A word from our event partner
Ben Thompson
CEO and Co-founder
Employment Hero
Awards
Gallery
2022 Sponsors
NZ HR Rising Star
The HRD Awards have been celebrating excellence in the HR profession across the globe for the last several years, and in 2021, the highly anticipated event returned to New Zealand’s shores. With Auckland still in lockdown at the time of the nomination process, it is fair to say that 2021 was a tough year for wellbeing and morale – however, our submissions reflected the huge effort that employers went to in order to keep their staff physically and mentally well.
Event Partner
Sponsors
Official Media
Organiser
Thank you to our esteemed judges for lending their time and expertise to help recognise and celebrate excellence in the HR profession.
Michelle Banfield
General Manager Employee Experience
Fonterra
Julie Bassett
Vice President
Human Resources - APAC Constellation Brands
Andrew Bhimy
General Manager
People and Culture
Public Trust
Rebecca Clarke
NZ Manager
RCSA Australia and
New Zealand
Kate Daly
Managing Director
- People + Culture
Fonterra
Kylie Eagle
GM People and Communications
Kiwi Property
Annamarie Jamieson
People and Culture Director
Stuff
Rose Johnson
HR Director
DHL Supply Chain
Pauline Marshall
Talent Acquisition Manager
KiwiRail
Fiona Masson
Group Human Resources Manager
Lifewise NZ
Nga Nguyen
Head of Human Resources
Schindler Lifts NZ
Elise O’Halloran
Litigation Solicitor
Tavendale & Partners
Wendy Paul
Director, People Experience
Fonterra
Shaun Philp
General Manager,
People & Culture
Chorus NZ
Michelle Russell
GM Talent & Culture,
NZ & Pacific
ANZ
Catherine Smith
Director of People and Organisation
Auckland Museum
Claire Walker
Chief People &
Culture Officer
Skycity Entertainment Group
2022 Judging Panel
Methodology
more
Commemorative Guide
Nominations
Nominations were open via online portal. The awards are free to enter. Individuals and companies can nominate themselves or their peers in unlimited categories. To be in the running for the HRD Awards New Zealand, individuals and companies could nominate themselves or their peers in unlimited categories. All submissions focused on the achievements of the nominees over the past 12 months.
Judging
An independent panel of judges appointed by HRD, comprised of HR leaders from around New Zealand who reviewed the submissions and allocates each nominee with confidential and impartial score.
Winners
On 15 February 2022 winners were announced online in the HRD website.
Find out more
NZ HR Director
of the Year
NZ HR Manager
of the Year
Best Workplace Diversity
& Inclusion Program
Best Health &
Wellbeing Program
Best Graduate
Development Program
Best Workplace
Flexibility Program
HR Team of the Year
< 500 Staff
HR Team of the Year
> 500 Staff
Employer of Choice
< 200 Staff
Employer of Choice
> 200 Staff
Employer of Choice
(100–999 Employee
YOUtax Best Health & Wellbeing Program
Best Recruitment Campaign
Best Graduate
Development Program
Globalization Partners
Best Remote Work Strategy
HRD Awards return to New Zealand
The second annual HRD Awards New Zealand celebrate the year’s top talent and biggest success stories following a tumultuous 2021
Welcome to the HRD Awards New Zealand awards for 2022 and congratulations to all the award nominees and award winners.
We’d like to recognise the incredible effort of the New Zealand HR community over the past two years. You have been the business world’s first responders to the pandemic, and continue to show up and do the essential and often undervalued work critical to keeping a business running. For that I commend you and I ask that you take a moment to recognise the contribution you have made.
Employment Hero are proud to sponsor the HRD Awards New Zealand for 2022. From Auckland to Dunedin, we’re excited about the potential for the people and culture industry and look forward to our continued and future partnerships with the exemplary HR professionals of New Zealand.
These awards showcase the country’s most outstanding HR teams, leaders and employers for their achievements, leadership and innovation for their achievements, best practices and leadership in the HR profession over the past 12 months.
We understand that an event like this has great importance in recognising ideas, rewarding innovation, networking and a shared responsibility in elevating the HR function through 2022 and beyond.
What better time to celebrate and recognise the hard work of the community as we look towards a new future in a post-pandemic world. COVID-19 has been a defining moment for our profession, how we choose to move forward is also important and I encourage HR leaders to continue to use your voice.
Australian Business Lawyers
& Advisors Australian HR Director of the Year
Australian Business Lawyers
& Advisors Australian HR Champion (CEO) of the Year
Australian HR Manager
of the Year
Australian HR Rising Star
of the Year
HAYS Australian HR Team
of the Year
(≤1,000 Employees)
pymetrics Australian HR Team
of the Year
(>1,000 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(Public Sector & NFP)
Employer of Choice
(>1,000 Employees)
Best Leadership
Development Program
Employer of Choice
(1–99 Employees)
Best Learning
& Development Program
Employer of Choice
(100–999 Employee
YOUtax Best Health & Wellbeing Program
Best Recruitment Campaign
Best Graduate
Development Program
Globalization Partners
Best Remote Work Strategy
Australian Business Lawyers
& Advisors Australian HR Director of the Year
Australian Business Lawyers
& Advisors Australian HR Champion (CEO) of the Year
Australian HR Manager
of the Year
Australian HR Rising Star
of the Year
HAYS Australian HR Team
of the Year
(≤1,000 Employees)
pymetrics Australian HR Team
of the Year
(>1,000 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(Public Sector & NFP)
Employer of Choice
(>1,000 Employees)
Best Leadership
Development Program
Employer of Choice
(1–99 Employees)
Best Learning
& Development Program
Employer of Choice
(100–999 Employee
YOUtax Best Health & Wellbeing Program
Best Recruitment Campaign
Best Graduate
Development Program
Globalization Partners
Best Remote Work Strategy
Australian Business Lawyers
& Advisors Australian HR Director of the Year
Australian Business Lawyers
& Advisors Australian HR Champion (CEO) of the Year
Australian HR Manager
of the Year
Australian HR Rising Star
of the Year
HAYS Australian HR Team
of the Year
(≤1,000 Employees)
pymetrics Australian HR Team
of the Year
(>1,000 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(Public Sector & NFP)
Employer of Choice
(>1,000 Employees)
Best Leadership
Development Program
Employer of Choice
(1–99 Employees)
Best Learning
& Development Program
Employer of Choice
(100–999 Employee
YOUtax Best Health & Wellbeing Program
Best Recruitment Campaign
Best Graduate
Development Program
Globalization Partners
Best Remote Work Strategy
Employment Hero connects and empowers 6,000 businesses across the world with a suite of powerful employment features. We’re launching employers toward their goals, powering more productive teams and taking employment to rewarding new heights.
Contact: +61 1800 084 847
Website: www.employmenthero.com
Event Partner
Research
The HRD Awards New Zealand team conducted thorough research to verify all submissions and nominations.
Huge strides in work-life balance and flexibility
As working practices continue to change shape to adapt to a new environment, one thing remains constant – flexibility and work-life balance are two vital aspects of being a top employer. The ability to work remotely is now expected by employees as a minimum standard, and companies have made huge progress with developing flexible and hybrid working models.
With COVID-19 having hit the economy and turned daily life its head, the wellbeing of staff became a top priority for organisations everywhere. Auckland Transport (AT) took home the award for Best Health & Wellbeing Programme, and people experience specialist Jessica Hayes commented that there has never been a better time to invest into health, wellbeing and support initiatives.
Never a better time to invest in wellbeing
Reflecting on this year’s submissions, the most common thread echoed by every organisation was that ultimately, people make a business.
Success starts with investing in people
“With our new normal of living in a COVID-19 world, and with the ups and downs of modern life, we recognise there’s never been a better time to invest in our people’s health and wellbeing,” Hayes says. “As we continue to build a thriving and inclusive culture, we want to proactively invest in wellbeing to protect our people from any harm to their mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
“Hauora – our wellbeing framework and programme – is led by AT’s cross-functional wellbeing squad,” she adds. “It works through the delivery of eight key initiatives, all linking back to our core values of Manaakitanga - we care…full stop, and Tiakitanga – safe with us.”
Law firm Lane Neave was an Excellence Awardee for the Best Health & Wellbeing Programme category, and people and capability manager Mark Lewis highlighted that the legal sector has had a longstanding reputation for being high stress. He says that now is the time to change this, and Lane Neave has been committed to turning this reality around throughout the last several years.
One of the ways it has done this is through Te Whare Tapa Whā – a Māori health concept focused on the four cornerstones of physical, spiritual, family and mental health.
“The legal sector has always been associated with heavy, high-stress workloads and conservative, hierarchical workplaces,” Lewis says.
“Lane Neave committed to shattering these perceptions in 2020 with a robust new people strategy which puts people at the heart of the firm. Through embracing Te Whare Tapa Whā, our strategy focuses on boosting the long-term wellbeing of every person in our 150-strong team.”
Far North District Council won the Best Workplace Flexibility Programme award for its Creating and Enabling Great Workplaces Project Team, which spearheaded the organisation’s transition from office-based to remote throughout the pandemic. People & capability business partner Alison Carnaby says that the initiative has been massively successful, and that the changes have ‘not only been implemented, but fully embraced’ by the team.
“At the Far North District Council, the Creating and Enabling Great Workplaces initiative has transformed the way we operate,” Carnaby says. “Traditionally an office-based working and paper environment, we have embraced a progressive hybrid remote working operational model. Enabled by technology and adopting a digital first concept, we have transitioned to a technology-savvy organisation.
“Our innovation and people-centric approach has enabled successful change management that was not only implemented, but fully embraced. We believe that we are set up for success long into the future, which makes us not only an employer of choice in Northland, but across all of New Zealand.”
Excellence Awardee AIA New Zealand highlighted the huge strides it has made in flexible work policies over the past two years, and chief people & culture officer Brynlea Hunger-Morpeth says they have made a substantial difference to the happiness and engagement of AIA’s employees.
“We delivered a Flex Work Playbook, which has made substantial inroads to our flex work practices over the last two years,” Hunter-Morpeth says.“It is now rated as the most favourable benefit that we offer and received the most positive feedback in our Gallup survey in terms what the company is doing well. It was a multifunctional team who delivered the work, ensuring that flex working practises enhance our organisational culture, collaboration and connectivity,” she added. “We haven't seen any drop in productivity and the feedback has been that it has made a meaningful difference for our people.
Every submission detailed a unique approach to employee wellbeing, overall satisfaction and company culture. While some focused on the accessibility of managers, a strong team culture and an atmosphere of support, others ramped up their focus on benefits, access to external counselling, and additional life and health coverage.
“We operate in a high trust environment, and our ways of working our outcomes focused,” says Author-it Software Co, winner of the Employer of Choice (<200 Staff) award. “Our philosophy is simple,” excellence awardee DUAL New Zealand explains. “We genuinely put people first, and want our people to be the healthiest and happiest they can be, at work and at home. We aim to attract and retain the best talent, and support them to achieve their aspirations.”
Ben Thompson
CEO and Co-founder
Employment Hero
Welcome to the HRD Awards New Zealand awards for 2022 and congratulations to all the award nominees and award winners.
We’d like to recognise the incredible effort of the New Zealand HR community over the past two years. You have been the business world’s first responders to the pandemic, and continue to show up and do the essential and often undervalued work critical to keeping a business running. For that I commend you and I ask that you take a moment to recognise the contribution you have made.
Employment Hero are proud to sponsor the HRD Awards New Zealand for 2022. From Auckland to Dunedin, we’re excited about the potential for the people and culture industry and look forward to our continued and future partnerships with the exemplary HR professionals of New Zealand.
These awards showcase the country’s most outstanding HR teams, leaders and employers for their achievements, leadership and innovation for their achievements, best practices and leadership in the HR profession over the past 12 months.
We understand that an event like this has great importance in recognising ideas, rewarding innovation, networking and a shared responsibility in elevating the HR function through 2022 and beyond.
What better time to celebrate and recognise the hard work of the community as we look towards a new future in a post-pandemic world. COVID-19 has been a defining moment for our profession, how we choose to move forward is also important and I encourage HR leaders to contine to use your voice.
A word from our event partner
Organiser
Official Media
Sponsors
Event Partner
2022 Sponsors
Employment Hero connects and empowers 6,000 businesses across the world with a suite of powerful employment features. We’re launching employers toward their goals, powering more productive teams and taking employment to rewarding new heights.
Contact: +61 1800 084 847
Website: www.employmenthero.com
Event Partner
Catherine Smith
Director of People and Organisation
Auckland Museum
Claire Walker
Chief People &
Culture Officer
Skycity Entertainment Group
Michelle Russell
GM Talent & Culture,
NZ & Pacific
ANZ
Elise O’Halloran
Litigation Solicitor
Tavendale & Partners
Pauline Marshall
Talent Acquisition Manager
KiwiRail
Kylie Eagle
GM People and Communications
Kiwi Property
Andrew Bhimy
General Manager
People and Culture
Public Trust
Shaun Philp
General Manager,
People & Culture
Chorus NZ
Wendy Paul
Director, People Experience
Fonterra
Nga Nguyen
Head of Human Resources
Schindler Lifts NZ
Fiona Masson
Group Human Resources Manager
Lifewise NZ
Rose Johnson
HR Director
DHL Supply Chain
Annamarie Jamieson
People and Culture Director
Stuff
Kate Daly
Managing Director
- People + Culture
Fonterra
Rebecca Clarke
NZ Manager
RCSA Australia and
New Zealand
Julie Bassett
Vice President
Human Resources - APAC Constellation Brands
Michelle Banfield
General Manager Employee Experience
Fonterra
Thank you to our esteemed judges for lending their time and expertise to help recognise and celebrate excellence in the HR profession.
2022 Judging Panel
Find out more
Winners
On 15 February 2022 winners were announced online in the HRD website.
Judging
An independent panel of judges appointed by HRD, comprised of HR leaders from around New Zealand who reviewed the submissions and allocates each nominee with confidential and impartial score.
Research
The HRD Awards New Zealand team conducted thorough research to verify all submissions and nominations.
Nominations
Nominations were open via online portal. The awards are free to enter. To be in the running for the HRD Awards New Zealand, individuals and companies could nominate themselves or their peers in unlimited categories. All submissions focused on the achievements of the nominees over the past 12 months.
Methodology
more
Commemorative Guide
Ben Thompson
CEO and Co-founder
Employment Hero
Welcome to the HRD Awards New Zealand awards for 2022 and congratulations to all the award nominees and award winners.
We’d like to recognise the incredible effort of the New Zealand HR community over the past two years. You have been the business world’s first responders to the pandemic, and continue to show up and do the essential and often undervalued work critical to keeping a business running. For that I commend you and I ask that you take a moment to recognise the contribution you have made.
Employment Hero are proud to sponsor the HRD Awards New Zealand for 2022. From Auckland to Dunedin, we’re excited about the potential for the people and culture industry and look forward to our continued and future partnerships with the exemplary HR professionals of New Zealand.
These awards showcase the country’s most outstanding HR teams, leaders and employers for their achievements, leadership and innovation for their achievements, best practices and leadership in the HR profession over the past 12 months.
We understand that an event like this has great importance in recognising ideas, rewarding innovation, networking and a shared responsibility in elevating the HR function through 2022 and beyond.
What better time to celebrate and recognise the hard work of the community as we look towards a new future in a post-pandemic world. COVID-19 has been a defining moment for our profession, how we choose to move forward is also important and I encourage HR leaders to continue to use your voice.
A word from our event partner
Organiser
Official Media
Event Partner
2022 Sponsors
Employment Hero connects and empowers 6,000 businesses across the world with a suite of powerful employment features. We’re launching employers toward their goals, powering more productive teams and taking employment to rewarding new heights.
Contact: +61 1800 084 847
Website: www.employmenthero.com
Event Partner
Find out more
Winners
On 15 February 2022 winners were announced online in the HRD website.
Judging
An independent panel of judges appointed by HRD, comprised of HR leaders from around New Zealand who reviewed the submissions and allocates each nominee with confidential and impartial score.
Research
The HRD Awards New Zealand team conducted thorough research to verify all submissions and nominations.
Nominations
Nominations were open via online portal. The awards are free to enter. To be in the running for the HRD Awards New Zealand, individuals and companies could nominate themselves or their peers in unlimited categories. All submissions focused on the achievements of the nominees over the past 12 months.
Methodology
Catherine Smith
Director of People and Organisation
Auckland Museum
Claire Walker
Chief People &
Culture Officer
Skycity Entertainment Group
Michelle Russell
GM Talent & Culture,
NZ & Pacific
ANZ
Elise O’Halloran
Litigation Solicitor
Tavendale & Partners
Pauline Marshall
Talent Acquisition Manager
KiwiRail
Kylie Eagle
GM People and Communications
Kiwi Property
Andrew Bhimy
General Manager
People and Culture
Public Trust
Shaun Philp
General Manager,
People & Culture
Chorus NZ
Wendy Paul
Director, People Experience
Fonterra
Nga Nguyen
Head of Human Resources
Schindler Lifts NZ
Fiona Masson
Group Human Resources Manager
Lifewise NZ
Rose Johnson
HR Director
DHL Supply Chain
Annamarie Jamieson
People and Culture Director
Stuff
Kate Daly
Managing Director
- People + Culture
Fonterra
Rebecca Clarke
NZ Manager
RCSA Australia and
New Zealand
Julie Bassett
Vice President
Human Resources - APAC Constellation Brands
Michelle Banfield
General Manager Employee Experience
Fonterra
Thank you to our esteemed judges for lending their time and expertise to help recognise and celebrate excellence in the HR profession.
2022 Judging Panel
