More than ever we’re all under increased pressure in our workplaces – it might be due to Omicron’s impact on our teams, or the labour shortage making it hard to recruit and retain people, or there simply not being enough hours in the day.

It’s imperative that business leaders communicate effectively with their teams and embrace their business values in stressful times.

If you pride yourself on having family values in your business, then make sure you uphold these when it really matters.

That means supporting employees to look after children who are unwell or letting them take time off to ferry elderly relatives to appointments.

If one of your values is being results driven, make sure your processes measure results, and staff need to understand how their role and performance directly impacts results.

Another core business value is open communication – do your existing communications techniques reach your staff in the ways you want it to? Do you need to consider new communications methods?

Why not consider putting your health and safety information, or your welcome presentation into a video format to make it fun and engaging. This is going to appeal to younger employees are used to digestible video content thanks to tik tok, snapchat and Facebook.

With all the technology that can support us to communicate now, why not have your next video call on a sunny trail around Central and take a walking meeting to recharge.

Having clear business values and employing staff who are aligned with these values will help set you up for success.

Meet Cherilyn Walthew, Director and HR Business Partner EASI NZ

2021 was the 25-year anniversary for Cherilyn in the Human Resources sector which has crossed over many industries. Having started as a specialist IT recruiter, Cherilyn’s career has moved from sales and servicing to relationship management and strategic planning. She returned to NZ in 2010 after spending 17 years living and working in the UK and Ireland. Outside of work the Wanaka local lives on a 8 acre property near Hawea. Together with her husband they make pickles and jams under the brand Pirate Pickles.