After months of being told to work remotely, employers are starting to call staff back into the physical workplace. While some people welcome the return to the office, others are less excited at the prospect of leaving home to go back to their usual workplace. You may even be feeling anxious or stressed about returning to the workplace. Regardless of your perspective, there are some simple...

A job interview has always been a two-way conversation. While the interviewer wants to get a clear picture of your skills, experience and suitability for the role, you’re also assessing whether this is an organisation in which you can succeed and thrive. So, when the interview says, “Do you have any questions for me?”, you need to use this opening to delve into the issues that are important...

There is no doubt about it, the world of work will never return to the way it was pre-pandemic. Every day there are reports of new coronavirus cases, either locally, interstate or overseas, and so uncertainty remains. No wonder then that professionals are taking stock of their mental health and wellbeing. But do we honestly know how good our sense of our own wellbeing really is? Do we...

I graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree back in 1982, almost 40 years ago. Similar to the Class of 2020, I also graduated into a world of global economic volatility and recession. At the time, it was considered to be the worst economic climate since the Second World War. However, what today’s young graduates are facing is undoubtedly far more challenging on so many levels and from so...

What are you looking for in your next job? Most jobseekers have a list of things they ideally want to achieve in a new job. From future development opportunities to mental health and wellbeing initiatives and the salary and benefits on offer, we all prioritise certain things when we job search.   Increasingly, jobseekers are adding an equal, diverse and inclusive workplace to their...

If you’ve been struggling to look after your mental health at work during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. We’ve all faced countless and at times unexpected challenges on the long road out of this crisis, which have knocked our confidence and made us more anxious and worried.   According to findings in our new Hays Barometer Report, less than half of professionals now rate...

  To say that 2020 hasn’t turned out the way we were expecting would be the understatement of the century. Needing no introduction at this point, the COVID-19 outbreak is the single biggest disruption of a generation. While different countries are at different stages of this pandemic, personal circumstances continue to play a huge role in each individual’s experience.   We have...

The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed today’s world of work. Along with remote and hybrid working, perhaps the greatest impact has been on hiring intentions and the skills now sought by employers. The IT sector in Australia and New Zealand has been strong for several years. Driven by business transformations and the adoption of new technology, there have been candidate shortages...

Most of us, at some stage or another, question ourselves. We question our abilities, our skills, our judgement. We worry that we’re not good enough. We listen to the self-deprecating thoughts buzzing around in our minds and we take those thoughts to heart. After all, we’re all human and all of us experience a dent to our self-confidence at some stage or another, some more regularly than...

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organisations to undergo significant change and adjust to an unexpected new reality. From adapting products or services to adopting new technology to run their business, in a matter of weeks organisations have undergone levels of change that, pre-crisis, we wouldn’t have thought possible in years. Consequently, the people working in these organisations have...

Social distancing rules aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus forced mass remote working onto a significant percentage of Australia and New Zealand’s skilled professionals. While this was designed as a temporary stop-gap, many employees have come to appreciate the benefits of working from home and wish to retain some form of flexibility once they transition back into co-located...

Our lives will never be the same again. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration, it’s a fact. COVID-19 has already, in a matter of just a few weeks, completely changed our world. If you take a step back and really think about the magnitude and speed of what’s happening around us, it’s remarkable - we probably won’t experience anything like it again in our lifetimes. It feels like a line has been...

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, one of the main concerns employers had over the idea of mass remote working was whether or not they could trust their employees to remain productive. But now that a large percentage of New Zealand’s workforce is several weeks into remote working, the opposite is proving to be the case.    A great number of us, it seems, now feel the need to be seen to...

It’s normal to feel nervous before a job interview, especially if it’s a job you really want. In today’s world of work however, it’s understandable that you may be feeling an even heightened sense of nerves because your interview is also being conducted remotely.  Perhaps you’re afraid you won’t present well or sell yourself well over video. Or perhaps you’re worried about possible...

“Culture” as a term is hard to define, as it means something slightly different for every organisation. From trust and mutual respect to a clear vision and regular communication, people describe culture in many ways. The one thing most people agree on is that culture can ultimately be distilled down to the unique and collective way in which a team behaves and works together as a cohesive...

In just a few short weeks, the world of work has undergone significant change. Teams that worked closely together in one physical location now operate remotely and are learning how to adapt to the changing needs of their customers while doing so. Clearly, we are in a moment of unprecedented and rapid transformation, which calls for teams that can pivot quickly. Today, major change can...

Working from home is becoming the new normal for many, but it isn’t without its challenges. Here are our top 12 tips to work from home effectively, productively and successfully. 1. Designate a workspace “What do I need to work from home?” is often the first question people looking to work remotely ask. Firstly, you need to find a dedicated space that you can use solely as your work zone....

Receiving poor feedback during a performance review is never easy, regardless of whether you’d anticipated it or not. Not only can it feel like a personal attack on you as a person, it can also be difficult not to take it to heart, or let it knock your confidence. If you’ve been left feeling blindsided by a performance review, then what you do next is key. So, I’ve detailed some crucial...

January is behind us and the new year is well underway. If you’ve decided to look for a new job in 2020, then the following key points will help you boost your employability this year and beyond. 1. Think about the skills you will need to achieve your future career goals: If you really are to move closer to reaching your professional goals, it’s crucial to subjectively take stock of your...

For many people, the start of a New Year is a good time to wave goodbye to bad habits and look ahead to new beginnings. We take time to consider what we want to achieve, improve and learn to make this year more successful than the last. But all too often and all too soon, our lofty resolutions are forgotten. By 31st January, our workload has intensified, other priorities dominate our time...