The challenge of change is like hacking your way through a gorse-covered bush track, says Terry Williams. There needs to be a “treasure” beyond to make it worthwhile, or something scary pushing you on.

Fonterra’s D&I strategy ensures that the co-op is attracting diverse people from diverse pools of talent to its 22,000-strong workforce. Susan Doughty talks to Raewyn Court about flexibility, inclusivity and developing people for the future.

There’s so much latent potential within the workforce just waiting to be unlocked, says Melissa Jenner. But if we want people to stay and thrive, we must redesign the way we manage talent and enable employees to design their own futures.

How we talk about change matters, says Ruth Donde. We need to redefine how we think about our concerns around change, and remember that over thousands of years we have adapted to continuous change.

Disciplinary action, and especially dismissal, should never be undertaken lightly, says James Wilson. Here he clarifies the purpose of the various disciplinary investigation processes and explains when they are appropriate.

Work can be both physically and mentally demanding so it’s crucial that employers hire the right people to safely perform the right roles. Heather Petro discusses the role of functional assessments in employee screening.

Polytechnics play an important role in industry training, and we need to ensure their survival, says Paul Button. He discusses the implications of the proposed polytechnic merger on the growth of New Zealand’s regions.

Template employment agreements may seem like a cost effective option, but if they’re not tailored to an employer’s needs, they may end up costing more in legal fees, says Stephanie Maloy.

We can’t predict natural disasters, but we can prepare for them. Jayne Lapin outlines some simple but effective steps businesses can take to help keep employees safe in an earthquake.

Keeping abreast of the trends affecting the world of work is crucial. HRINZ looks at these trends within a New Zealand context and examines the impact they will have on HR professionals.

Every year, New Zealanders celebrate Labour Day, marking the right to work an eight-hour day. But increasingly, says Susan-Jane Davies, the eight-hour day/40-hour week no longer reflects the way we work.

Pride networks and affinity groups play a key part in building Rainbow Inclusive workplaces. Martin King shares some important learnings from organisations at the forefront of this work in New Zealand.

Does a requirement to report a dismissal or resignation to a professional body override the full and final nature of a record of settlement? “Yes” says the Employment Relations Authority, but take care. Paul Robertson explains.