Sheffield North Island's first Speaker Series event, in partnership with BE Employment Law, featured a thought-provoking keynote by Christina Leung, Deputy Chief Executive at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
Attended by over 70 directors and senior executives, the presentation and discussion that followed was wide-ranging and lively to do with national and international economic trends and their impact on diversity, equity, workplace design (WFH) and technology/AI.
Key findings from Christina Leung’s presentation
Some interesting specifics in Christina’s presentation included the fact that the weaker New Zealand economy has reduced hiring demand over the past year. Although firms are starting to feel more upbeat in the wake of sharp interest rate cuts since August last year, the positive mood has been slow to translate through to real activity. The softer New Zealand labour market has driven a slowing in net migration inflows as New Zealanders head across the Tasman in search of better job prospects.
While there has been increased discussion about return to work policies, workplace flexibility looks likely to remain a feature of many workplaces. NZIER’s work for ASB in assessing the gender equity implications of working from home finds that while the ability to work from home is valued, there are important factors to take into account to address the potential implications for workplace culture and career progression. This includes the ability for younger workers to learn from others in the office, and the ideal worker culture which could have negative career impacts for those who work from home. Christina discussed the potential downsides which require active mitigation to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Christina also explored the use of AI in the workplace. She commented that while it offers a range of opportunities for organisations to realise greater productivity and efficiency, the technology is still evolving and its relevance will vary dramatically from industry to industry.
The issues to do with diversity in the workplace were clearly drawn in Christina’s presentation. In parts of the world, we’re seeing a return to more polarising politics marked by economic upheaval and the unwinding of long-standing commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Here in Aotearoa, these developments remind us that progress is never guaranteed. But they also reaffirm the importance of values-based leadership and the opportunity we have to build organisations that are fair, future-focused and inclusive by design.
For all of us at BE Employment Law, Sheffield, our partners and clients, these are our commitments. Commitments that are durable and that will, we know, transcend short-term political trends.
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