With the NZ unemployment rate sitting at 4.5%, the lack of availability of experienced, qualified candidates is putting pressure on our labour markets. We continue to see job flow momentum in the New Zealand market, and the demand for strong HR practitioners with a business partnership background continues. However the challenge the Auckland market in particular is facing, is the availability of strong candidates for temporary and contract positions, there are very few career contractors who are available at short notice. HR Partners had had some recent success in this area, due to our extensive networks we were able to fill two fixed term contract roles within a week of the role being called in.
Another candidate tight area is in candidates with 2-4 years of HR experience, or sitting at an advisor level, although we have seen the demand for this level drop slightly in the last 2 months. We have seen an uplift in the advertising of learning and development specialists and are currently working with a couple of strong candidates in this space.
The talent shortage in the HR space is driving salaries up slightly, however it there are vast differences in salaries from organisation to organisation, industry to industry.