Best case scenario, you’ve got eye contact, a bit of back and forth, and people legitimately thinking about the job ahead. Worst case, you have to hold the meetings standing up, to keep your team awake.

As we move further into 2026, a number of significant employment law changes have now come into force, with more on the horizon. None of these changes will come as a surprise, but the practical implications are hitting the coalface. While some have been signaled for a while, we’re now at the point where employers need to start taking action.

A recent Court of Appeal decision has confirmed that trusts can be prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. While that may not come as a complete surprise, it does sharpen the focus on how health and safety responsibilities sit within trust structures.

Following recent reforms to both the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2025, it feels like a timely moment to address something rarely discussed openly: Health & Safety and Human Resources are often treated as separate disciplines in New Zealand, yet their overlap is becoming more significant every year. Issues such as psychosocial hazards, impairment, fatigue and fitness for work sit squarely across both realms. As regulatory focus expands in these areas, the relationship between H&S and HR cannot remain siloed.

2026 will be a year of change for workplace legislation in New Zealand. Across both Health & Safety and Employment legislation, expectations are evolving - for better or worse, time will tell. In Health & Safety, proposed changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act, a pivot in regulatory focus by WorkSafe and clear signals from the Government that it intends to cut red tape for small businesses are creating a climate of optimism, confusion and concern.

People get sick and people get injured – there is no avoiding that fact of life. That is why New Zealand has sick leave provisions, ACC weekly compensation payments and insurance options to help support good employees through their absence from the workplace as they walk the road to recovery - however long it may be. Medical incapacity is a minefield for employers and unfortunately conversations around the management of this issue are arising more and more frequently from our clients.

As a business manager, director or owner you are likely accountable only to yourself for time management and in tough times it is so tempting to prioritise operational matters over Health and Safety. Payroll, invoicing, quotes, purchasing… these seem like tasks which just can’t wait.

But I challenge you to take the first step right now. Can you spare 10 minutes?

When people hear “diversity, equity and inclusion,” many imagine big corporates with polished strategies and HR departments the size of a rugby team. But DEI isn’t a big-business luxury. In Aotearoa, most people work in small businesses, and these workplaces are often where the biggest impact can be made. Small teams are personal. Everyone knows everyone. And because of that, creating a workplace where everyone feels equal, respected and able to be themselves isn’t just nice to have: it’s essential.

While every industry has its own unique hazards, there are several types of risks that consistently show up across almost every sector. They aren’t rare events or unusual safety failures, they’re the everyday causes of harm that repeatedly appear in national data, ACC claims and WorkSafe investigations. Climbing a ladder can be dangerous. Driving a forklift can be dangerous. Removing an avocado stone can be dangerous. But when we look at the statistics, the activities most likely to cause harm transcend almost every industry… regardless of the presence of avocados and ladders.

Long-anticipated reforms to the Holidays Act are coming, and here at SBS our HR team is rejoicing…

Sometimes it’s posed as a question “Jason, if you were running a business – what or where would you focus your attention regarding health & safety priorities?.” I have held General Manager level roles within a couple of large (250-300 employees) businesses in NZ, and the following would certainly be where I prioritised my time. Number one is definitely the highest of priorities – accepting that if you are identifying and managing Risk effectively – then there are no incidents! I’m not necessarily saying that is realistic, but is a true statement in principle…

Politics. I know it’s not a popular topic. But if you’re a responsible business owner, one topic that shouldn’t be ignored right now is the sweeping Health and Safety Law reforms currently taking place in New Zealand.

Sometimes being a Human Resources (HR) professional is at odds with genuinely innocent human curiosity, as you’re about to find out with the top 5 questions you can’t ask in a workplace… that everyone does.

Let’s face it—recruiting a new employee can feel like buying a second-hand car. You’re making a big decision, and there’s that nagging voice in your head wondering “What’s hidden under the hood?”

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.