19 NZ leaders on how to make a workplace more productive

19 NZ business leaders, including Anthony Randell, Precinct Properties, Kate Wareham, Te Tuao Tawahi/Volunteer Service Abroad, Mike Cullerne, The Arnott's Group, and Deborah Pead, Pead, share their tips for better workplace productivity. Photo / Herald composite

Labour Day commemorates Aotearoa New Zealand’s historic fight for eight equal hours of work, rest and play. While the modern jobscape would be unrecognisable to the 1890′s rank-and-file who first celebrated the long weekend, for bosses the quest for productivity is relentless. Kim Knight asked 19 leaders how they get the best out of their workers, themselves - and what day they’d never, ever schedule a meeting. Read on for responses from the people in high places at everywhere from One NZ and Norsewear to Orion Health and the NZSO.

BEST ADVICE FOR IMPROVING WORKER PRODUCTIVITY?

Susan Watson, dean and professor of law, University of Auckland Business School: Lifelong learning. In a future of work where the only certainty is change, workers will need to upskill and reskill numerous times throughout their careers. Extensive evidence exists showing management education broadly defined lifts productivity. Around 8% of New Zealanders engage in postgrad education compared with 14% of Australians. So join the dots ...

Sarah Page, chief executive, Kindness Collective Foundation: Ensure your team really gets the “why” of what you do every day.

Brad Porter, chief executive, Orion Health: Enable your team to securely embrace AI solutions. We all need to be more comfortable in the uncomfortable, rather than just saying no. This couldn’t be truer in healthcare if we’re being real about reducing patient wait times. AI is the key, and those embracing it with curiosity and responsibility are those who will be thriving in the decades to come.

Dr Amanda Wiggins, chief executive, The cGP Lab: Put your phone on silent. Only check it at set times during the day – like 10am, 12pm, 2pm etc.

Mike Cullerne, managing director NZ, The Arnott’s Group: Set clear direction, provide support as needed, and then get out of the way. People are most productive when they understand their objectives and can create their own path to achieve them. It’s still important to check in but this time should be focused identifying what help the team might need, connecting people that might be able to support, and ensuring feedback is given early and often (both ways).

Selina Deadman, vice-president commercial, DHL Express New Zealand: You must empower and support staff and give them the recognition they deserve to develop confidence and provide them feedback to improve competence. This gives the individual the ability to learn to trust their own judgment and disregard internal politics.

Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, chief executive, WWF-New Zealand: Make it meaningful. It’s essential every team member knows - and is able to articulate - how their work contributes to advancing the goals of our organisation. Having a culture of “fun at work” is also really important to me. There’s a lot of laughter in our office.

Tim Deane, managing director and owner, Norsewear: I like the “what”, “why”, “when” and “how” framework. Provide clear objectives relevant to the team or individuals you’re working with (the what), explain why these objectives are important for the organisation (the why), provide clarity on deadlines (the when), provide guidance if needed (the how) and then empower people to get on and do them, providing support when required.

Tim Deane, managing director and owner, on the Norsewear factory floor.

Kate Wareham, chief executive, Te Tūao Tāwāhi/Volunteer Service Abroad: Treat everyone with respect and provide space for people to make decisions and take ownership of their work and how it’s done. Be clear on expectations for what is needed by when. This makes it easy for leaders to focus on the outcomes and give lots of leeway for people having different ways of delivering to this.

Anthony Randell, general manager - property, Precinct Properties: Being able to work in an environment that encourages and facilitates collaboration and includes all voices. In my opinion this is in the office. Having immediate access to meeting rooms, informal meeting areas, great amenities and being with your colleagues in person allows for greater productivity ... A team that can work effectively together, in person, is undoubtedly more productive.

Amy Brown, general manager, Generator: Good leadership. This brings everyone together around shared goals, it saves so much time and stops that “wheel-spinning” feeling – you know, when you’re going nowhere fast. When we’re clear on our objectives it makes it easier for everyone to focus on what they’re doing. And while it might sound cliche, especially coming from a workspace provider, I can’t overstate the power of in-person collaboration – it really works wonders for keeping everyone on the same page and moving forward together.

Kirsten Mason, acting chief executive, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Try not to micro-manage! But be there when you’re needed.

Bridget Snelling, country manager - Aotearoa New Zealand, Xero: As AI continues to become entrenched in our businesses, it’s going to be exciting to see how these tools can create more flexibility ... we are working within an ever-evolving technological landscape, so understanding how to use these tools to free up time and improve productivity is essential.

Deborah Pead, executive chairwoman and founder, Pead: Prioritisation. Identify the most important task, explain its significance, and then ensure it’s tackled first. This approach becomes second nature, allowing the team to adjust work order as new tasks arise, ensuring the highest priorities are addressed first. And if the task can’t be completed within the available time, the team leader allocates additional resource or reallocates less urgent tasks to others, who can make it their priority.

Jodie King, chief people officer, One NZ: Share the strategic and operational context with your people regularly and personalise it as much as you can so your employees understand why what they do is important.

Kirsten Lacy, director, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki: Have a clear, compelling vision that is mapped back to the daily work schedule, give people the tools they need, build self-esteem, morale and confidence (don’t solve staff problems for them - give feedback, ask questions, but let them do the research and lead). Encourage staff to invest work time in creating relationships with colleagues, suppliers and stakeholders. Chatting with colleagues over morning coffee is not time wasted; it builds a culture of care and understanding. If people are getting along, it will save time in the long run.

ONE RULE FOR ENSURING YOUR OWN PRODUCTIVITY?

Dr Amanda Wiggins, The cGP Lab: Don’t get distracted. Our daily lives are full of distraction. Attention is the new currency. Don’t let all the noise distract you away from your top priorities. If you have team members frequently asking for input, ask them to put a time in your calendar.

Tim Deane, Norsewear: I set myself annual objectives, break them down into quarters (and sometimes months), then at the start of each week ask myself, what are the five most powerful actions I need to take this week to ensure I achieve my quarterly and annual objectives?

Natasha Bourke, group chief executive, Two Hundred Doors: I’m more productive when I spend my time doing the things I enjoy (and that play to my strengths) rather than things that suck my energy. So ... delegate the things you hate, so you can focus on the things that spin your wheels (and ultimately create success for the business).

Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, WWF-New Zealand: Honestly, to get enough sleep - I’m an eight-hour/night kind of girl. But at work, because a lot of what we do right now is reactive, I’m intentional about identifying the strategic (or “important but not urgent”) tasks l want to complete each week, and each day. On Monday mornings, I write a list of priority tasks on a Post-it note. It accompanies me all week long, and at the beginning of each day I decide which of those tasks will be my focus when I’m able to step out of the reactive stuff.

Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, chief executive, WWF - New Zealand says a solid eight hours' sleep is crucial to her own productivity.

Kate Wareham, Volunteer Service Abroad: We all have the same number of hours in a day - it’s about how you choose to use them! I’m a bit of an MS Outlook geek and use a range of these tools to manage where my time goes and how I prioritise work. This helps me to not get too distracted by the flow of work coming in from messages and emails and to be proactive in managing where my time goes day-to-day.

Kat Sprowell, chief operating officer, Hello Period: I start each day with a list of what I want to get done and begin by picking off an easy win to get the motivation levels up. Then I spend some time on a bigger or more challenging piece of work. And I’m a huge fan of a quick walk in the fresh air in between tasks to reward myself for ticking things off the list!

Kirsten Lacy, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki: I have to be well. The mind and body functions are entirely one. Adequate sleep, daily exercise, a healthy diet and limited alcohol consumption are critical daily patterns for my health and thereby productivity. Increasingly I also limit exposure to plastics in food, clothing and products. I know I’m not as productive or effective if I’m unhealthy. For me, maintaining high levels of productivity even when under pressure means I need to be connected to people I love and care for, and who love and care for me.

Mike Cullerne, The Arnott’s Group: Live by your calendar, not your inbox. It’s easy to get caught up in other people’s priorities. Your inbox is like a social media feed, constantly pulling your attention away from the work you’ve planned for yourself. Having strong discipline around how you invest your time is key to maximising your impact.

Jodie King, One NZ: I try to keep emails and responses as short and as action-oriented as possible and I only do them in down time with a focus on doing them in five minute sprints. I also look ahead at my meeting schedule each night and try to have no meetings before 9am so I can prep for the day ahead.

Deborah Pead, Pead: I’m goal-oriented and love working with lists. Every year, I refresh my personal and professional goals and challenge myself to achieve them ... I make a point of ending the days with fewer emails than I started with and having ticked off most of my tasks.

Sarah Page, Kindness Collective Foundation: Plan, plan, plan again, write it down, set achievable, bite size tasks that you can do in small chunks of time, cross them off the list, move onto the next!

Isabel Naidoo, chief people officer, Wise: It’s not about juggling everything perfectly; it’s about knowing which tasks to prioritise and which ones to let go. Dropping the right ball allows you to focus on what truly matter.

Amy Brown, Generator: It’s all about self-awareness when it comes to time management. I’ve learned the hard way that knowing yourself, how to structure your day and giving tasks the right amount of time (not too much, not too little) is the secret sauce. Prioritising where your energy goes is how you win at the productivity game.

Selina Deadman, DHL Express New Zealand: Make work-life balance a priority and stay current. I work at my best when I have positive energy and emotions ... I’ve come to realise that my mindset/attitude makes a difference to everyone around me - it has a flow-on effect. I take the time to regularly refresh my leadership skills. What I did to manage well 10 years ago, even five years ago, is significantly different from what I will use to manage well in the next 10 years.

Kirsten Mason, NZSO: It’s pretty dull but when I’m in the office I always have three to-do lists on the go – one for longer-term goals, one for the next few weeks and the list I write fresh at the start of every day. This is always on a Post-it, because if there are more than five things on it they won’t all get done.

HOW TO MAKE A MEETING MORE SUCCESSFUL?

Sarah Page, Kindness Collective Foundation: Always have an agenda and only invite people that the meeting will have a direct impact on. So many meetings could just be an email, and so many emails could just be phone calls.

Tim Deane, Norsewear: Meetings can burn up time and productivity. Minimise them. Cancel the meeting if you cannot answer the following questions at the start: What is the purpose and what outcome is required? Are only those who must be at the meeting to achieve the outcome present? (Others can leave). Do we need all the time allocated to get the outcome or can we make it shorter?

Brad Porter, Orion Health: Orion Health’s nominated meeting note-taker is an AI team member (Copilot). It provides a transcript, extracts key themes and messages from our meetings instantly. It’s a game-changer. If you have a person taking notes in your meetings you are behind the eight ball!

Bridget Snelling, Xero: Having a clear purpose and agenda is vital. We’ve all been in a directionless meeting that meanders and feels like it lasts forever. I’m a big advocate for clearly outlining what we want to achieve and being on the same page as a group.

Susan Watson, University of Auckland Business School: Ensure you end with agreed action points.

Jodie King, One NZ: Having a clear purpose and making sure you give sufficient context up front so you don’t end up wasting time canvassing views that don’t take the meeting forward. Circular conversations with everybody just wanting to have their say but being repetitive do my head in. I’m also keen on the weight being on participants listening carefully to whoever is talking versus interrupting people or throwing in questions that show they haven’t done the pre-read or listened properly. We have a rotating exec observer at our exec weekly meetings and their job is to call time on agenda items that are getting circular, but they also provide feedback at the end of the session on how well the meeting went or didn’t and why. It’s definitely sharpened up our meeting disciplines.

Kat Sprowell, Hello Period: Make sure there’s a clear purpose and you’ve got the right people in the room. There’s nothing worse than meetings for the sake of meetings, or wondering why on earth you’re there!

Mike Cullerne, The Arnott’s Group: No two meetings are the same, so consider the type of meeting you want to have before stepping into the room. This isn’t just about the agenda or content, but also the location and atmosphere. Sometimes a walk around the block to talk something through can be far more productive than sitting in a boardroom. Don’t be afraid to shake things up.

Natasha Bourke, Two Hundred Doors: Have a clear agenda and circulate it in advance! I hate meetings that are unplanned and go around in circles. What is the purpose of this meeting? What do we need to solve? What are the actions from the meeting? We use a great online tool called Beyond (by Advisory Works) to run more effective meetings.

Amy Brown, Generator: Don’t rush the banter! Seriously, don’t skip the small talk. Building those personal connections at the beginning of a meeting is like planting seeds – it might take a bit of time upfront, but it pays dividends in the long run. Relationships matter, and when you invest in that banter, especially in person, it makes everything flow smoother and builds trust and openness in the conversation around the “hard stuff” during the meeting. It’s like greasing the wheels for better teamwork and outcomes later on.

Isabel Naidoo, chief people officer, Wise, says one of the keys to a successful meeting is making sure the right people are in the room.

Isabel Naidoo, Wise: Always provide a clear agenda and relevant materials in advance, distinguishing between items for information and decisions. This ensures meetings stay focused, and the right people are in the room, maximising time to ensure you’re getting the outcomes you need.

Selina Deadman, DHL Express New Zealand: I’m always conscious everyone is different; some people are more vocal whereas others need help, a prompt or support to share their opinions.

Kirsten Lacy, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki: Not all meetings should be created in the same way. Some require structure, others need to be free flowing and explorative. Be transparent about your intentions, make sure everyone is equally informed and able to participate. Don’t have excess people in the room (it prevents relationships developing) and don’t make them longer than an hour without movement, a break or a change of pace.

Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, WWF-New Zealand: Having previously been in roles where it’s felt like there’s been a lot of “meeting for the sake of meeting” I’m evangelical about meetings having a clear purpose - and ensuring everyone in the room knows what it is, and what their role is in achieving it. We’ve recently given our weekly staff meeting a “glow-up” on that basis. Being really clear about what we want to achieve by coming together at the beginning of each week has meant we’ve been able to streamline the agenda.

AND THE ONE DAY OF THE WEEK YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER SCHEDULE A MEETING?

“Monday. The most productive day of the week should not be consumed by meetings.” (Susan Watson, dean and professor of law, University of Auckland Business School).

“I never schedule meetings on Friday afternoons, it’s hard for people to focus when they’re thinking of their weekends - me included.” (Sarah Page, chief executive, Kindness Collective Foundation).

“I think I speak for everyone when I say - anything after 3pm on a Friday is a no-go!” (Bridget Snelling, country manager - Aotearoa New Zealand, Xero).

“Avoid scheduling meetings on Fridays, people tend to have lower energy, are more distracted, and at Pead, we use Fridays for end-of-week wrap-ups and preparing for a strong start on Monday. That said, if it’s a lunch meeting, Friday is the perfect day! There’s nothing better than a long Friday afternoon lunch where we raise a glass or two to the POETS - Piss Off Early, Tomorrow’s Saturday.” (Deborah Pead, executive chairwoman and founder, Pead).

“I try to avoid scheduling meetings on Mondays if possible. It’s good for people to have the day to catch up on things after the weekend and wrap their heads around the week ahead before jumping into meetings.” (Kat Sprowell, chief operating officer, Hello Period).

“Friday. With the rise in WFH on Fridays, I’ve noticed it’s become an even more important day for people to have quiet space to work through outstanding tasks before the weekend, plan for the week ahead and generally get on top of things. If we’re able to do this, it’s often easier to go into the weekend with a clear head and be able to switch off from work and enjoy down time. Having said this, coffee catch-ups and less formal hui are often welcome on a Friday too!” (Kate Wareham, te tumu whakarae/chief executive, Te Tūao Tāwāhi/Volunteer Service Abroad).

“Friday! By the end of the week, I often suffer “decision-fatigue”, a well-known phenomenon in psychology, it’s exactly what you would think – reduced quality of decision making due to making so many decisions. I like to use Fridays to engage in really focused work, rather than discussions and decision making.” (Dr Amanda Wiggins, chief executive, The cGP Lab).

“Hmm … Christmas Day? We’re in the performing arts, so every day is a great day to get together!” (Kirsten Mason, acting chief executive, NZSO).

“I am not a big fan of a Friday meeting. I like to use this day to tidy up my week, ensure my tasks are complete, emails are responded to and to have some clear space to plan for next week and also to get into some Horizon Two and Horizon Three thinking (future thoughts about business strategies over the next two to five years). Across the business, we tend to set most of our meetings up earlier in the week and have a meeting free day on a Friday.” (Natasha Bourke, group chief executive, Two Hundred Doors).

“Weekends, obviously. I feel very strongly that work-free time is critical for wellbeing and productivity, and unless something very squirrely is going on, I won’t go near a computer on Saturday or Sunday - and I wouldn’t want my team to do so, either. Beyond that, my team and I work Monday to Thursday in the office and we aim to do most meetings face to face. On Fridays, we work from home and use that time to work on tasks that need more focused attention. I don’t think it has to be a Friday, necessarily - but ensuring there’s room in everyone’s diary for focussed work has been effective for us.” (Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, chief executive, WWF-New Zealand).

“Don’t schedule meetings for Friday. Instead encourage your team to use Friday to ensure weekly objectives have been completed and their five most powerful actions for next week are planned, enabling folks to go into the weekend with a clear head and hit the ground running on Monday.” (Tim Deane, managing director and owner, Norsewear).

“I work in a Monday – Friday office environment in a workplace that operates seven days a week. Some staff enjoy workplace flexibility, others follow structured rosters. We have common “office hours”, but increasingly work at different times due to meeting with international peers. Sundays are not generally a day for meetings or events. Sundays are an important day for recuperation and rejuvenation; any meetings should be reserved for emergency management situations. Flexibility is the most productive option. Doing a few early morning emails may help free up a parent during the morning school run. What staff do in their non-working hours significantly impacts their productivity during working hours.” (Kirsten Lacy, director, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki).

Kim Knight is a senior journalist with the New Zealand Herald’s premium lifestyle team.