New Zealand’s unemployment rate currently sits at just 3.3 per cent.
On the one hand, this is excellent news for the country, its residents, and its economy. At the same time, though, many employers are still struggling with labour shortages and don’t have enough employees to help them run their businesses successfully.
Do you need help figuring out how to hire employees in New Zealand? Are you struggling to attract top talent and fill vacancies at your company?
If so, this guide is for you. Below, you’ll learn how to hire employees and discover some of the best websites to hire job seekers in New Zealand.
How to Hire Employees in New Zealand
Let’s begin with the basic process of hiring employees in New Zealand. Here are some specific steps employers must take when hiring employees in New Zealand:
- Plan and prepare for the hiring process
- Write a detailed job description
- Advertise the job
- Collect job applications
- Schedule interviews
- Select and appoint candidates
Remember that you must also abide by the employment regulations in New Zealand and the legal requirements for hiring employees in New Zealand.
For example, it is illegal to discriminate against applicants based on race, ethnicity, gender, etc. You must ensure you’re abiding by the regulations outlined in the Human Rights Act 1993.
How to Attract Talent in 2024 in New Zealand
If you’re struggling to find and employ job seekers in New Zealand, it’s unlikely because of an absence of talent. It’s more likely that you’re not looking in the right places or enticing high-performing individuals to check out your company.
If you’re not sure how to hire employees in New Zealand — and connect with the most skilled and talented job seekers — these ten tips can help:
1. Assess Existing Staff
Meet with your current employees and find out what attracted them to your company.
What did they like about the business when they were searching for jobs? Why do they continue working with you instead of looking for a different job?
Use this information to identify your business’s strengths and highlight them in your job descriptions.
2. Write Better Job Descriptions
Speaking of job descriptions, that’s the next step to attracting top talent. You need to sell your company in the job description and explain why it’s a good option. Highlight key offerings like unique benefits, perks, etc., to get people interested in applying.
3. Create a Welcoming Company Culture
If you provide employees with a positive, uplifting, and supportive company culture, they’ll be more likely to stick with you. They’ll also be more inclined to speak positively about your business and encourage others to apply for positions when they become available.
4. Encourage Employee Growth
Most job seekers want to work for companies that offer ongoing support and encourage them to continually grow and develop new skills.
If you don’t already, offer professional development programs for your employees to give them the tools they need to rise through the ranks, qualify for promotions, and eventually earn more money.
5. Offer a Diverse Collection of Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, many job seekers are looking for companies that offer comprehensive benefits.
Think about how you can reward your employees and create a more positive work environment, from offering more robust family leave options to implementing workplace wellness programs. Consider your employees and their needs/interests to ensure you’re offering the right benefits for them.
6. Show Appreciation
Job seekers want to work for employers who appreciate them. If you don’t already, get in the habit now of showing appreciation to your employees and letting them know you see their hard work. Regularly showing gratitude improves the culture at your company and makes it more inviting to future job seekers.
7. Offer More Flexibility
These days, flexibility is a top priority for many job seekers. They want the option to work from home or the ability to set their own hours, for example.
Consider loosening the reins and offering a more flexible work schedule to attract new employees and encourage them to check out your company.
8. Use Social Media
Many people start their job search on social media. They might also use social media to learn more about a company, its culture, and its employees. Make sure you’re presenting your business well on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms to make a good impression on potential applicants.
9. Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
An applicant tracking system or ATS helps you stay connected to job seekers throughout the hiring process. You can use these tools to collect resumes, schedule appointments for interviews, and streamline various HR-related tasks.
The right technology frees you up and gives you more time to focus on interviewing and selecting the right candidates.
10. Create a Referral Program
Let your current employees help you find new ones.
Your existing employees know what kind of person is a good fit for your company. Ask them to refer friends or family members when positions become available.
You may even want to offer a referral bonus to encourage your employees to recommend qualified candidates.
The Best Job Sites for Hiring Employees in New Zealand
The tips discussed above can help you connect with the most suitable candidates and fill vacancies faster. If you need more help figuring out how to hire employees in New Zealand, though, make sure you’re advertising jobs on the right platforms.
Here are 20 job sites you can use to post ads and attract top talent.
GrabJobs is New Zealand’s largest job search engine and is used by thousands of employers across numerous industries. It allows you to post to several job platforms simultaneously, meaning you can cast a wider net and connect with qualified candidates faster.
Employers can use this site to ensure they abide by legal requirements for hiring employees in New Zealand. They can also label job ads based on various factors, including job type, experience requirements, education requirements, and more.
Subscription: Free for 14 days; pricing plans
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Indeed is a popular site for job seekers and employers alike. It offers a streamlined, easy-to-navigate platform that helps you connect with potential candidates quickly.
Subscription: Free (with sponsored post options)
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Jora is a global job search site used by employers (and job seekers) worldwide. Like Indeed, it offers a streamlined search engine that’s easy for virtually any employer to navigate.
Subscription: Free
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Monster is a popular job site among employers and job seekers across the globe. It’s highly reputable and lets you connect with top-tier talent immediately.
Subscription: Free Trial (1-5 active jobs and 25 resume reviews); plans start at $279 per month
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
If you’re looking for a job site that helps you abide by the employment regulations in New Zealand, MyJobSpace is an excellent choice. After all, it’s New Zealand’s number one job site.
Subscription: Paid; Job listings start at $157
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Student Job Search is an excellent site to utilise if you’re looking to attract students to your company to fill part-time, temporary, or internship roles.
Subscription: Free
Hiring Focus: Student jobs, temporary jobs, internships
SEEK is a global employment site that helps you connect with quality candidates quickly and simply. The site also offers hiring advice and resources for those who are new to online recruitment.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Adzuna is another job site with global reach. It’s an excellent and cost-effective option that allows you to reach tens of thousands of job seekers at once.
Subscription: Paid ($99 for 30 days)
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
LinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals — including employers and job seekers. It’s an excellent option for those who want to build their network and connect with skilled, eager job seekers.
Subscription: Free and paid options
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Direction Recruitment is a recruitment agency based in Whangārei. It’s an especially good choice for employers in the Northland area.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Temporary, permanent, and contract positions
If you need help finding and hiring highly skilled executives and professionals for your company, Albany Executive Recruitment can help.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Qualified temporary and permanent job seekers
If you run a business in the construction industry, Freestyla is one of the best sites you can use to advertise job openings.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Construction workers
Do you offer a mum-friendly work environment with flexible hours, competitive compensation, etc.? If so, RecruitMum is a great place to share your job ads.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Mums
If you’re on the hunt for remote employees from around the world, check out Snaphunt. It’s the world’s leading remote hiring site that offers numerous resources to help you streamline the recruitment process.
Subscription: Free and paid options
Hiring Focus: Remote job seekers
Do you need help recruiting IT professionals for your company? If so, Burton and Associates is a great recruitment firm to partner with.
By sharing job ads on their site, you can connect with qualified candidates in the IT sector and fill vacancies fast.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Permanent and contract IT positions
Employers all over the world use Recruit.net to post jobs and connect with qualified candidates. It offers resume search tools, analytics, and other features to help you streamline and improve your recruitment process.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: All types of workers (blue collar, white collar, remote, entry-level, etc.)
Alignz Recruitment is a Samoan-owned recruitment company targeting job seekers in the Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty areas. If you want to connect with people in these parts of the country, consider partnering with Alignz.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Samoan job seekers; permanent, temporary, and contract roles
Do you need help finding recent graduates to fill entry-level roles at your company? If so, make sure you’re posting ads on GradConnection.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: Recent university graduates
If you’re interested in opening up your company to employees from other countries, WorkHere New Zealand can help you advertise to them effectively and efficiently.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: International job seekers, immigrants
AbsoluteIT is another good site for employers looking to hire IT professionals. This recruitment agency strives to take the guesswork out of the hiring process and make it as stress-free as possible for you and your team.
Subscription: Paid
Hiring Focus: IT job seekers
Start the Process of Hiring Employees in New Zealand Today
The process of figuring out how to hire employees in New Zealand can be frustrating, especially as the country continues to struggle with labour shortages.
However, if you follow the guidelines discussed above, it’ll be much easier for you to hire job seekers in New Zealand and connect with the most skilled candidates.
Do you need more help employing job seekers in New Zealand? If so, GrabJobs can help. Check out our recruitment tools today to streamline the hiring process and find the best fit in no time.
