bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Person Level Statistics Using Linked Employer-Employee Data
Authors: Jer Rodney , McGregor Ian , Papadopoulos Tas
Published: April 2018

New statistical measures were published in a report by Statistics New Zealand on 24 October 2006 from the Linked Employer-Employee Data Set (LEED). LEED uses longitudinal information from existing taxation and Statistics NZ Sources to provides a range of information on the dynamics of the New Zealand labour market. New statistics have been produced for the first time on income transitions, job tenure, multiple job holding and the self-employed. The use of administrative data allows Statistics New Zealand to produce new statistics at level of regional and industry detail not available from existing sources. Detailed statistics from the 2000 to 2005 tax years are available on the Statistics New Zealand web-site. The statistics are mostly person-level statistics for the period to the end of the 2005 tax year. This paper provides highlight from this report, covering three areas: earnings transitions, multiple job holding as well as new information on self-employment. LEED can produce these outputs across time and three other dimensions, age, sex and regional council area. Not all of this information is provided in the annual release, but is available, free of change, on Statistics New Zealand’s web based Table Builder product.
Complement Arities Between Recruitment and Selection Practices and Employee Learning in New Zealand Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Coetzer Alan , Campbell Jacqui
Published: April 2018

As a response to comments by numerous authors about lack of attention given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in human resource management (HRM) literature, this paper examines complementarities between recruitment and selection practices in SMEs and the work-related learning of newcomers. Data were collected through interviews with mainly owners/managers of 60 firms employing up to 50 staff. Analysis of the interviews suggests that the recruitment and selection practices used by some owners/managers had unintended positive effects on newcomers’ learning. Trusted current employees were encouraged to recruit new staff from their networks of family and friends. Sponsors often took the initiative in supporting newcomers on their pathways of work-related learning. Also, some owners/managers used selection methods; that involved candidates demonstrating their skills on-the-job, through work samples or work trials. These selection methods yield, as a by-product, information about candidates’ learning needs. Such information assists workplace models who guide learning of select tasks appropriate to the learner's level of development. The paper concludes that researchers should pay less attention to traditional HRM functions and start to focus on complementarities that might exist among HRM practices. Such a focus may be more consistent with the ways owners/managers view managing human resources.
Productivity Indicators and Challenges in New Zealand Workplaces
Authors: Lamm Felicity , Massey Claire , Perry Martin
Published: April 2018

As part of a government initiative, the Department of Labour’s Workplace Productivity Working Group has been charged with the task of stimulating debate and broadening the discourse on workplace productivity. The Department of Labour has also supported research into how New Zealand businesses are responding to the productivity challenges they face. The paper presents findings from two studies that were part of this research agenda. In particular, the paper reports on the experiences of individual business case studies, (predominantly SMEs), of introducing and maintaining initiatives designed to raise workforce productivity. Analysis of the data reveals a number of key themes: catalysts and drivers for change; distinctive characteristics of high performing firms; differing characteristics of the case studies; and barriers to introducing productivity initiatives and some solutions. The findings also indicated that in practice, efficiency increased both though innovation and a realignment of activities, with higher value added than those conducted in the past. However, there is an inherent tension with these and other similar studies that cannot easily be resolved. On one hand, employers are striving to obtain increased worker performance and gain more productivity while on the other hand they are driving their employers to wok longer, harder and more effectively often in extremely hazardous conditions. Thus, it would appear that efforts to increase productivity can have contradictory results.
Stuck for Choice? The Work Life Experiences of Mature-Aged Workers in a New Zealand Call Centre
Authors: Hannif Zeenobiyah
Published: April 2018

Although there has been a great deal written globally about the ageing population, and the potential socio-economic implications of aged workers on developed economies, only recently has attention been paid to how aged workers experience work in the new economy. Increasingly, there is evidence to suggest mature-aged workers experience considerable difficulties in finding work, with age discrimination becoming increasingly prevalent. This paper examines the work life experiences of 10 mature-aged workers in a New Zealand call center: Tadco where 31 per cent of the workforce comprises those in the 50 years plus age groups. Reporting on the individual accounts of aged workers in Tadco, this paper raises some contentious issues relation to the employment of aged workers, including whether mature-aged workers are filtered into precarious working conditions because of the lack of opportunities elsewhere, whether there is a deliberated strategy to hire mature-aged workers into low quality jobs, and what the motivations are behind this.
The Pitfalls of Monitoring Minority Labour Market Phenomena
Authors: Baines James , Newell James
Published: April 2018

Labour markets are in a constant state of change, in both scale and composition. Policy analysts and researchers alike have an interest in tracking such changes over time. Statistics New Zealand is the major source of data on labour markets, and various statistical surveys and census keep us updated at varying frequencies, from quarterly to 5-yearly. For policy purposes. frequency and timeliness of monitoring data are important. The Household Labour Force Survey is therefore used as the statistical basis for monitoring various aspects of New Zealand labour markets, including trends in employment and unemployment levels. However, comparison of various statistical data sets reveals substantial differences in estimates as data are disaggregated, or as data refer to less universal (i.e. minority) labour market phenomena. Which data set is likely to be more accurate? Is reduced accuracy a casualty of survey sampling., weighting and estimation procedures?
Industry Training Organisations in Changing Times: New Research Possibilities
Authors: Cochrane William , Law Michael , Piercy Gemma
Published: April 2018

The tertiary education reforms have placed considerable pressure on Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), which are now required to assume "new roles as strategic leaders in skills and training needs for the industries under their coverage” (Statement of Tertiary Education Priorities (STEP) 2003-04. p. 21). This paper argues that the STEP requirement can lead 10 productive relationships between ITOs and established research organisations. It considers the new context within which ITOs now operate and offers an illustrative case study of the sort of research that can result from collaborative relationships. Specifically if reports on research commissioned by the New Zealand Industry Training Organisation (NZ/TO), which covers dairy manufacturing, meat processing, and leather processing, as part of its strategic planning. The research reported includes: an analysis of the industries covered by the NZ/TO and their economic significance: the impact of an ageing workforce and other demographic on the labour market and ifs implications for NZ/TO industries: the impact of technological change on the labour market: and some of the consequences of the continuing integration of the global economy.
Multiple Job Holding - A Working Option for Young People
Authors: Osborne Rebecca , Warren Julie
Published: April 2018

This paper considers the motivations and experiences of young people who are multiple jobholders. The research is based on structured face-to-face interviews with 73 people aged 18-34 years who worked in cafe/restaurant and/or creative occupations. Young people working in either occupational group were ambivalent about why they held multiple jobs: they reported wanting to work in this way and also having to, for financial and other reasons. However, whereas those in cafe/restaurant jobs often saw multiple job holding as a transitional work arrangement to support themselves and their lifestyle while they pursued other activities, those in creative occupations tended to view multiple job holding as a long-term working arrangement. Despite the negative impacts multiple job holding had on many aspects of their personal and social life, most young people described multiple job holding as a positive experience. These findings add to our understanding of the range of work options now taken by younger workers and point to some policy implications.
Occupational Stress in the Service Sector: A New Dimension
Authors: Hannif Zeenobiyah , Lamm Felicity , Lo Karen , Lu Jeffrey
Published: April 2018

Previous research on occupational stress is limited in that it has tended to focus on the individual and is frequently located within occupations that are deemed to be stressful, such as nursing and policing. The intention o f this paper is to broaden the scope of analysis by investigating a range of employment factors (i.e. heavy workloads, interpersonal relationships and organisational factors) which can contribute to stress amongst workers and to include more industry sectors. In particular, this paper endeavours to draw attention to occupational stress amongst workers in emotionally demanding, so-called "low risk industries” - namely the call centre and hospitality industries, and to explore their perceptions of stress, their attitudes concerning managing stress and their responses to the inclusion of stress detailed in the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act, 2002. Findings, from two studies indicate that working in the hospitality and call centre industries can be stressful and that most workers are vulnerable in terms of their poor working conditions and low wages. Findings also show that, consistent with other studies, there was low trade union presence and a high rate of casualisation and staff turnover in each of the industries. At the same time there was a lack of overt conflict between management and workers, with an apparent close alignment of goals between the two parties and a style of management that could be described as unitarist.
An Investigation into the Measurement of Workplace Injury Severity
Authors: Maslin Clare
Published: April 2018

Currently, the New Zealand Injury Information Manager, Statistics New Zealand, is scoping possible injury severity thresholds for workplace injury reporting purposes. Severity levels define which injuries to include within different reporting scenarios. This paper investigates methods of measuring workplace injury severity in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and the widely-accepted quantitative approaches to injury severity levels, the ‘Abbreviated Injury Scale’ (AIS) and the ‘International Classification of Disease-Based Severity Score’ (ICISS), and discusses their application to Statistics New Zealand’s workplace injury reporting.
Measuring Job Tenure Using Linked Employer-Employee Data
Authors: Papadopoulos Tas
Published: April 2018

The publication of job tenure statistics from Statistics New Zealand's Linked Employer-Employee Dataset (LEED) in 2006 provided the first comprehensive source of information in this area for New Zealand. The most noteworthy aspect of the new statistics was the high number of jobs with short tenure. LEED job tenure statistics are constructed from administrative data that is collected for tax, not statistical, purposes. For this reason, Statistics NZ has had to address a number of issues before determining the appropriate methodology to measure job tenure. Two key issues were: (1) How breaks in job tenure are best identified from monthly data. (2) How to best correct for administrative chum in the dataset. This paper looks at the impact on the level o f short-tenured jobs when varying the treatment o f these two issues and the appropriateness of doing so. Consequently, if also explores the challenges of deriving longitudinal statistics from administrative data. This work is part of a review of LEED methods and outputs that Statistics NZ has been undertaking over the past year.
Child Labour: What is Happening in New Zealand?
Authors: Anderson Danae , Lamm Felicity , Rasmussen Erling , Shuttleworth Peter , McMorland Judith
Published: April 2018

While the rights of New Zealand adult workers have been the primary concern of successive governments and their agencies, the rights of child workers have often been overshadowed. With the recent Government report to the United Nations on New Zealand released, the issues surrounding New Zealand young workers have come to the fore and now require further investigation. The purpose o f this paper is to report on Phase One o f ongoing research into the working lives and experiences of New Zealand children (thoseunder18years). Drawing on existing academic literature as well as government and non-governmental organisations' (NGO) reports and statistics, the paper will present an overview of the status of New Zealand children in terms of the minimum working age; the minimum wage rates; and occupational health and safety standards. Finally, the paper will outline areas of future research.
Pay Equity and Equal Employment Opportunity in New Zealand: Developments 2006/2008 and Evaluation
Authors: Hyman Prue
Published: April 2018

This is the third in a series of LEW papers updating developments relating to pay equity and EEO and evaluating their impact. As with my previous papers, it focuses primarily on gender, but also discusses the overall situation and touches on issues related to ethnicity, age and disability. In the last two years the broad public sector, assisted by the Pay and Employment Equity Unit in the Department of Labour, has made significant progress in reporting on gender issues in most departments and in some parts of the public health and education sector. but practical action to reduce remaining gender pay gaps is a slow process. This paper will discuss these public sector processes and also the private sector situation in the context of a period where women have surpassed men in terms of education outcomes - and hence the need for vigilance around women's position in the labour market is increasingly questioned. With respect to ethnicity, despite non-discrimination legislation, there is substantial evidence of problems encountered by many immigrants entering the labour market. The paper will examine recent evidence on discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, age, and disability and reports/recommendations for its elimination.
Population Ageing and Structural Adjustment
Authors: Gieseke James , Meagher Gerald
Published: April 2018

The future effects of population ageing on the Australian economy have been widely canvassed in recent years, most notably in the two Intergenerational Reports produced by the Australian Treasury and in the Economic Implications of an Ageing Australia report produced by the Productivity Commission. These reports are mainly concerned with the effect of ageing on the government’s budgetary position. On the income side, they focus on how ageing affects labour supply and gross domestic product. On the expenditure side, they focus on how ageing affects various spending categories including education, health and aged care. This paper provides a complementary analysis in that it considers how the structure of the economy is likely to be affected by these influences. In particular, it analyses the effects on 6-1 skill groups, 81 occupations and I06 industries. The effects are modelled by comparing two economies: a base case in which population ageing takes place, and an alternative (coul1feJfactual) economy in which the age s1mcture of the population - insofar as it affects workforce participation rates and hours worked per week -remains unchanged. In the interests of transparency, the total effect of population ageing is decomposed into: a scale effect. a skill effect, a taste effect and a public effect. The simulations are conducted using the MONASH applied general equilibrium model of the Australian economy. They generate results for each year from 2004-05 to 2024-25, but the analysis concentrates on explaining the deviations in the levels of selected variables in the base case (ageing) simulation from their values in the counterfactual (no ageing) simulation in the final year, i.e.. 202-1-25. Results are reported separately for each of the four effects and for all four taken together (the total effect). The paper pays particular attention to the implications o_(1he analysis for economic policy.
Occupational Health and Safety in the New Zealand Fishing Industry: Preliminary Finding of the Key Issues
Authors: Hayman Jeremy , Anderson Danae , Lamm Felicity
Published: April 2018

In 2008 there were approximately 3,500 registered commercial fishing vessels in New Zealand and 2,500 fullÂ­time employees working in the industry, a fraction of New Zealand’s two million plus labour force. However, in the Maritime New Zealand’s Annual Report 2000Â­2001 it was reported that New Zealand’s commercial fishing sector represented a disproportionately high number of maritime fatalities. With the exception of the 2007 fatality figures, the rate of Maritime New Zealand reported fatalities and accidents within the commercial fishing sector have remained fairly static. As a result, there have been a variety of initiatives implemented in this hazardous industry, for example, FishSAFE, and a number of reviews undertaken. However, unlike other sectors, implementing OHS interventions in the fishing industry has to account for a number of unique features such as the employment strata, geographical isolation of job, precariousness of employment, increasingly a diverse workforce and social issues such as substance abuse, and. This paper reports on preliminary findings based on interview data of employers and employees in the New Zealand fishing industry. In particular, it exposes a number of barriers to implementing and maintaining OHS measures, for example, increasingly tight profit margins, time pressures, and confusion around regulatory requirements. The initial findings also indicate that the command and control structure of managing staff in the fishing industry can influence individual and group perception and acceptance of risk. Finally, the paper highlights areas requiring further investigation.
Expectations, Experiences and Resultant Outcomes During the Socialisation of Newcomers in Small Manufacturing Firms: A Socialisation Agent Perspective
Authors: Field Robbie , Coetzer Alan
Published: April 2018

The extent to which preÂ­employment (preÂ­encounter) and postÂ­employment (encounter) expectations and experiences of both newcomers and organisational insiders (socialisation agents) are met during the socialisation of newcomers are critical in determining newcomer adjustment, establishing person–organisation (PÂ­O) and personÂ­job (PÂ­J) fit, and in achieving organisational socialisation (OS) outcomes such as performance, job satisfaction and intention to stay/quit. The purpose of this paper is to examine preÂ­encounter and encounter expectations and experiences of newcomers and socialisation agents and resultant outcomes during the socialisation of newcomers in small manufacturing firms, from the perspectives of socialisation agents. Data were collected regarding the socialisation of newcomers through semiÂ­ structured interviews (incorporating critical incidents) with socialisation agents. Findings of this exploratory qualitative study indicate that expectations are created for both newcomers and socialisation agents during preÂ­ encounter socialisation processes such as recruitment and selection, as well as through information obtained from other sources. The extent to which experiences match these expectations during the OS process, affect aspects such as newcomer adjustment, PÂ­O fit and key outcomes that include task performance and turnover. The implications of these findings for practice are highlighted and the paper concludes with suggestions for further research.
The Direct and Indirect Benefits of Whanau Connections for Maori Employees: Towards Satisfaction & Mental Health Outcomes
Authors: Haar Jarrod M , Roche Maree
Published: April 2018

For Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, whanau (extended family) is of fundamental importance and the present study tests whether working with whanau has positive effects for Maori employees. Using a sample of 197 Maori, workplace relationships amongst Maori employees and their whanau were tested. Factor analysis found two distinct dimensions: whanau work connections and whanau home connections, which represented interactions in the workplace about work and home respectively. These were explored towards satisfaction and mental health outcomes. Due to the importance of whanau for Maori, we hypothesized that greater whanau connections would have a beneficial influence on outcomes. Findings showed that whanau work connections significantly and positively influenced job satisfaction and workplace cultural satisfaction, while whanau home connections significantly and negatively influenced anxiety and depression. In addition, moderation effects were found between the two dimensions of whanau connections towards all outcomes. Overall, higher whanau connections on both dimensions were advantageous. The findings indicate that indigenous employees may respond with the strongest positive outcomes when interacting and working with their extended family, which has previously been unexplored.
Leaving so soon? Skilled Migrants in New Zealand: Who says and who goes?
Authors: McLeod Keith , Henderson Anne , Bryant John
Published: April 2018

New Zealand’s ability to attract the migrants it needs is crucial to maximising the contribution migration makes to the economy. However, an area of equal importance is how well New Zealand retains the migrants it attracts. This paper presents findings from an analysis of data from administrative sources and the Longitudinal Immigration Survey: New Zealand (LisNZ). We explore which factors are associated with the retention of skilled migrants in their first years after taking up residence in New Zealand – that is, ‘who stays and who goes?’.Among other results, we find that more educated migrants are generally less likely to stay in New Zealand. However, this effect is stronger for Asians and South Africans than for other migrants.
Future Demand for Skills in New Zealand Compared with Forecasts for some Western Countries: Relative Importance of Expansion and Retirement Demand
Authors: SriRamaratnam Ram , Zhao Xintao
Published: April 2018

Future demand for skills is of considerable interest to policy makers and training providers of many countries, including New Zealand. Occupational employment projection have been implemented in countries such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia. These methods usually take into account growth in GDP of key industries, changes in labour productivity and the longÂ­term changes in the occupational shares of employment by industry. In New Zealand, an assessment of the future prospects for employment by industries and occupations comparable to the overseas approaches has been undertaken over the past few years. These estimates have been used to assess the skills needs in the expanding segments of the labour market. In this paper we compare our forecasts of occupational employment growth with public sector agencies in other countries. The key forecast results of demand for high level skills, for specific broad occupational groups as well as for industry or sector groups for each of these countries as they recover from the economic downturn of varying magnitude and nature are discussed. We focus on both the expansion demand (due to new positions created) and the replacement demand (owing to current positions being required to be filled due to retirement, migration and job mobility) for New Zealand and other countries as applicable.
The Declining Work Week
Authors: Hall Simon
Published: April 2018

Over the past five years average hours per worker, as recorded in the Household Labour Force Survey, have trended downwards. According to the frequently used measure of average hours per worker, total hours divided by total employment, people are now working 5% fewer hours than they were in 2004. This has contributed to weak growth in labour input over recent years. This paper uses data from the Household Labour Force Survey to examine what is behind the recent fall in hours worked per worker. It attempts to answer whether the fall has been due to compositional changes, such as population ageing and increased participation of women, or whether people are just working fewer hours than they used to. This paper estimates that up to 40% of the fall in average hours over the past five years is due to increased annual leave entitlements, while compositional changes are estimated to account for around 11%. The remainder of the fall in average hours appears to be due to a decline in hours worked within jobs. Fewer people working long hours and firms hoarding labour over the recent downturn are identified as two of the key explanations for this.
Women in Senior Management - Why Not?
Authors: McPherson Mervyl
Published: April 2018

This paper uses data from a recently completed project by the Equal Employment Opportunities Trust on gender parity in senior management positions in the Top 100 companies on the New Zealand Stock Exchange which contributed to the Human Rights Commission’s New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2010. The findings are then compared with Australia, the US, and the UK and discussed in the light of existing research into evidence of the business benefits of more equitable representation, and barriers to women’s representation at senior management level. The paper concludes with suggestions for improving gender parity at senior management level.
90 Day Trial Employment Periods - Employers' Experiences
Authors: Fawthorpe Louise , Johri Roopali
Published: April 2018

This report presents the results of Department of Labour research into employers’ experiences of trial employment periods. The research aimed to assess the extent to which employers knew about trial periods, the impacts of trial periods on employers, and employers’ perceptions of the costs of using trial periods. Data was collected through two employer surveys, and interviews with employers, employees and union officials. The research found that employer awareness of trial periods was high, although detailed knowledge was less common. The trial period provision was used by half of eligible employers, irrespective of their level of knowledge, with high levels of satisfaction. Employers faced no costs in implementing the provision, and there were indications of cost savings for employers from simplified dismissal processes.
Who Mediates Employment Relationship Problems?
Authors: Risak Martin E. , McAndrew Ian
Published: April 2018

Assuming that mediation is a successful way of resolving employment rights disputes, it is interesting to establish the reasons why this is the case. Factors for mediation being a successful way of resolving disputes mentioned in the literature are numerous and can be found not only in the unique approach to resolving disputes but also in the personal qualities of the neutral third party. This paper is based on a recently conducted study, which consists of 30 structured interviews with mediators involved in the resolution of employment relationship problems, and provides data on the person of the mediators, their training and previous work experience. It surveys not only the mediators of the Department of Labour’s Mediation Services that provide most of the mediation in this field but also private employment mediators. It also reports on the findings of an onlineÂ­survey on the private employment mediation market in New Zealand.
What Impact Does Temporary Migration Have on the Hiring of New Zealanders
Authors: McLeod Keith , Maré Dave
Published: April 2018

The early to mid-2000s saw considerable growth in the use of temporary migrants to fill labour market gaps in New Zealand. Temporary migration also grew into an important pathway for prospective permanent migrants. With the onset of the global economic crisis, and consequent rise in unemployment, questions have been raised about potential negative effects of migration on the employment opportunities available to New Zealanders. Temporary migration may present greater risks to those, such as beneficiaries and youth, who are most disadvantaged in the labour market. For many temporary migrants there are few restrictions on the employment they take up, and as a result they may be more likely than permanent migrants to take up low-paid or part-time work, possibly substituting for low-skilled New Zealanders. A number of studies have examined the impact of migration on the New Zealand labour market, but due to data limitations, none has looked at the specific impact of temporary migration. In this paper we estimate the effect of changes in the hiring of temporary migrants on the hiring of New Zealanders using data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) prototype. The IDI prototype was created by Statistics New Zealand, and brings together administrative and survey data sources from across a number of government agencies.
Workplace Conflict Management: Legal Intentions Versus Managers' Experiences
Authors: Greenwood Gaye , Rasmussen Erling
Published: April 2018

The Employment Relations Act 2000 directs employees and employers to resolve employment relationship problems (ERP’S) early without judicial intervention. The goal is to ‘build mutual trust and confidence in all aspects of the employment environment’. However, the policy intentions to focus on early resolution through problem solving, interest based negotiation, facilitation and mediation have not been researched at the level of the workplace. Drawing on conflict events in the primary school sector this paper investigates the theme of relational trust. The preliminary findings reported in this paper have emerged from a qualitative study that involved semi-structured interviews with a range of actors. A preliminary analysis identified situations where parties had resolved problems without damaging trust by implementing reflective collaborative interest based processes. In spite of identifying positive outcomes of conflict events, principals and senior leaders reported that trust was damaged when competition for performance based remuneration fuelled conflict and when complaints from parents escalated. These findings highlighted the special nature of conflict management in schools where the goal of ‘mutual trust and confidence in all aspects of the employment environment’ may be vulnerable to complex conflicts of interest in the employment relationship in the New Zealand primary education sector.
The Youth Labour Market in New Zealand - A Comparison to the Pre-Recession Situation
Authors: Fromm Andrea , Flynn Sophie
Published: April 2018

Historically, youth have difficulties in succeeding in the labour market. They can struggle with successfully making the transition from school to work and securing a decent job. The problem of competing and succeeding in the labour market for youth has worsened since the recession in 2008. This paper describes the labour market performance of youth prior to and after the recession. The suite of labour market indicators for youth – including the youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) indicator – derived from the cross-sectional Household Labour Force Survey is used to describe and analyse changes before and after 2008. The description is complemented by highlighting significant risk factors in the youth labour market. The overview of the New Zealand youth labour market together with the odds ratio analysis provides an understanding of the changing labour market situation for youth as well as an insight into which sections of youth particularly struggle in the labour market.
Opening Plenary Speech: Labour Market Trends and Outlook
Authors: Paterson David
Published: April 2018

This paper summarises the Plenary Address from the 15th conference on Labour, Employment and Work in New Zealand. This paper is based on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (The Ministry) Quarterly Labour Market Report, which is a relatively new product that brings together a range of information on the economy and labour market. The first Quarterly Report was released in September 2012.
Issues For Women’s Leadership Pathways In Large Organisations
Authors: Williamson Maria , Wilkie Ruth
Published: April 2018

This paper proposes that work cultural changes are needed to increase opportunities for women to achieve at the highest level, and stop them from dropping out of the ‘leadership pipeline’. The research identifies three barriers to women continuing to advance their careers at the same rate as men. These barriers have been identified as:unconscious bias against women taking up leadership roles – this can affect recruitment, assessment and development practices (both formal and informal) at every level within an organisation, and can make it more difficult for women to progress into senior leadership roles.employer attitudes to breaks in employment (for example, for child-rearing), or a non-traditional career path (for example, community leadership or executive roles), can make it difficult for women to re-enter the mainstream workforce and to maintain an upward career trajectory.lack of options for flexible work, or workplace culture which applies informal or formal penalties for using flexible work options, mean that women can stop progressing in their career, or leave the workforce altogether.The evidence behind this analysis, and the solutions available including actions that have the most impact, are set out in two reports published by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs: Realising the opportunity: addressing New Zealand’s leadership pipeline by attracting and retaining talented women (2013); and Inspiring Action: action plans and research to help you attract and retain talented women (2014).
Sex, Migration And Aging: Demographic Overview Of A Dynamic Labour Market
Authors: Didham Robert
Published: April 2018

This paper provides a broad overview of some of the demographic features of the work force in the context of the population as a whole. In this respect it differs from other papers in that it provides a background picture against which topics discussed elsewhere can be measured. The purpose is to provide context for discussion and a background to contextualise labour market research. The three key themes of sex, migration and change to identify the connection between the population and the policy drivers that impinge on the labour market.
Does Distance Still Matter For Internal Migration And, If So, How? Evidence From 1986 To 2006
Authors: Alimi Omoniyi , Mare David , Poot Jacques
Published: April 2018

In this paper we re-examine the structure of internal migration flows in New Zealand. We use data on gross migration flows between the 39 main and secondary urban areas for the four intercensal periods between 1986 and 2006. We confirm that the gravity model – in which migration is inversely related to distance – fits the data well, and that the way in which distance is measured (travel time, road distance or straight-line distance) matters to some extent for the goodness of fit of the model. We also show that some forms of socioeconomic differences influence migration in the same way as distance. Perhaps surprisingly, we find that the deterrence effect of distance on migration was increasing, at least until 2001. Improvements in connectivity through reduced travel time have not increased migration flows.
Before and After the Fall: New Zealand Economists on the Post-war Unemployment Experience
Authors: Chapple Simon
Published: April 2018

What explanations did economists advance for New Zealand's remarkable experience of full employment between 1938 and 1980? What causes did they suggest for the breakdown and subsequent massive rise in unemployment? This paper categorises and critically surveys material on these questions as part of a wider project on New Zealand's post-war unemployment experience.
Employment in New Zealand
Authors: Hazledine Tim
Published: April 2018

Explaining post-war employment and unemployment in New Zealand is problematic for neoclassical economic theory. Up until the late 1970s the economy was overlaid with controls and 'rigidities' of many sorts, interfering with the operation of ‘free' market forces. Yet it delivered virtually zero unemployment without being unusually prone to inflationary pressures. From the 1980s onwards, our economy has been subjected to a remarkable regime of policy 'reform', involving the opening up of markets to overseas competition, the dismantling or emasculating of centralised and/or collectivist institutions, and the adoption of an extreme version of monetarist ideology. Yet throughout these years of actions aimed at fostering ‘free markets', the actual macroeconomic performance of the markets, measured by the mismatch between supply and demand in the labour market (unemployment) has persistently deteriorated, with unemployment rates rising from less than half of one percent as late as 1977 to above 10% in the early 1990s. That is, the more market-oriented we became, the worse the markets performed. How can this be? The research program on which the present paper is a progress report tests hypotheses that can explain how both Keynesian and monetarist orthodoxies miss important aspects of New Zealand reality, and develops a model based on empathy between supply and demand sides of the labour market that is consistent with non-inflationary over-full employment.
Shifting Gears: The Toll of Shifting in New Zealand Manufacturing
Authors: Wilson Marie
Published: April 2018

Shiftwork has increased dramatically in recent years, mainly due to the expansion of service industries and extended hours of operation. Manufacturing, targeted for decline, is still a dominant shiftwork employer, particularly in a move to leverage physical plant and meet variable demand levels. This productivity comes at often dramatic human costs. A 12-year longitudinal study of New Zealand process manufacturers was undertaken to document shift patterns and establish their impact on organisational performance and employee well-being. This paper reports the results of questionnaire and interview data relating shiftwork and shift patterns to health and well-being. The historical domination of the eight-hour, reverse rotating shift is noted, and linked to increased sleep disorders, digestive problems, and use of prescription and non-prescription drugs. Disruption to family and social life were also reported. These adverse effects are heightened by lack of training and support and moderate to heavy utilisation of overtime. The author suggests shiftwork reforms to address some of these issues.
The Maori in the Work Force
Authors: Easton Brian
Published: April 2018

This paper reports on a study commissioned by Te Puni Kokiri, based on a larger data base mainly from the 1991 Population Census. As well as demonstrating and extending the standard conclusion that Maori are in markedly inferior positions in the labour force compared to the non-Maori, the paper reports an econometric study which suggests that this is primarily due to some 'Maoriness' factor. An example would be that since social networks are the main means by which people obtain jobs, the individual Maori is disadvantaged by her or his network being more jobless. The study goes on to develop the relevance of dual labour market theory to an understanding of Maori labour force performance, and proposes a more elaborate model of the labour market than that which is usually used. The main findings are reported below, and suggested future research directions complete the paper.
The Struggle over the Employment Contracts Act 1987-1991
Authors: Heal Sarah
Published: April 2018

The introduction of the Employment Contracts Act was opposed by many workers and has subsequently been condemned by a number of organisations. This paper attempts to address the question of why, given the widespread opposition to the proposed legislation, a general strike did not occur in an attempt to defeat the Employment Contracts Bill. It is argued that the failure of the leadership of the Council of Trade Unions to take up the call for a general strike and then to lead such an action was a key factor in the enactment of the Employment Contracts Act. Explanations for the unwillingness of the Council of Trade Unions to lead a general strike are provided both by the thesis of bureaucratic conservatism and by the policy approach adopted by the Council of Trade Unions in the preceding years.
Convergence and Divergence: Notes On Comparing Australia and New Zealand Experiences of Industrial Relations
Authors: Neilson David
Published: April 2018

This paper attempts to explain the divergence of paths in the field of industrial relations between Australia and New Zealand under Labour in the eighties. Key themes in the paper concern stale autonomy, the relationship between the union movement and the Labour party in each country, and the different strategic contexts within which policies were formulated and pursued. This paper has its origins in a joint project undertaken by Mark Bray and myself, which will eventually come out as a chapter of a book comparing Australia and New Zealand under Labour governments in the eighties. The chapter attempts to explain why there has been increasing divergence between Australian and New Zealand industrial relations regimes in the eighties and nineties. This paper takes up some themes of divergence and convergence which arose while working on the chapter but could not be developed in that forum.
The Distribution of Earnings in New Zealand
Authors: Dixon Sylvia
Published: April 2018

Changes in the distribution of individual earnings between 1984 and 1995 are examined using data from the Household Economic Survey. Several dimensions of changes in the earnings structure are considered, including measures of aggregate earnings inequality, the gender earnings gap and shifts in relative earnings by level of educational attainment. Changes in the variance of earnings are decomposed to identify more clearly the source of the tendencies towards and against greater inequality. Evidence is found of a rise in hourly earnings inequality among males over the decade. However, the effects of this trend on the total earnings distribution were offset by a rise in the female share of employment and a narrowing of the gap between male and female average hourly earnings.
Income Inequality Amongst N.Z. Workers in the 1980s: A Decomposition Analysis
Authors: Martin Barry
Published: April 2018

The degree of income inequality within the labour market shrank in the early 1980s and grew in the late 1980s. Three dimensions of interest in income inequality are work status, age and ethnicity. This paper decomposes an index of inequality to ascertain how much of the change in inequality can be attributed to shifts in labour force composition along the three aforementioned dimensions. Through this method we find that change in age and ethnic composition had little effect on aggregate income inequality and that aggregate change between 1981 and 1986 was driven by change within age/ethnic and work status groups. Change in work status (i.e. the decline in employment) was a major cause of aggregate inequality between 1986 and 1991. Aggregate change between 1986 and 1991 was also due to within-group increases in inequality and divergence of mean incomes among sub-group.
Mature Employment and Post-Modern Portfolio Living
Authors: Tweedy Roger , Johnson Keith
Published: April 2018

The Mature Employment Service (MES) is a non-governmental organisation that commenced operations in Wellington in 1993. It aims to assist its clients in acquiring the necessary knowledge and training to equip themselves for work, to promote the advantages of employing mature workers and to inculcate positive and adaptive attitudes that build up the self-esteem and initiative of its clients. This paper has two major parts: the first part examines the general problem of mature employment, drawing on both New Zealand and overseas experience. Some Wellington City Council and MES data is also provided on the situation in Wellington. Reference is then made to wider trends in the work environment and the apparent ends to work and jobs that are foreseen by commentators. The second major section looks at potential solutions, reviewing recent policy initiatives in Australia, Great Britain, the United States and New Zealand. This leads to a discussion of the development by MES of assistance to its clients that takes its inspiration from the 'portfolio work' and 'third age' concepts that fall easily within the wider philosophy of post-modernism.
Performance Management and its Influence on Academics' Employment Relationships and Careers. Lincoln University Since 1990
Authors: Tripples Rupert , Krivokapic-Skoko Branka
Published: April 2018

With the increasing financial pressures being experienced by New Zealand universities, greater attention is being placed on the performance of academic staff. The primary aim of this paper is to explore the role of performance management in the management of universities; and its influence on academics' employment relationships and careers. The paper reviews the overt contractual changes which have occurred in the period 1990-1996, and contrasts them with the covert changes to academics' related psychological contracts. A mixture of methods including participatory action research and participant observation of management policies and processes over the period is used based around a survey of academic colleagues. Conclusions are drawn about the outcomes of changes in management policy and practice and suggestions are made for improving university-academic employment relations and academic careers.
Change Management in the New Zealand Meat Industry: Implications for Labour Relations
Authors: Addison Ramzi
Published: April 2018

The increasing volume of research and writing on the management of change and the many prescriptions for change promulgated by various writers and practitioners is not matched by a corresponding increase in the effectiveness of change initiatives. High failure rates for new technology implementations and for other change initiatives, such as TQM, appear to point to the failure of previous research to identify the fundamental drivers of successful change management. A multi-plant case study into the elements of successful change management examined four meat plants which were introducing new technology into the chain process. The study found that the most critical factor in the relative success of change was the quality of the employment relationship prior to the change. A 'positive' prior context characterised by such factors as high trust relationships, mutual respect and high delegation was more likely to lead to a successful outcome than a 'negative' prior context characterised by such factors as autocratic management, low trust and low mutual respect. These results affirm some earlier research carried out in the 1970's and 1980's on labour relations in the New Zealand meat industry.