It’s always worth reminding ourselves why we’re suited for what we do
Anyone who has spent time working in a Kiwi organisation – whether it’s a government agency in Wellington, a manufacturing firm in Hamilton, a school in Invercargill or a tech hub in Auckland – knows that a skilled HR manager can make the whole workplace feel steadier. They’re the quiet operators who deal with the issues no one sees coming, translate legislation into something mere mortals can understand, and somehow keep the culture intact when restructuring or change hits.
But what actually makes a brilliant HR manager in Aotearoa? And if you’re in the profession yourself, how do you know you’re in the right role?
There’s no getting around it: HR in New Zealand is a technical job. We operate in a highly regulated environment – with the Employment Relations Act, Holidays Act, Health and Safety at Work Act, and ongoing legislative reviews that keep even seasoned HR pros on their toes.
This aligns with the influential work of US academic Dave Ulrich, whose book HR Competencies: Mastery at the Intersection of People and Business (2008) remains a global standard. Ulrich’s research is clear: before HR can be strategic, it must be competent.
The same message appears in Richard Boyatzis’ classic text The Competent Manager (1982) – still one of the most cited works on managerial performance. His research shows that competence isn’t abstract; it’s observable and...
Donald Trump's claim that Nato troops avoided the front line in Afghanistan has sparked widespread outrage among veterans and their families. Ben Parkinson, a severely injured British paratroope...