Wellington Hire Wire - Issue five
Hello from Ailsa and Beccy,
We didn’t set out to make this month’s Hire Wire about health and safety, but when we looked at what mattered most right now, that’s where everything pointed.
From better systems to help injured staff return to work in a smarter way, to a void protection product that could literally stop someone from falling through the floor, this issue is about protecting people and doing it smarter.
In this issue:
ACC’s new approach to recovery at work - we’re one of the first recruiters in New Zealand trialling this and it’s a game changer!
The bloke saving tradies from falling through the floors
Wellington’s job market - not a downturn, but perhaps the new normal
Hot takes on the 2025 budget
As always, thanks for being part of our crew.
Ailsa & Beccy
Got something to add? A trend you’re seeing on site or in the office? We’d love to hear it. Send it through to wellingtonhirewire@substack.com.
We’re helping ACC fix the return-to-work system.
Key Skills is one of a handful of recruiters trialling ACC’s new Recovery at Work approach and we’re pretty stoked about it.
Instead of waiting until someone’s fully recovered before they return to work, this flips the script. It’s about keeping injured workers connected, supported, and recovering in the right way - not isolated and left behind. With thoughtful adjustments, recovery can happen alongside the job. It’s better for the person, better for their wellbeing, and yes, better for the workplace too. Just maybe, it’s the fix we’ve needed for a system that hasn’t been working that well for anyone.
The facts:
18 million workdays lost to injury last year
After 70 days off, there’s only a 35% chance someone returns
Light duties and early check-ins make a huge difference
We’re helping shape how this could work across New Zealand.
Read our full take on this here - learn about how this approach helped Zoe here, and then watch this video from ACC.
Wellington’s wild job market - what’s really going on?
If you’re hiring in Wellington right now, you’ll know things feel a bit upside down. Roles that once drew 20 applicants are now pulling in 200–400, and the quality’s mixed. You’ve got highly skilled candidates applying well below their level just to stay in the game, and a motivated-but-under-pressure crowd doing everything they can to land something.
The usual safety nets - contractor work, public sector reshuffles etc aren’t cushioning the blow like they used to. SEEK job ads are flat, MBIE data shows vacancies are well down, and the brain drain to Australia is very real.
From where we sit, employers are hesitant. Budgets are tight, confidence is shaky, and no one wants to commit in a year that still feels unpredictable.
But is this a temporary blip? Or is it the new normal? Only time can tell.
So what do you do in the meantime?
Hire smarter. Be human. Think flexibly. Support your crew.
That’s how we move forward, even in a tough job market.
Read our full piece on this here
The one thing stopping tradies from falling through the floor.
More than half of all workplace falls happen from less than three metres, and one bloke is on a mission to fix it.
Kevin Jury developed Voideck, a platform for protecting internal voids on construction sites. He’s now brought it to New Zealand and wants it included in the new health and safety laws.
Key Skills’ Ailsa sees the risk every week on-site: “If there’s a gap in the floor with no protection, someone’s going through it. It’s just a matter of when.”
Let’s not wait for that.
Budget 2025 - A bit of a shrug.
The latest Budget dropped with promises of balance and discipline but for the trades, construction, and manufacturing sectors, it’s more “meh” than “momentum.”
There’s a new Investment Boost tax deduction for buying gear but FBT still stings, and there’s no company tax relief. Tertiary incentives and export plans sound good on paper, but won’t help you fill roles this winter.
No disasters here, but no breakthroughs either.
Need hiring support? Key Skills is here to help - let’s talk.