Wellington Hire Wire - Issue six
Hello from Ailsa and Beccy,
This month’s Hire Wire lands at a time when a lot of good things are coming together, and we’re feeling proud, busy, and ready for more.
Josh will soon be heading into the Beehive to represent Key Skills at the inaugural RCSA Recruitment & Staffing Summit - bringing the voice of real-world, short-term labour hire into the rooms where decisions are made.
And in a milestone we’re especially proud of, we’ve officially been recognised as an Amotai registered Māori-owned business. We’re now part of a national supplier network focused on capability, community, and kaupapa - and we’re just getting started.
This issue also includes a practical read on how to stop wasting money on short-term hires. Even with all the good news, we’re still doing what we always do - helping our clients work smarter.
In this issue:
We’re now Amotai registered!
On the guest list at the beehive
How to stop wasting money on short-term hires
Thanks for being part of the ride.
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 now Amotai registered and proud of it
We’re incredibly proud to share that Key Skills is now officially a registered Amotai supplier.
For those unfamiliar, Amotai is Aotearoa’s intermediary organisation that connects Māori and Pasifika-owned businesses with procurement opportunities from government contracts and corporate tenders to Iwi, Trust, and community-driven projects.
It’s about ensuring kaupapa-aligned businesses are visible, valued, and given a chance to compete on a level playing field.
Becoming an Amotai registered supplier means we’re now part of a trusted and growing network of Māori and Pasifika businesses working across every sector, including construction, infrastructure, health, transport, and more.
For us, it’s about more than visibility. It’s about being part of a movement that reflects who we are and how we work. We're here to grow a thriving business, yes - but also to show up for our communities, to support our people into sustainable work, and to deliver the kind of service that makes our whānau proud.
We’re excited about the doors this opens. And even more excited about the people we’ll meet, learn from, and work alongside as we go.
Ngā mihi nui to the Amotai team for the warm welcome.
Read our full article on this here.
Key Skills at the Beehive - Speaking up for labour hire
This July, Josh will head to the Beehive to represent Key Skills at the inaugural RCSA Recruitment & Staffing Summit, a gathering of industry leaders, government ministers, and policymakers to discuss the future of employment in Aotearoa.
There’s a lot at stake. Proposed changes to the Employment Relations Act (ERA) could significantly reshape how personal grievances are handled, redefine the distinction between employee and contractor status, and introduce new rules governing collective agreements and high-income protections. Read more on our website about this here.
Josh is there because he brings his valuable 15+ years of experience supporting clients, managing crews, and dealing with the realities of short-term hiring. He knows what happens when employment law doesn’t match up with the way people actually work. And that’s exactly the kind of insight that should be part of the conversation.
We’re proud to be part of RCSA’s advocacy work and to support changes that bring more clarity, fairness, and flexibility to the way people hire and get hired.
Where we see good companies wasting money
If it's not done right, hiring short-term staff can be one of the fastest ways to boost productivity or one of the most expensive mistakes.
Here are three places we regularly see companies lose time and money (and how to avoid them):
No handover or prep for temp staff - If no one has told them what the job is, don’t expect great results. A 5-minute brief saves hours of rework.
Hiring too late – Panic hiring often means poor fit, extra cost, and zero onboarding. Plan ahead where you can.
Trying to go cheap and cheerful - The lowest hourly rate doesn’t help if the worker isn’t reliable or site-ready. You end up paying for it twice.
Smart hiring isn’t just about filling a gap - it’s about getting the right result the first time.
Need hiring support? Key Skills is here to help - let’s talk.
