http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.prohr.co.nz en-us Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:26:39 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/167193/contractor-or-employee-what-new-zealand-employers-need-to-know-about-the-new-contractor-rules/ Changes to New Zealand's employment law that took effect on 21 February 2026 have introduced a new statutory gateway test for determining whether certain workers are independent contractors.The aim of the changes is to provide greater certainty for businesses that engage genuine independent contractors. If the gateway test is met, the worker will generally be treated as a contractor under the Employment Relations Act, reducing the uncertainty that has previously existed around contractor status.... Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:50:42 +1200 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post167193 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/167191/performance-management-dont-wait-until-its-too-late/ One of the most common conversations I have with business owners starts with the same sentence:"I've put up with this for months. I just don't know what to do anymore."Whether it's missed deadlines, declining productivity, repeated mistakes or a lack of accountability, many employers delay addressing performance concerns in the hope that things will improve on their own. Unfortunately, they rarely do.Effective performance management isn't about looking for reasons to dismiss employees. It's abou... Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:26:31 +1200 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post167191 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/165952/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace-finding-the-balance-between-support-and-accountability/ Conversations about neurodiversity in the workplace have become increasingly common over recent years. As awareness grows, many employers are finding themselves navigating situations they may not have encountered before, including requests for workplace accommodations, discussions about ADHD or autism, and challenges around performance, communication and workplace behaviour.Unfortunately, these conversations can sometimes become polarised. On one side, employers may fear they are unable to addre... Sat, 06 Jun 2026 11:48:00 +1200 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post165952 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/164188/verbal-warnings/ A common theme I see when employers come to me for support with employee issues is the belief that a “verbal warning” has already been given and should count as part of a disciplinary process. Often, this is raised when an employer is looking to escalate matters and rely on previous steps taken. The difficulty is that, in many cases, what is being described as a verbal warning will not stand up to scrutiny as part of a fair and defensible process.In a New Zealand employment context, a verbal... Tue, 05 May 2026 12:50:55 +1200 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post164188 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/164144/outplacement-support-doing-the-right-thing-when-roles-come-to-an-end/ Outplacement Support: Supporting People Properly Through ChangeChange is part of running a business. At times, that change means roles are no longer required. While the commercial drivers behind those decisions are often clear, how they are carried out has a lasting impact.Outplacement support is one of the most practical ways to support employees through that transition while also protecting your business.What outplacement support actually isOutplacement support is structured, professional supp... Mon, 04 May 2026 13:56:49 +1200 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post164144 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/161559/how-360-leadership-feedback-can-transform-your-leadership-team/ Strong leadership plays a critical role in the success of any organisation. Leaders influence culture, decision making, team performance and ultimately business outcomes. Yet many leaders receive very little structured feedback on how their leadership is experienced by the people they work with every day.This is where 360° leadership feedback can be a powerful development tool.360° feedback gathers confidential feedback from a range of people who interact with a leader. This typically includes... Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:42:18 +1300 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post161559 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/160614/employment-law-changes-on-dismissals-what-nz-employers-need-to-know/ The Government has passed changes to the Employment Relations Act that significantly affect how unjustified dismissal claims and personal grievance remedies work in New Zealand. These changes are particularly important for employers because they alter both who can bring certain claims and what an employer may be required to pay if a grievance succeeds.The changes are expected to take effect very soon. In most cases, new employment laws apply shortly after they are formally signed off by the Gove... Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:25:45 +1300 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post160614 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/160376/genuine-contractor-status-upcoming-changes-what-nz-employers-need-to-know/ The Government has proposed changes to employment law that are expected to be passed and come into effect soon, with the aim of providing greater certainty around contractor status. The proposed amendments would apply on a forward looking basis once enacted, meaning existing and past working arrangements will continue to be assessed using the current legal tests.Why Contractor Status MattersThe distinction between an employee and a contractor is critical. Employees are entitled to minimum wage p... Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:54:40 +1300 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post160376 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/160373/can-an-employer-cancel-a-shift-what-nz-employers-need-to-know/ Employees often ask whether an employer can simply cut or cancel a shift. Employers, on the other hand, want to know how much flexibility they really have when work is quiet, demand drops, or staffing needs change. In New Zealand, the answer is that it depends on the employment agreement and how the shift is being changed.What does the employment agreement say?The starting point is always the employment agreement. Most agreements specify hours of work, days of work, or a rostered system. If an e... Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:32:39 +1300 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post160373 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/post/159858/kiwisaver-changes-in-2026-what-nz-employers-need-to-know/ KiwiSaver continues to evolve, and as we move through 2026 there are several important changes that employees and employers should be aware of. Some of the most significant updates took effect in mid 2025 and are already in place, while further changes are scheduled to roll out over the next two years. Understanding what has changed and what is coming next is important for payroll planning, budgeting and individual financial decisions.From 1st July 2025, changes were made to the government contr... Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:06:15 +1300 http://www.prohr.co.nz/blog/#post159858