look at the volume of traffic (vehicle kilometres travelled, or VKTs) on New Zealand roads and whether these roads adequately provide for all users. The amount driven has increased substantially in recent years. Over a billion kilometres extra were travelled on our roads in 2017 versus 2016 – an increase of 5 per cent in just one year. We’re driving 13.3 per cent more than we did a decade ago. In the same ten-year period, the length of sealed and unsealed road increased by 2 per cent. Many more vehicle kilometres travelled on roughly the same amount of road increases risk taking. Deloitte found that over the short term a 1 per cent increase in VKTs is associated with a 2.5 per cent increase in crashes. The full media release can be found here: infrastructure.org.nz/mediareleases/7310805
AT bus stop text service AT is providing a new “user pays” text service which allows commuters to see which bus services are on their way and when they’re due to arrive. Passengers can text their stop number to 3666. The response text will include “real time” information where possible or “scheduled time” information, in shortened form. Each text response received costs 20 cents (inc GST) charged to the user’s mobile phone account. The four-digit bus stop number can usually be found displayed on bus stop poles or timetable information posters, or via the website: at.govt.nz/ bus-train-ferry/timetables/find-my-stop-or-station-on-a-map
Business North Harbour welcomes members’ questions and constructive feedback on the district’s roading and public transport. If you have a query or a comment, please e-mail Sarah de Zwart at transport@businessnh.org.nz
ADVERTORIAL
Be Future Ready Workshops on offer to help your business soar Productivity, disruption, automation and enabling technology are words that get high mileage from media and business commentators these days, but what exactly do they mean for Auckland’s small and medium businesses (SMEs)? How could digital technology save you time and money, and help you improve your business? How do you get impartial advice so finding the right technology for your business is less time-consuming, expensive and daunting? Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) and Business North Harbour are joining together to provide workshops to help you identify the right low-cost tools and technology to keep your business ahead of the game. “The adoption of technology is the primary driver of productivity and revenue in business, but we’re collectively lagging behind our global counterparts in adopting new technology,” says ATEED Business & Innovation Advisor Wayne Voss. “ Fi n d ing a nd in vesting in the right technology can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be as expensive and complex as many people think. You can control some of the complexity in your business by implementing available off-the-shelf low-cost technologies in your sector.” The workshops on offer are aimed at SMEs operating in three different sectors: professional services, construction and manufacturing. Automation experts specialising in these sectors will take you through a three-hour interactive workshop to help you automate as much as possible in your business and demonstrate how improved business intelligence can lead to better decision-making. You will come away from the workshop with an automation strategy, and a greater understanding of your pain points and readiness to adopt new technologies. “Both manufacturing and construction are likely to be impacted by the growth of mass customisation, so local business in these sectors need to think about how to respond to the opportunity it presents.”
Automating your Small to Medium Sized Business Free events for our members Professional services: 20 June
Time: 8am - 11am Presented by Tim Muhundan, BizX Ltd and Glenn Marvin, Konnector Who should attend: Business consultants, lawyers, architects, accountants, engineers, doctors or anyone who sells their expertise and time as a service.
Construction: 18 July
Time: 8am - 11am Presented by Anna Brooks, Free-Up Who should attend: Small to mediumsized r e s i d e n t i a l o r c o m m e r c i a l
“We find some local manufacturers often believe they are too customised, with madeto-order products – to automate – but it can be managed. Small and medium construction businesses tend to be late adopters of technology, but customers’ expectations are increasing. Good business intelligence systems can improve the accuracy and consistency of estimate costings. They can give you the competitive advantage and build trust with your customers,” says Wayne. He says professional services – anyone selling their expertise and time as a service – can gain from automating customer attraction and nurturing, as well as delivery of service.
construction and renovation firms, sub-trades such as electricians and plumbers etc (up to 25 staff).
Manufacturing: 22 August
Time: 8am - 11am Presented by Penny Anderson, FeatureIT Ltd Who should attend: Small to mediumsized manufacturers for “made to order” products with some job management and installation services like cabinet makers, joiners and shopfitters. Venue: Business North Harbour, 12 Parkway Drive, North Harbour
“These are digital enablement tools that save you time, effort and money on attracting customers and turning leads into prospects. They can also potentially create new revenue streams that are not dependent on you selling your time.” Find out more about the design and implementation of business system automation and business intelligence technologies currently available for SMEs. Each workshop is limited to 20 participants. The workshops are free for Business North Harbour members and $50 plus GST for non-members. businessnh.org.nz/calendar/
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CRIME PREVENTION
The North Shore is a fantastic place to live, work and play. This has been very evident in the aftermath of the Christchurch shooting – the high visibility by the police on the North Shore supporting our Islamic community with reassurance, our local churches over Easter and then the ANZAC Day memorials. The aim of this high visibility policing is to ensure our local community feels safe and is safe both at home and at work. It has been wonderful to see and be part of a community that rallies around their area and which provides support to one another over this time. We all need to remember that this is not just a short term approach to our communities and everyone has a part to play. With a larger number of people now working from home, flexible hours, and working from mobile bases (such as cars) it is a good time to review your own security. Being home during daytime hours provides an opportunity to be more aware of what is happening in your neighbourhood, and to notice unusual activity, people and vehicles. However, working from home can sometimes lead to complacency about ensuring your property is secure. It is always nice to be able to leave your doors and windows open for fresh air on the nice summer days - but this also presents an opportunity for others to take advantage of.
These are the little things you can do to ensure your safety at home and work, and help the police to support the wider community:
Security:
• Please make sure your house is secured when you are not home: alarms on, and windows and doors locked. • Lock your cars in the garage or when parked on your driveway or the road outside your home – and take the keys inside with you. • Don’t leave valuables (such as phones, computers, sports clothing) in your car. • If you are working in the backyard or rear of your home, don’t leave your front door open or unlocked. • Don’t leave a build-up of rubbish and mail near your home or work, giving the impression that the place is unattended. • Have well-lit entrances and exits for the personal security of staff coming and going, as well as around your home. • You know your neighbourhood best. If you see anything unusual or suspicious please call NZ Police. A few points for those who use their vehicles as mobile work places or as means to get to and from work commitments.
Distractions to drivers are: • • • • • •
mobile phones GPS/maps grooming smoking eating and drinking reaching for objects.
Other risk prevention factors should be far more obvious to us all: speed and driving to the conditions, and allowing more space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you can make a huge difference to your ability to stop safely in an emergency. Restraints is a constant message that we shouldn’t need to repeat but unfortunately time and time again we find drivers and passengers not wearing their seatbelts, and - more worryingly - on occasion children are not fitted with their restraints, i.e. baby capsules and approved car seats. All restraints need to be worn or fitted at all times irrespective of how short the journey.
Sergeant Kirsten EVANS OC Youth Services Waitemata East Browns Bay Police Station Ph: (09) 353 0410 E: Kirsten.Evans@police.govt.nz www.police.govt.nz Safer Communities Together
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COVER STORY
The future of going to work How can North Harbour’s business owners and their teams prepare for the future of work? What is the future workplace going to look like? When and how are employees going to “travel” to work, and what will they be doing there? Earlier this year, finance minister Grant Robertson announced that a new enquiry focusing on tech disruption and the future of work will publish its final report in March 2020. He stated, “This is a really important piece of work … I regard it as one of the most significant areas the New Zealand Government needs to work on. The change we’re experiencing in the world now is about 300 times the pace and 10 times the scale of the Industrial Revolution.” As has been discussed in previous FYIs, it is clear is that the so-called “autonomy wave”, is coming and certain roles, such as drivers, labourers and entry-level administrators, consistently pop up as being more likely to be automated than others. Rather than fear this progress, many future strategists say that it is to be welcomed, and that the opportunities it presents to actually improve the nature of work far outweigh the perceived threat.
Nathan Stantiall is group manager – programmes at Callaghan Innovation. With a keen interest in high value manufacturing and services, his group has programmes that help business owners realise genuine competitive advantage. This includes piloting an Industry 4.0 programme titled Lean 2.0. “We’re living in a moment of massive change; 52 per cent of Fortune 500 18
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businesses have gone or been bankrupted since 2000,” he says. However, before mass hysteria erupts, Nathan also stresses that just because something could happen doesn’t mean it will. “While some jobs are being replaced by automation, others are being created.” Indeed, the World Economic Forum reports that 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will end up in jobs that don’t yet exist. Nathan also feels that it’s important to be realistic. Currently, NZ’s productivity is low, and the rate of productivity improvement year-on-year is one of the lowest in the OECD. “Manufacturers are struggling to get skilled staff. If you look at a shop floor the average age of workers is late 40s, and they’re not getting any younger.” “Digital convergence is happening in every sector, and all the arrows are pointing towards us needing to embrace the technology so that we can address the productivity problem –
Quality data analyst, robotics technician, cyber security technician, digital data tester – these are the likely jobs of the future shop floor.
and get the machines doing the jobs that we probably don’t want to do and shouldn’t be doing.” Nathan is referring to “The 3 Ds” – dull, dangerous and dirty. “Automating these tasks frees up humans to the do the ‘value add’, so we’re basically working smarter not harder. Furthermore, by bringing digital into traditionally analogue work environments, you make them more attractive to Millennials and Gen Z, who have only ever known a digital world.” An algorithm and a human can work in partnership to each other’s strengths and covering each other’s flaws. Nathan puts this into real terms: “In breast cancer pathology, an AI never gets tired checking slides, and a pathologist rarely misdiagnoses. The best
COVER STORY
When considering the workplace of the future, the term “agile” frequently crops up. The concept of agile working is not brand new, but it is often misunderstood. Being agile is not necessarily about remote working or hot desking in an open plan office. Rather, it’s more about behaviour – being and behaving differently. Agile can certainly be included under the umbrella term “smart working” but trying to offer a precise definition is challenging because there is no one-size-fits-all. It was originally conceived for smaller organisations in highly innovative sectors, with uncertainty around the nature of the business, but it has gone well beyond that original thinking.
AI will have a 92.2 per cent success rate identifying breast cancer, and a pathologist will get 96.6 per cent. If you combine the two, you get a 99.5 per cent success rate, which is an 85 per cent reduction in human error.” Hamilton based manufacturer Gallagher used AI to check for defects in plastic components. Humans hit a 90 per cent success rate; the AI brought this up to 98 per cent. “Lights out” manufacturing is already happening overseas – since robots don’t mind working in the dark – with its own productivity and energy-saving benefits. However, Nathan doesn’t feel that NZ should necessarily strive for this, but rather to use digital to play to the country’s strengths. “New Zealand is very good at short-run manufacturing. Industry 4.0 gives us potential for mass customisation at mass production costs. We could have batch sizes of just one, with multiple components flowing down the same production line.” “Of course, the process can be supervised from anywhere. Now and tomorrow, work is an output, not a location.” Is your business ready to seize the potential benefits of Industry 4.0? Callaghan Innovation’s Lean workshop and coaching programme could help you move your organisation forward. For more information, visit callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/innovationskills/lean
Rashina Hoda is a senior lecturer of software engineering at the University of Auckland, who has been studying people and how they become agile for more than a decade. Her PhD research explained how agile teams self-organise through the informal roles they play. In 2017, her Theory of Becoming Agile received the distinguished paper award at the prestigious International Conference on Software Engineering.
In the greater scheme of future working practices – AI, big data, machine learning – where does Rashina think agile fits? “It’s in
everything!” she declares. “Businesses have to make numerous decisions every day. By combining AI with agile, an organisation can make smarter decisions about resources, staff, products, market value, and, ultimately, profitability.” This is because agile working generally includes greater collaboration with the customer. “It’s an opportunity for them to be involved and influence at every stage of a development process. This means you’re far more likely to produce what your customer really wants. You may even manage to find something your customer didn’t even realise they needed.” Teams tend to love this heightened customer interaction, and the word “empowerment” occurs frequently around agile. “’Self-organising groups’ has become a bit of a buzzword, comments Rashina, “But at the heart of the principle is ‘responsible autonomy’ – being accountable to yourself, your team, and your customer. Thinking ‘I’m going to do what the customer needs me to do rather than what I want to do’.”
The five trademarks of agile organisations
Strategy
Structure
Process
People
Technology
Shared purpose and vision across the organisation
Network of empowered teams across open physical and digital locations
Rapid decision making and learning cycles focused on actions
A culture of community, which encourages dynamic, entrepreneurial thinking
Next-generation enabling technology
ADAPTED EXCERPT FROM MCKINSEY & COMPANY’S THE FIVE TRADEMARKS OF AGILE ORGANIZATIONS (MCKINSEY.COM)
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COVER STORY
Responsible autonomy means letting team members self-select their own tasks, and trusting that they will not be motivated to pick up only the easiest, most interesting jobs. That’s where team accountability comes in. “It can be hard for managers to adjust, and I’ve met some people who say they simply want nothing to do with it! They have to step back from their traditional project management role and relinquish control. Although I would argue it’s the illusion of control, because when does a project ever run perfectly smoothly?”
Agile and the future workforce
When Rashina first started teaching Millennials around 10 years ago, she essentially had to introduce the concept to them from scratch. Now they’ve already heard of it – albeit this may be more hype and scepticism than reality. “Once they have a genuine understanding of agile, Millennials and Gen Z find it very appealing, because it’s collaborative and about being real with the whole process.” “I’ve found Millennials to be far more flexible when dealing with uncertainty, and their ability to prioritise intrigues me. They seem to have a natural sense of value for time and well-being, and how to achieve balance. They’re far better at that than, say, my generation. Rashina’s research continues. She and colleagues at Chalmers University are presently studying Volvo Cars in Sweden, investigating what might be an effective framework for large scale agile. “In a big company there tends to be a heavy layer of management, with teams below this who are keen to be nimble,” she explains. “It’s a clash of cultures, and the question is how to balance this. And how do you ensure inter-team co-ordination across multiple sites? The questions are massive – and open-ended. There’s not been a ‘Eureka!’ moment yet.” Just as with any technology or trend, Rashina urges business owners to not just jump in to agile. “It’s a huge decision, one that’s going to affect the way you do everything in every part of your business. It could be truly transformative, but you must consider your context carefully. Analyse exactly who you are in terms of customers, values and products, and then ask, ‘Why should we do this?’ rather than, ‘Why shouldn’t we?’” Want to learn more about how you and your business could benefit from agile working practices? Rashina has developed an Agile Team Assessment Tool. Please note: this is an ongoing, research-based project, which is updated periodically. Visit rashina.com/agile-assessment-tool 20
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Greener travel options It seems unlikely that a completely virtual workplace will ever exist. As individuals and companies strive for more sustainable business practices, how could the traditional commute be more eco-friendly? FYI sought opinions from three Business North Harbour members, and from an organisation tasked with supporting commuters’ efforts to be greener. Over the last few years, car lease and car finance company Driveline Fleet on William Pickering Drive has seen a steady increase in enquiries for hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs). CEO Lance Manins attributes this to consumers “getting their head around” what’s available, seeing the value of making the switch, and wanting to be a part of the renewable community. The vast majority of interest – between 80 and 90 per cent – comes from private
Lance says he often hears consumers express “range anxiety”. “I say to them, ‘You wouldn’t let yourself run out of petrol, so why would you let yourself run out of power?’”
individuals, and these seem to be motivated primarily by attitude. “People want to ‘do their bit’,” comments Lance. “We’re seeing that the economic advantages are a secondary consideration.” Even so, at this stage, EV leases account for only a very small amount of Driveline’s overall business. This is possibly due to continued uncertainty around resale value. “To the best of my knowledge, most of the bigger vehicle lease companies aren’t promoting EVs at all, except perhaps as a ‘green strategy’ to their large, corporate clients.” However, Lance sees this changing massively over the next five years, as the technology continues to evolve, resale value uncertainty resolves, and the market stabilises. “It’s beginning to happen now. Manufacturers are supporting decent products at a decent price – and EVs are starting to become available from the brands themselves rather than through importers.” He points out that the future isn’t necessarily all about EVs. “Toyota is researching hydrogen powered cars, and there’s been talk recently of Taranaki potentially producing ‘green’ hydrogen.”
COVER STORY
“The government has lofty goals of 64,000 EVs on the road by 2021. It’s going to be fascinating to see how we get there.” Jo Iversen was sick of sitting in traffic to and from her work in Rosedale, so towards the end of last year she and her partner both decided to investigate e-bikes. “Neither of us had ridden one before, so we went to several different shops and tried out various models,” she explains. Not being entirely sure how she’d get on with riding to work, Jo opted for an entry-level model. Jo’s co-workers think the e-bike is “pretty cool”, and a few have a had a go on it and were very impressed. They rather liked the quick acceleration of the throttle too! However, none of them have taken the plunge and bought one for themselves. Nor does she know anyone else who has one, at this stage. Jo says she loves her e-bike because it makes cycling so easy. In fact, she doubts whether she’d ever return to a non-powered bicycle. It’s definitely made her more road aware, and she feels she’s now a more careful car driver when passing cyclists. Obviously, the e-bike isn’t ideal if it’s pouring with rain or blowing a gale, but when the weather co-operates, Jo genuinely enjoys her journey home. “It feels good to be out in the fresh air. It helps to clear my mind and ease me from ‘work mode’ to home.” As one of JC Matthew NZ Ltd’s owners, Annabelle Frear not only rides her Segway e-scooter around Rosedale and Albany but is the official distributor of Segway products in New Zealand too. “We’ve seen interest in e-scooters increase by about 200 per cent over the last year,” she confirms. The publicity
role which has only become known over the past couple of years. To meet this demand, JC Matthew has e-scooter service branches in both Auckland and Christchurch. As well as individuals buying e-scooters for their short trips, Annabelle is aware of organisations providing them as “last-mile vehicles” for the last leg of a commute. For example, to put this into local context, e-scooters could potentially be provided at Constellation Park and Ride for passengers who work in Apollo Drive.
The eco-transport support network
The rapid charger on the corner of Constellation and Apollo is used on average 21 times per day. surrounding Lime scooters may not all have been positive, but Annabelle feels that it has certainly helped to raise awareness. “The cheaper low-powered models on the market tend to be associated with youth, fun and leisure. However, we know from the feedback we’re receiving that Segways are being used regularly for commuting six kilometres or more every day. This demonstrates they’re a serious commuting alternative and not just a grown-up toy.” This also raises an interesting point: people are needing to get their e-scooters serviced – and an e-scooter service technician is a
Left: Jo’s e-bike has a range of about 50 kms. “It’s a lot heavier than a standard bike. You wouldn’t want to run out of charge before you get home!” Right: Annabelle’s e-scooter has a charge of up to 30 kms. She uses it throughout the day, finding it handy for “zipping around” between meetings, and echoes Jo’s Iversen’s comments about enjoying the fresh air. “It’s an opportunity to breathe.”
Across Auckland, Vector manages a network of 18 rapid chargers and 11 standard chargers, all of which are used regularly. The rapid charger on the corner of Constellation and Apollo is used on average 21 times per day and, since it was installed in September 2017, has provided 101MWh. In 2018, Vector saw a sharp increase in demand, with the total number of charging sessions jumping from 23,313 in calendar year 2017 to 86,149 in calendar year 2018. This is in line with EV registrations nationally, which grew from 6,216 to 11,754 in the same period. So, is there a point at which this becomes a problem for Vector? “One electric vehicle adds the equivalent of anywhere between one and 20 households’ worth of electricity demand,” explains Vector’s chief network officer, Andre Botha. “The challenge is around managing peak demand. For example, if everyone comes home at the end of the day and charges their car at 6.00 pm – when most other people are drawing down from the grid too – that’s going to drive up the demand peak.” Vector already builds significant new network infrastructure each year to accommodate the rise in population in Auckland. But this area is not only experiencing high growth, it’s also where most EVs are registered. “We can see a potential risk. People who purchase a nextgeneration EV will pay for the charge, and will get the benefit of the mileage – but if they all charge at peak hours or use fast chargers, then everyone will have to pay for the network upgrade to cope with the increased charging load.” To t r y a n d m i t i g a t e t h i s , Ve c t o r i s trialling a number of new and emerging technologies, including two-way electric vehicle charging, micro-grid solutions, and distributed energy solutions such as solar and battery. The company recently published a green paper about the challenges of EV network integration, and this is available to read on its website. Vector wants the benefits of technology solutions to be accessible to all consumers and is working proactively with Government and regulators to ensure regulatory settings are supportive of this goal. JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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COMMUNITY
The healing power of pets Outreach Therapy Pets is a joint initiative between St John and SPCA Auckland. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to promote emotional well-being in hospitals and rest homes and is also used for children suffering from a variety of illnesses. The programme is currently running in Kaitaia, Bay of Islands, Whangarei and Auckland, and involves more than 100 volunteers with their animals every month, visiting rest homes, hospitals and other establishments, bringing joy and comfort to patients and residents. Two kinds of therapy are offered: animalassisted therapy and animal-assisted activity. “Animals don’t judge or criticise,” says St John’s community programmes manager, Pete Hoskin. “They aren’t shocked by someone’s ailments, frailties or disabilities, and they offer unconditional love and friendship.” SPCA Auckland manages the day-to-day running of the programme, including the assessment and training of therapy animals. Not every cat or dog will be suitable; they need to meet certain criteria, including: • Highly sociable with all types of people • Confident and calm around people that may act differently to their owners • At ease in new, unfamiliar environments • Assessed to be “in good health” by a vet, and de-sexed, fully vaccinated and microchipped • Between one to 10 years of age Their people need to be right for this too. For example, they must: • Be at least 18 years of age • Own their own animal • Commit to two visits a month for a minimum of 12 months
It’s easy to see that “The Mo and Jo Show” (as they’re affectionately known) have a huge impact on life at the rest home.
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• Have an excellent working relationship with their pet, and able to keep them safe, supervised and under control • Ensure their pet’s needs and welfare are being met at all times “Every single visit shows the immense benefits of the human-animal bond and it’s always such a special moment seeing clients’ faces light up as soon as the animal walks through the door,” says Taryn Zank, SPCA’s Outreach co-ordinator. “As the establishments we tend to visit are quite isolated environments, it’s wonderful that our volunteers so generously share their wonderful animals with the community!”
What’s it like to be an Outreach Therapy Pet volunteer?
Jo Limmer and Mo, her Miniature Schnauzer, have been part of the programme since 2010. Jo recalls Mo’s assessment involved lots of sausages, crutches and cats! When it was clear that he had the perfect temperament, it was Jo’s turn to be trained. They started visiting a local rest home on Tuesdays – and were literally welcomed with open arms. “The programme help you find local places that want visits, so you shouldn’t have to drive too far,” explains Jo. “There’s a real need. Our venue told me they’d been waiting years for Outreach.” It’s easy to see that “The Mo and Jo Show” (as they’re affectionately known) have a huge
impact on life at the rest home. “You get to know these people really well,” Jo says, “and it’s clear that Mo is precious to them.” Indeed, when some residents have passed away, an acknowledgement to Mo has featured in their funeral order of service. He was also the ring bearer at one of the rest home’s staff’s wedding. Jo describes Outreach as a great reason to hang out with her beloved Mo. She offers this advice to anyone thinking of volunteering. “You need patience; often you can have the same conversation with a resident several times. And I think it’s important to be a good listener. Your pet needs to be well-mannered and obedient. I lift Mo very gently from bed to bed or lap to lap, which he’s quite happy with, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to jump up. Most importantly your pet must enjoy meeting people, and not be fazed by unfamiliar or loud noises.” Does Jo think that Mo enjoys the visits and the love that’s lavished upon him? “Absolutely!” she laughs. “He tows me into the rest home every single time.”
Would you and your pet like to spread a little happiness through the Outreach Therapy Pet programme? To find out how you could get involved, visit spca.nz/services/auckland-outreachtherapy-pets-programme
MONEY MATTERS
Being realistic and getting on track Once upon a time, arriving at retirement with sufficient funds in the bank didn’t require too much in the way of financial nous. Leave school, get a job, work hard, buy a house, pay it off over 30 years, save for a bit and then settle back to enjoy retirement. But times have changed. Up until the late 1980s, buying an average house in New Zealand cost two to three times the average household income. Fast forward to 2019 and that same average house will cost 6.5 times the average income - and if you live in Auckland, make that 9 times! As a result, people are buying homes later - if at all, and paying them off later - if at all. Even those who manage to clear their home’s debt before retirement often then find they can’t save enough, or fast enough, to fund their retirement. At enableMe, we encounter many people who are 50 or 55 and freaking out as they realise the time available to sort retirement is running short. That sprint to the finish line
of your working life is the most arduous when you still have debt to clear, because that’s putting a handbrake on your savings. Getting mortgage-free is an important part of your retirement plan, but it’s only one part, because ultimately, you can’t eat your house! Relying on downsizing the family home to free up some capital can prove to be problematic - and stressful - if it releases less capital than you’d been counting on. The point of telling you this isn’t to terrify or overwhelm you – but to simply encourage you to start having realistic conversations about what you will need in your retirement, and whether you’re on track to have it. Most people aren’t - but ignoring it won’t help! The key is to take action - now. Come and see us at enableMe so we can assess your options, put in place a strategy to get rid of your mortgage, close that yawning gap in your savings and put you on track to enjoy your golden years.
Hannah McQueen is a chartered accountant fellow, author, Authorised Financial Advisor, and founder of enableMe – Financial Personal Trainers.
WHY BE A SLAVE TO THE BANK FOR 30 YEARS? When you could be mortgage-free in 10 years.
It is possible, and we can show you how to make 10 years your new 30. So get in control, get mortgage-free fast and grow your wealth with enableMe.
Visit enableme.co.nz
GOVERNMENT
Changes to the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2018 As briefly previewed in the previous edition of FYI, a raft of changes came into effect on 6 May “that aim to improve fairness in the workplace and deliver decent work conditions and fair wages.” These were: • Employees must be given set rest and meal breaks based on the number of hours worked, to help them work safely and productively. • 9 0 - d a y t r i a l p e r i o d s a r e l i m i t e d t o businesses with 19 employees or fewer. • Employees in specified “vulnerable industries” (such as cleaning and catering services) can transfer their existing terms
and conditions in the employment contract if their work is restructured, regardless of the size of their employer. • If requested, reinstatement must be the first course of action considered by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) for employees who have been found to be unfairly dismissed. The ERA will still assess whether reinstatement is practicable and reasonable for both parties. • Parties will not have to settle a multiemployer collective agreement (MECA). They can negotiate a singleemployer collective agreement to conclude bargaining. • E m p l o y e r s m u s t e n t e r i n t o M E C A
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bargaining when they are asked to join by a union. They can no longer opt out of this. Where an applicable collective agreement is already in force, and before the collective agreement expires, unions can initiate bargaining 20 days ahead of employers. For the first 30 days, new employees must be employed under terms consistent with the collective agreement. More favourable terms may be mutually agreed. Employers can no longer deduct pay for partial strikes. In some circumstances, union representatives can enter workplaces without consent. Pay rates must be included within collective agreements. Within their first 10 days of employment, employers must provide a form for staff to indicate if they intend to join a union. Employers must give reasonable paid time for union delegates to carry out their union activities. Employers must pass on information about the role and function of unions to potential employees.
More comprehensive information about these law changes (including definitions and forms) can be found at employment. govt.nz/about/employment-law/employment-relations-amendment- act-2018
Domestic Violence Victims Protection Act
Minimum wage increases
Any employee who has been affected by domestic abuse (physical, sexual or psychological) is now entitled to up to 10 days paid leave per year. This is separate to holiday, sickness or bereavement leave. The staff member may also request short-term flexible working arrangements. Employers should be aware that they may not discriminate against an employee or job applicant on the basis that they are a victim of domestic violence. Furthermore, it is their responsibility to provide a safe workplace, and this includes protection for people affected by domestic violence.
The government is legally obliged to review the minimum wage rates every year. The revised rates, before tax, are: • Adult: $17.70 (up from $16.50) • Starting-out: $14.16 (up from $13.20) • Training: $14.16 (up from $13.20) There is still no minimum wage for employees under 16 years old. However, anyone who employs school-age workers must ensure that their work does not impede their school attendance.
Detailed information can be found at business.govt.nz/hiring-and-managing/ handling-holidays-and-leave/domestic -violence-leave 24
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There are a few exemptions from the minimum wage, and these are explained at employment.govt.nz/hours-and-wages/ pay/minimum-wage/minimum-wage-rates
Government and industry sign Construction Sector Accord This has been jointly developed by Ministers, government agencies, and industry leaders to strengthen the partnership between government and industry. The accord’s vision: The well-being of New Zealanders is supported by safe and durable homes, buildings and infrastructure, built by a productive, capable, resilient and proud sector.
To learn more about the Accord, visit constructionaccord.nz
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
In the midst of a revolution The future of work is one of the hottest topics around, especially within the education sector. Kristin, as a school that educates children from Early Learning through to Year 13, I am sure like many schools is wrestling with the plethora of information that abounds on this topic. The conflicting information from various experts on the future of work leaves plenty of room for debate around what the actual impact automation technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics will have on jobs, skills, and wages. Typically, when this topic comes up, there are three or four issues embedded within it. First, there’s the question and discussion around the impact of artificial intelligence, automation on work and jobs, and whether we’ll have enough work and jobs left after that. A second part of the conversation is around the changing models for work and work structure. This involves questions around independent work and the gig economy. It also raises the question as to whether any of those kinds of evolved work models are going to become the future, and whether people can work productively and sustainably and earn a living. The question of income is the third issue. We know that most advanced economies, over the last decade, have seen a lag in terms of wages and New Zealand leads the way in many respects with income stagnation especially for wage-driven incomes for workers and households. This also ties into the inequality debate, and whether people
What I do know is that all schools need to be thinking hard about what we are doing and how we are preparing our students for the future. work and earn enough to be able to make a living or not. The big question then is: will technology make that even worse as we look forward? Finally, everyone is asking the question, how will workplaces actually change? Now I am no expert on this topic but what I do know is that all schools need to be thinking hard about what we are doing and how we are preparing our students for the future. As David Perkins, Professor of Education at Harvard University and author of “Educating for the Unknown”, puts it, “What’s worth learning?” I think education, and the schools’ sector in particular, has an
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important responsibility facing it and I believe this insight from Futurist Anders SörmanNilsson would be an excellent place for all school leadership teams to start. “Imagine it is now 2026, and on your watch, your school went belly-up. What were the trends you missed, the signals you ignored, and the decisions you delayed which led to this demise? What change will you make today to prevent this from happening?” Make no mistake about it – we are in the midst of a revolution. Schools need to change and move quickly from the industrial model to the post-industrial model, otherwise, we are failing our students, and we are not equipping them for the future of work.
Dave Scott – Kristin Middle School Principal discoverkristin.school.nz Kristin buses cover 20 routes across Auckland to get our future leaders where they need to be.
NEXT ISSUE
FYI September 2019 In the next issue of FYI, we’ll be talking about change. The changing attitudes and practices of businesses as they evolve to suit our increasingly digital world. And the growing awareness that “environmental sustainability” and “corporate social responsibility” have to be so much more than mere lip service. • Has your business successfully transitioned into a new sector? •H ave you developed a new product or service to suit customers’ changing needs? • Have you implemented a green policy which is bringing measurable results? Our editor would love to hear from you! E-mail lizzie@writesphere.co.nz with your news.
Do you help your clients prepare for and go through periods of change? September’s FYI could be the perfect opportunity to promote your services. Contact Charlie Haynes on (09) 968 2222 or comms@businessnh.org.nz to discuss our competitive advertising rates.
Business North Harbour Associate Membership Business North Harbour Associate Membership is available for those who operate, own or rent a business or property outside the North Harbour Business Improvement District. Associate Membership gives you opportunities to connect, communicate and collaborate with other businesses: Events
Advertising
Workshops
Crime Prevention
FYI magazine
Enews
Business Directory
Membership is charged on a pro-rata basis to 30 June next year at $380 + GST per annum For more information contact Kate on 09 968 2222 or admin@businessnh.org.nz JUNE 2 0 1 9 F YI BUSINE SS N H. O RG. N Z
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ASIAN BUSINESS
A brief overview of The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act
《反洗钱与打击恐怖主义融资法》- 你了解了吗？ 自2013年起，新西兰政府实施了第一阶段的反洗钱法， 自2018年7月1日起，第二阶段的法条的更改影响到更多 和生意息息相关的行业，其中包括新西兰律师事务所、 地产商、信托及公司服务、会计师及中介机构。
为什么这个法条如此重要，其意义何在？
All financial institutions have had to comply with the AML/CFT Act since 2013 in Phase 1. Since 1 July 2018, Phase 2 of the AML/CFT Act requires other business sectors in New Zealand to also comply.
洗钱活动在新西兰时有发生， 据有关部门统计每年大 概有将近13.5 亿美元的非法资金进入新西兰被犯罪人士 利用新西兰的机构（不法手段）进行洗钱。该法条更为 强劲的第二阶段，主要目的是为了制止任何新西兰境内 的洗钱活动，让更多的有关机构联合起来，更有效的防 止和制止新西兰境内的任何非法金融活动和洗钱行为。
Why is AML/CFT important and what is it all about?
法条都影响谁 ？
The purpose of the Act is to stop money laundering in New Zealand and to detect and prevent criminals laundering money or financing terrorism through NZ businesses. The authority found $1.35 billion from fraud and illegal drugs had been laundered through legitimate businesses each year.
Who is affected?
In Phase 2, businesses who manage money or assets for clients, provide trust or company services, sell property or provide conveyancing services, or handle large amounts of cash have to meet the AML/ CFT Act requirements. The affected businesses for Phase 2 include lawyers, conveyancers, some trust and company services, accountants and real estate agents. You can check on the Department of Internal Affairs website whether your business is captured or not.
As a client, what can you expect?
From 1 January 2019, these businesses are required to meet the new reporting requirements, meet client due diligence obligations, and keep good records under the AML/CFT. If you are a client of any of the abovementioned businesses, you would already have been asked to provide more information to verify your identity and address by providing the following: • a certified copy of your passport • a certified copy of a recent utility invoice • a certified copy of a bank statement • proof of your source of income
Obligation to report suspicious activities
Under Phase 2, if businesses notice any signs of money laundering or financing of terrorism or on reasonable grounds suspect it is relevant to a criminal offence, they need to report it to NZ Police which will then investigate further. As a general rule, suspicious transactions are ones that are inconsistent with a client’s usual activities.
Case study
An Auckland based foreign currency service provider has been fined $5.3 million for breaches under the AML/CFT Act. This is the first judgement under the new regime and it is a reminder to all reporting entities that they need to comply with all AML/CFT requirements, including attending to all customers’ due diligence, monitoring, reporting and record keeping obligations. It is also important to note that the directors and boards of reporting entities must ensure their employees have sufficient guidance to fulfil the AML/CFT requirements, and take actions to monitor and report suspicious transactions promptly. These processes should be reviewed periodically to ensure compliance.
在第二阶段的法律和法规实施过程中， 所有和金钱交易 相关的商业事项，或者提供信托或公司服务、资产买卖， 出售物业或提供物业转易服务、或接触大量现金流的生 意， 都需要遵顼反洗钱法的规定。你可以在内务部的网 站上找到你的公司业务范围是否会被要求监管。目前被确 认的受影响监管的业务机构包括新西兰律师事务所、地产 商、信托及公司服务、会计师及中介机构。 作为客户，从2019年1月1日起，上述业务部门都将会被要 求遵循反洗钱法， 与此同时相关部门的客户也会被要求 提供更多资料和信息来核实您的身份以及资金的来源。 需要您提供的文件如下: • • • •
公证过的护照证明; 公证过的地址证明； 公证过的银行对账单； 相关资金来演证明。
根据每个客户的具体情况相所要求提供的文件也会不 同。公司以及信托客户会需要提供相关人士的信息认证 （相关人士包括股东，法人，以及信托管理人以及受益 人信息）。
汇报可疑事件 如果您的生意遇到了任何可疑的，您怀疑他所操作的事件 有涉及到反洗钱或者任何非法的交易，您需要向警察通 报，警方将进行进一步调查。通常来说，可被怀疑的事件 包括客户的行为异常或者和平时的交易不相符合。更多详 情可在警方网站上查找到，第二阶段的反洗钱发的更改， 更多意义上加强，加深和拓宽对可疑事件监管和责任。
真实案例研究 2017-2018年期间，新西兰高等法院处罚奥克兰本地一家金 融公司530万纽币，因为此公司（在资金转换过程中未能 提供明确的资金来源证明因而）触犯了反洗钱法。 这是 在新洗钱法实行以后，法庭所宣判的第一个案例。也是 清楚的提醒在法律下需要在合法的公司和载体，需要积 极的按照法律条款要求的来调查客户的所有信息以及监 控和报告任何可疑事件。 在这个判决你，法官有强调作 为公司的董事和董事会也有责任需要确保所有的员工有 足够多的指引来完成法律条款所要求的规定。公司的法 律代表也必须非常积极的采取行动去监控以及报告任何 可疑事件。 如果没有做的话，可能会面临巨额的罚款。
For more information, contact Joy Yuan P: (09) 486 9576 or E: joy@turnerhopkins.co.nz 28
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GOLD SPONSOR
Spark NZ’s North Shore Business Hub is the smart choice, we know what business is like where you live, because we live there too. Sometimes in business it can feel like you need to do everything on your own. Wouldn’t it be great if someone offered a helping hand? We offer products and services that are tailored for any business. Our Business Hubs work where you work. So, if you need us, we can come to you and talk things over in person, when it’s convenient for you. You will get a dedicated account manager with your service.
Every business is different. Our job is to find out what will work best for you and put together a business package that meets your budget. We not only offer telco solutions (voice, internet & mobiles) but also simple and complex IT solutions for your business so that you can do more with technology. More details on what’s on offer – can be found here: www.spark.co.nz/business/
Contact us to find out how we can help you find your business edge. Aabhas Dole Business Hub Manager – North Shore M 027 235 7496 T 0800 482 746 E Aabhas.dole2@spark.co.nz Level 3, 15 Huron Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622
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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Inorganics collection Business North Harbour’s first inorganics collection of 2019 happened in March. 25 of our member businesses chose to take advantage of this service, and 77 per cent of these were first-time participants. Total amount collected = 58.5 m3 Total recycled = 54.75 m3 Total taken by community groups = 3 m3 Total taken to landfill = 0.75 m3 Which means that less than 1.5 per cent of all items collected went into landfill. Great result! The next inorganics collection is scheduled for 8 & 9 August. This will be confirmed in Business North Harbour’s e-newsletter in due course. “This is a great service! For a start, the guys make it so easy. We just group our inorganics together and they do the rest: load it and take it away – always with a friendly smile and nothing is too much trouble. I’ve used it over the last couple of years to dispose of office equipment like filing cabinets, chairs, tables and shelving. I’m delighted with it and will continue to use it. Anything they can use, they recycle – which is a good feeling. This part of what they do is very special and extremely important. Nothing is left to chance and they really care. Thanks for the opportunity to let me have a rave about something that is worth raving about!” – Kath Fitzpatrick, Nose to Tail
FOOD WASTE COLLECTION SERVICE Business North Harbour offer a food waste collection service to all our members. We encourage business owners to get involved and help to reduce landfill and organic waste greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is supported by a grant from Auckland Council’s Waste Minimisation and Innovation Fund, and open to all types of business. It may be especially relevant to cafés, bars and restaurants, grocery retailers, and fast food outlets. Every business that signs up receives a FREE bin for its lunchroom, kitchen or cafeteria, and the first six collections are also FREE! Here’s what a couple of participants have to say about this service: “Our company started with our two directors’ passion for the environment, and we are working towards cleaner water and a sustainable future. All of our products help to reduce the impact of stormwater on the environment, so as a company we are focused on being environmentally-friendly. More recently I have started looking at some of the smaller areas that we can improve on, which is how the compost came about. I was upset about throwing away food waste into the 30
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landfill. I thought we could throw it on the grass outside but we actually have quite a lot of food waste, and this may attract rats. That’s when I saw an ad in the FYI magazine for food waste collection. It said that the first six collections were free which was a good incentive, and sounded like the perfect solution to our food waste problem. All our staff members are also passionate about the environment and always do what they can to help. I haven’t caught anyone out putting food waste in the landfill bin yet! I would say that we almost fill up an 80L wheelie bin every week.” – Theresa Fanene, Stormwater 360 “We signed up to the food waste collection service to cut down on our contribution to landfill. We are all very conscious about our footprint on the planet and are always trying to find ways to reduce this. We had a meeting about composting before I signed up to it, as it will only work if everyone is onboard. Thankfully everyone was very positive about this move and continue to be so. It is hard to estimate how much we save from landfill but it has definitely made an impact!” – Angela Rowe, Skin Health Experts
To register your interest, visit businessnh.org.nz/foodwastecollection
SUSTAINABILITY / BUSINESS SUCCESS
Cardboard Box Swap Do you have cardboard boxes lying around, taking up valuable storage space? Would you be interested in donating these to organisations who could make good use of them? Feel good about lending a helping hand, and reduce the cost of your rubbish collections!
Be Informed Want to stay up to date with news, events and “specials” for Business North Harbour members? Sign up to receive our e-newsletter! E-mail admin@businessnh.org.nz and ask to be added to the distribution list.
If you’d like to give or receive cardboard boxes on a regular basis, please e-mail admin@businessnh.org.nz or phone (09) 968 2222.
Abilities Group celebrates 60 years Abilities Group is an associate member of Business North Harbour, and helps by sorting through the inorganics collections for items that can be recycled or re-used. As the organisation celebrates its diamond anniversary this June, here’s a brief look back at its history. Starting with only three staff, Abilities, a concept based on a similar organisation in Long Island NY, USA, was established by Takapuna Rotary on 23 June 1959, and located in a former blacksmiths shop on Barry’s Point Road. In 1966 Abilities moved around the corner into Anzac Street in Takapuna to cope with increased demand for its services. This facility was expanded twice to cope with staff growth and, in 1996, Abilities relocated to View Road beside the Southern Cross Hospital.
In 2010 further growing pains resulted in another move to a larger site at 91 Hillside Road, employing 120 staff with intellectual and learning disabilities with 30 support staff. “People with intellectual disabilities have significant barriers to employment in the open workforce but thrive when given the opportunity of care and support offered at Abilities. Their self-esteem and well-being soars and they lead as good a life as they are able. They love working with their friends. In addition, parents and caregivers can get on with their lives knowing their dependent is safe and happy,” explains Abilities’ operations manager, Peter Doland.
Abilities has evolved into a major e-waste recycler serving the local community and businesses. To make recycling more convenient they offer seven-day drop-off services and also recycle batteries, cardboard, paper, plastic and polystyrene. In addition, Abilities still offers contract work to local businesses, including packaging, labelling, shrinkwrapping and assembly work. “We want to thank Takapuna Rotary for having the foresight to establish the organisation, all the voluntary directors who have given their expertise and time in governance, and the North Shore community for their wonderful support,” says Peter.
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PROPERTY MATTERS
Commercial property sector update Like residential property investment, for commercial property there is a lot of interest in the sector and what the near future holds. NAI Harcourts sheds some light on this with a view about the balance of 2019. It has been an interesting time from a political and economic perspective with the dropping of the idea of a capital gains tax on a raft of asset sales that are currently not taxed. This combined with the Reserve Bank’s decision to lower the official cash rate (OCR) on the 8 May to 1.5 per cent. The coalition Government said it is not what New Zealand wants, and the Reserve Bank cited easing of demand for New Zealand goods and services, a dip in forecast business, and consumer activity in New Zealand within an environment of slowing global economic growth. There is no general consensus that New Zealand’s economy is going to fall into an abyss. It is more that there is an environment of uncertainty and lack of economic activity leading to lower economic output and reduced business investment and consumer spending (according to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in its 8 May briefing). Commercial property in Auckland in some ways reflects this sentiment; there are satisfied owners who are happy to retain their commercial property and not face a decision as to what to do with the cash they need to reinvest, however, there is increased investor demand because of a move away from residential property investment and lower funding costs. This increase in demand for commercial property as an investment also comes at a time when the North Shore demand from tenants is high and vacancy levels low across all property sectors. 32
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There is also an increase in demand and acquisitions from large off-shore based property investment companies, however this is not impacting on the local North Shore market. Rental rates have had two years of increases up until mid-to-late 2018 and have provided commercial property owners with two benefits: increased cash flow and return, and increased capital values because of the combination of increased rents and declining capitalisation rates. This may be set to be tested to go even lower because of the decrease in the OCR.
There is no general consensus that New Zealand’s economy is going to fall into an abyss. NAI Harcourts’ view is that conditions are such that demand from both tenants and investors plus the potential for improved capitalisation rates mean that the forecast is healthy for property owners in to the balance of 2019. This positive outlook seems in contrast to global forecasts. In this context, the question commercial property owners are still asking is: “Why would I sell?” This cannot be answered easily, however, there is always the possibility of something triggering the need to sell and a lot of which is unplanned such as ill health, marriage break-ups, vacating tenants, need
for capital expenditure and a simple wish to recycle capital and take the gains made. In a different vein, the aging profile of commercial property owners has led to an increase in properties being managed by a professional third-party property management company, especially in the context of increased compliance requirements with regards to Health and Safety in the Workplace and Fire Regulations changes. Additionally, in favour of landlords is the Auckland District Law Society deed of lease that includes “management expenses” by a third party as an “outgoings expense” paid for by the tenants in most cases. Although not directly related, what has also been interesting is a surge in demand for people wanting to acquire businesses. This seems to be driven by people wanting to find an asset that offers more than a financial return in terms of rent. Buyers are looking for the ability to get involved in an investment opportunity that offers an income as well as an opportunity to increase the value of the business over-and-above that of both cash investments and also those associated with commercial property. We remain positive for the balance of the year and see only indicators that will assist both investors of commercial property and landlords alike.
Rob Meister is the manager/ business owner of NAI Harcourts North Shore in Takapuna. Ph: (09) 486 9260. E: rob.meister@naiharcourts.co.nz
PROPERTY MATTERS
Common Terms Explained During the course of selling and leasing commercial property, there are common queries which arise from all parties. Opex or outgoings means the total of all costs, charges, rates, fees and expenses incurred by the landlord or for which the landlord may be liable in respect of the whole part of the building. These include council rates, body corporate levies (if applicable), building insurance, common area cleaning, repairs and maintenance etc. Most commercial leases allow the tenant to sublease or assign their premises. Typically, the landlord is unable to unreasonably withhold consent to the sublease/assignment. A prudent landlord however will consider the strength of covenant being offered by the incoming sub-tenant or assignee, and will be reluctant to accept a sublease/assignment should their financial position/security be reduced as a result of the sublease/assignment. A “make good” or reinstatement is the tenant’s obligation to return the premises to its original state upon completion of their lease, usually excepting fair wear and tear of floor coverings. The discussions should take place well in advance of the tenant’s
Specialist reports carried out by a NZ Chartered Professional Engineer (or equivalent) on a building’s seismic rating (or earthquake risk) as measured against the National Building Standard (NBS). The IEP (Initial Evaluation Procedure) is part of an Initial Seismic Assessment (ISA). These are defined as being less than 33%NBS (33% New Building Standard). Depending on the outcome, a building owner may be requested to carry out a Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA), also known as a DEE which may ultimately require seismic strengthening of the building. These reports may be required by your financial lender. It is recommended that you seek legal advice before signing any contracts.
departure from the premises in order for the landlord and tenant to agree on any works (if any). The most common form used is the Auckland District Law Society Agreement for Sale and Purchase of Real Estate, Ninth Edition 2012 (7).
Janet Marshall is a Director and Commercial Manager at Colliers International North Shore. M: 021 684 775 E: janet.marshall@colliers.com
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The strategic benefits of a facilities manager Commercial property owners know that anything can happen to their properties and that usually these things occur when it is least expected. Facility managers plan for these unforeseen events with regular maintenance, testing and inspections, and building continuity planning. Whether you are an investor or the owner of a business that owns its own premises, value can be added to your investment through strategic facilities management. A happy tenant is more likely to be a long-term tenant and even where longevity is not possible, a quality building owned by a landlord sympathetic to the needs of its tenants is more likely to be easily reoccupied. A good facilities manager will be proactive to the building’s needs and on hand to react in emergencies. Consider how you might deal with the following disruptions to the normal operations in your building:
Fire
This is undoubtedly one of the most costly and lethal threats to your investment, and a risk to the safety and business continuity for employees or tenants. In 2017 Fire and Emergency New Zealand attended over 18,000 fire incidents. Commercial property owners have responsibilities as persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The prevention of loss of life or property, and strategic emergency planning should be a primary concern of any commercial property owner. A facilities manager will co-ordinate regular maintenance checks of electrical wiring, sprinkler systems and smoke alarms. They will also help you develop a communicated strategic plan for emergency evacuations and relocations. There is even the ability to use software to track and manage your entire building space meaning that no-one is left behind in an emergency evacuation scenario.
Utility Disruptions
The most common issue likely affecting efficiency for commercial property owners and tenants alike is the loss of necessary utilities required for running a business. 34
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Whether it is power, air-conditioning or internet services, disruptions create havoc and reduce output. Ensuring that you have back-up options, that you know how to turn off and reboot utilities safely, or having people on hand that can get things up and running quickly can make a significant difference to day-to-day operations following disruptions.
Whether you are an investor or the owner of a business that owns its own premises, value can be added to your investment through strategic facilities management. Completing regular testing and maintenance of back-up systems will also ensure business continuity when the normal systems fail.
Natural Disasters
Auckland is generally not considered to be at a great risk from seismic activity, but then neither was Christchurch prior to the 2010 and 2011 disasters. North Harbour is not immune from nature disasters either; the tragic Albany basin tornado that struck in 2011 is a stark reminder that natural disasters can happen anywhere at any time. Following such events, a facilities manager will be able to get your building back on track and operational within clear and
specific timeframes. They often have their own industry contacts which make clean up and repairs more efficient and cost effective to undertake. A facilities manager may also be able to assist with business continuity planning, relocations and fresh fit outs for new tenants and premises to help commercial property owners get more out of their investments. The ultimate goal for any business is to keep a tight budget, improve staff productivity, and increase return on investment. An exceptional facilities manager will not only be involved in the day-to-day analysis, maintenance and repair of buildings but will also be actively involved in strategic planning activities that help in cutting costs and increasing productivity of the building’s tenants – providing a great place for tenants or employees to work and making your building the most sought-after location. The question is: can you afford to do without one?
To find out how Maat Group can help you with your facilities management needs, contact Tony Lomas or Paul Tuffin on 09 414 6078 or email facilities@maat.co.nz
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Preparing for the workplace of the future There is no crystal ball telling us what the future of work will definitively look like, but one thing is certain: technology is going to play a hugely significant role. Marketing, communication, recruiting staff, partnerships and collaboration, maximising the benefits of the “gig economy” – these are all going to be driven and supported by digital systems. Here are just a few insights about the types of technology that businesses could – and should – be investigating today to ensure their strong, long-term presence tomorrow.
Cloud phones
Spark and other major New Zealand telecoms providers are making the move away from traditional PSTN/copper network calling solutions and preparing to move entire networks to VoIP technology (Voice-over IP) that includes full “unified communications” capabilities, such as voice and video calling, instant messaging, presence information (eg: availability to live chat on a website), and file and desktop sharing. This is a cost-effective, cloud-based collaboration solution, combining landline and mobile communications, which should make it easier for businesses to stay connected with their customers and colleagues, collaborate and enjoy greater mobility. It enables users to make and receive calls or work from anywhere, anytime with secure connections.
Cloud managed network
The world is moving quickly to “software defined” ways of managing networks. Whether one site or on multiple locations, cloud managed network can give businesses the edge they need, with secure connectivity between sites and to cloud services. VTNZ is an early adopter of this system. Network changes are deployed in seconds, so businesses can respond faster, and easily manage/control, deploy network and security policies. There is also an automatic 4G failover option, giving automatic business continuity, and therefore boosting and maintaining overall productivity.
Fibre
Fibre = faster! Even at the busiest times of day, there should be no frustrating buffering. The faster your connection, the faster data moves through it – which means you can work from anywhere and do more in a shorter space of time. Fibre gives businesses faster access to their data and applications stored on the cloud. It’s more reliable than copper because it’s stronger and is not susceptible to inclement weather conditions. Moreover, unlike traditional DSL, the strength does not degrade as quickly over distance. File sharing, cloud support, high definition streaming, and web conferencing all become easier. Tracking staff, equipment and vehicles becomes more reliable, and business continuity is improved.
5G
Spark 5G driverless vehicle 36
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5G promises to transform all aspects of our lives, with possible speeds of up to 100 times faster than 4G and latency (ie: the time it takes for data to travel from its source to its destination ) of just one millisecond (yes, you read that right: one thousandth of a second). It will make possible any system that requires fast, reliable, real-time communication, including automated vehicles (aka driverless cars), smart machinery and civic infrastructure.
Immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences will seem all the more lifelike, and therefore offer greater tangible value. Emirates Team New Zealand is already putting this to excellent use in its preparation for the next America’s Cup. The opportunities of 5G are extremely exciting and potentially revolutionary. Some of these can be experienced at the Spark 5G Lab, an interactive test space in the Wynyard Quarter. Business owners are warmly invited to book a tour for themselves and key staff members.
For more information and/or to book your tour of the Spark 5G Lab, contact: Aabhas Dole, Manager Spark Business Hub (North Shore) Level 3, 15 Huron Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Ph: 0800 482 746 M: 027 235 7496 E: aabhas.dole2@spark.co.nz
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Replaced by robots? How the shape of tomorrow’s workforce should influence today’s hiring decisions
We’ve all heard the warnings: the robots are coming to take our jobs. Or are they? The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology has sparked fear in some industries that roles will be made redundant. While it’s true that technology is increasingly automating tasks and taking over many repetitive roles, technology in fact has its best success when its working alongside your human workforce, complementing and augmenting capabilities, rather than replacing them.
What does this mean for your hiring strategy?
With straightforward, administrative work taken care of, it opens up time and headspace for your human workforce to instead take on tasks that require more complex problem solving, creative thinking, emotional intelligence, leadership, teamwork or intuition. These are the strengths that set humans apart, and that no robot can replace (at least, not yet!) Looking to the future, that means the people who will be most valuable to your business are the ones with an ability to think outside the box, act with agility, build relationships, respond strategically and have strong emotional awareness. And while technology will increasingly give you access to data and analytical tools, the real power lies in having the right people to put the information to good use.
Hiring in the digital age
We’ve already seen that technology is democratising industries. Therefore, businesses that stand out will be the ones who are using their workforce to deliver real value to their customers. With technology taking care of tasks, your workforce has heightened capacity to think big, while making customer engagements more personal. Businesses that invest in building a team of innovators, visionaries and bold decision makers will be the ones leading their industries. Ta k e t h e a c c o u n t i n g i n d u s t r y f o r example. While compliance work for their clients is still a necessity, cloud technology solutions are increasingly taking care of these requirements. For accountants, that means shifting their focus to instead build a unique advantage around their high-value advisory services, while keeping themselves indispensable. Balancing a set of books takes a different set of skills to building out strategic financial plans - so therefore your hiring priorities may need to change. For many businesses, this might mean widening their brief to put less emphasis on technical experience, and instead look at the interpersonal skills and attributes needed to really drive your business forward in the future. After all, many skills can be taught, but it’s harder to instil initiative to seek out opportunities or the creativity needed to bring them to life.
A workplace fit for the future
It might also mean becoming more flexible with the scope of the role. Connectivity is changing the way we work, with an increasing desire from many to work remotely or with greater flexibility of hours. Being less restrictive on these requirements could open you up to a wider pool of talented candidates - such as those who choose to live outside of major cities, parents who prefer to work around school hours, or “digital nomads” who want to travel while maintaining their career. Have you considered what’s in store for your organisation’s future? The team at Eclipse is passionate about helping you achieve business success through your people. If you’ve got a big vision for your business, chat to us about finding the right people who can take it into the future.
Contact Lisa Hill, Managing Director of Eclipse Recruitment for your recruitment support. lisa@eclipserecruitment.co.nz www.eclipserecruitment.co.nz
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Visit ampmweb.co.nz or call (09) 300 5138 for more information NAI Harcourts North Shore is a multidisciplined real estate services and business broking company that is part of an international group. NAI Harcourts is the commercial division of the international Harcourts Group. Harcourts was founded in 1888 and the NAI Harcourts entity is a joint venture between NAI Global, a US-based commercial real estate services firm, and Harcourts International. Harcourts has an enviable position as one of New Zealand’s largest and most preferred property and business broking firms across commercial and residential. The North Shore business is part of the Cooper & Co Real Estate company and has a commercial office based in Takapuna covering both the North Shore and further afield. We have a team of over 30 people across commercial property sales, leasing, property management and business sales. We pride ourselves on putting our clients first and take every care to understand their unique needs and provide expert advice to achieve them.
The office is managed by Andrew Bruce and Rob Meister. Feel free to make call in or make contact to see how we can help: Rob Meister, 128 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna. Ph: 09-486 9260 Email: rob.meister@naiharcourts.co.nz Web: shore.naiharcourts.co.nz 38
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