Executive leasing on upward trend

By TOM CLARKE

Executive leasing is likely to continue growing in New Zealand, says Karen Bryce of Horner and Partners Executive Search and Selection.

Because New Zealand is a small business market people have to be generalists - fluid and flexible in
their approach, she says.

"We don't have the luxury of giving somebody very defined roles which they can't move beyond."

Ms Bryce, who has taken over the management of the executive leasing division, says contracting is often a lifestyle choice.

Executive leasing fits well with the scope and style of New Zealand businesspeople.

"It's a fact that we value lifestyle and I certainly see a lot of contractors who are earning in three days what they would otherwise earn in a week, so that leaves them free to pursue other activities or to have other business interests.

"It also means they're getting a very wide exposure in a number of different areas and earning a really
good living out of it."

Ms Bryce says the type of people who contract generally go into a position running fast. They like to get the job done and produce results and generally are not interested in getting involved with the politics of the business.

While executive leasing and contracting tends to run contrary to the labour market philosophies
created by the Government's Employment Relations Act, Ms Bryce says businesses will always
need short-term professional expertise.

"Most of the people that we're dealing with have been contracting for some time and they see
themselves as professional providers of expertise," she says.

"Generally companies bring in contractors because there's a major change going on in the organisation,
or they're in a work-load situation and they need new skills that they don't have in the existing business.

"It's no different really from bringing in a lawyer or an accountant for a short period of time."

But she says New Zealand has some excellent employers of permanent staff and they provide a culture which is needed for the good of the country.

With a business consulting background, Ms Bryce has been chief executive officer of Tourism Waikato
and general manager of Kiwi Experience.

She has also held senior roles in change and operations management, new product development, business development and human resource consulting in New Zealand, Australia and Asia. She ran her own consulting business in Australia and has post-graduate qualifications in logistics from the Australian Graduate School of Management.