We're All In This Together
The challenges you face by deciding to go into business are numerous and never-ending, at least that’s been our experience since our establishment over a decade ago. We’ve weathered all storms by staying true to our values and stripping back the decision-making process to these three key values:
- Do the Right Thing
Treat all people with respect and compassion by doing what’s right; even when it’s not easy.
- Better Together
Our unity gives us strength to succeed together
- Deliver With Passion
Our customers deserve our best efforts
When bringing new people into the organisation, we recruit with these values in mind and do all that we can to ensure that our team embody these values in the workplace and beyond. Recruitment is a notoriously competitive environment and even though our Consultants and Candidate Managers strive to deliver results for our clients and candidates, they’re supportive of each other in a way that is a rarity in our industry.
Alexander James Founding Directors Stuart Maxwell and Tim Slyfield were confident that the team they’d been building and developing since 2011 were solid and unified but this belief was put to the ultimate test in 2020.
When the country was put into its first Level 4 lockdown on 25 March 2020 the uncertainty and concern was felt across all industries and at all levels. Search assignments were pulled by nervous clients and our once busy desks were grinding to a halt; short-term decisions needed to be made to ensure long-term survival.
Tim and Stu knew that transparency and communication was vital so everyone within AJ and AJ Construct were invited to participate in discussions and decisions that affected them. It was made clear that everyone needed to be on board with any proposed plans, or there would be no implementation of any of them – that’s a big ask of 22 individuals at various ages and stages of life, but it was the only way that felt right.
The plan involved a company-wide reduction in salary and a temporary hold on any commissions, with the promise that as soon as things improved these measures would be gradually reduced until it was back to business as usual.
The decision was unanimous and instantaneous; the Alexander James and AJ Construct teams were prepared to do what was being asked of them to survive this pandemic for however long it took to see it through.
Thankfully, New Zealand is a resilient nation and the sectors we recruit for slowly but surely found their way back to being fully functional as quickly as they could. Our Consultants and Associate Consultants rose to the challenge of working from home and continued to deliver for clients, candidates and each other.
Since then, we’ve survived several lockdowns, including one that lasted 107 days, and our team is not only stronger than ever but we’re bigger than ever too!
In 2021 we welcomed nine faces into our midst, with several of them experiencing a digital on-boarding and even this didn’t negatively affect our strong team culture; in an employee engagement survey undertaken in March 2022, we scored an eNPS of +72 (employee Net Promoter Score).
We also conducted our first ever Client Feedback Survey* in March 2022 in which we scored a Customer NPS of +80. We used the survey as an opportunity to get a better understanding of “where to from here” so we can achieve success together, and we’re in the process of implementing some initiatives in answer to those constructive comments.
We acknowledge and appreciate that not all businesses have been as fortunate as us and they faced decisions that we’re grateful weren’t ones that we had to make, however if you’re interested in our advice on how you and your organisation can withstand a near disaster, read on.
Top 3 Tips for Withstanding the Worst:
- Act Fast but With Caution
The feeling of impending doom can ignite your flight or fight instinct and while we encourage you to make decisions and take action sooner rather than later, it’s imperative that you do your research, discuss things with key stakeholders, and make your move accordingly.
It’s easier to take a more conservative approach initially and then relax those measures as things change than it is to expect your team and/or customers to absorb ongoing changes because your first initiatives weren’t enough to see you through.
- Consistency and Transparency is Key
Uncomfortable it may be but being honest and showing true vulnerability to your team can help them support any tough decisions you have to make.
By delivering your message through clear communication throughout means nothing is lost in translation and everyone is on the same page at the same time. It’s okay if you need to update your message to reflect an everchanging situation but do so consistently and confidently every time. - Follow Things Through
Taking tip #2 even further, it’s disappointing when someone doesn’t say what they mean, and mean what they say and every time there’s no follow through, people are less inclined to support you going forward.
While we hope there’s not another Covid-19 situation on the horizon, we know that by continuing to do the right thing our team will be better off working together as we deliver with passion.
Ngā mihi nui
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