The Service sector workforce in Aotearoa is a hidden gem, often overlooked yet vital to society’s everyday functioning. These workers, who span a wide range of services, are the unsung heroes who frequently make daily experiences seamless, pleasant, and efficient without receiving the recognition they deserve. Their contributions are essential to the fabric of daily life.
These individuals excel in human interaction, demonstrating a distinctive ability to connect with people, display empathy, and create positive experiences that lead to customer loyalty. These workers are the glue that holds many businesses together, providing the human touch that technology cannot replicate.
The true value of the service industry workforce becomes evident when we take a closer look. The 5 Hidden Gems project shines a light on five of the lesser-known industries that Ringa Hora covers. These industries may be smaller in terms of workforce numbers but are rich in potential. They offer a wealth of opportunities and are integral to the economy and the communities they serve.
These industries include:
The 5 Hidden Gems project showcases successful role models within these industries, sharing their life and career journeys to inspire others who may be considering a career in these fields or to raise awareness of the opportunities that are often overlooked by the general public. These role models demonstrate that career paths are unique to each individual, shaped by personal challenges and life experiences. Through their stories, we see how they have navigated adversity, embraced opportunities, and achieved success in their respective industries.
The project emphasises that the service industry workforce is not just about providing services; it’s about creating meaningful connections, solving problems, and driving innovation in ways that may not be immediately visible. The role models highlighted in the “5 Hidden Gems” project exemplify the potential that lies within these industries. They show that with determination, resilience, and a commitment to excellence, anyone can build a successful and fulfilling career in these service industries.
The 5 Hidden Gems project serves as a reminder of the value that these workers bring to their industries and communities.
The Financial & Advisory services sector is integral to daily life in New Zealand, contributing $21 billion to the economy. This industry includes a broad array of services such as investment advice, retirement planning, insurance, mortgage broking, and daily banking activities. These services not only support individual financial health but also underpin the financial stability and prosperity of businesses and communities across New Zealand.
The industry is subject to stringent regulations, aimed at protecting consumers and maintaining high standards of professionalism. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in financial advisors obtaining qualifications to meet these standards, reflecting a commitment to trust and credibility in the industry. Consequently, it is crucial that qualifications remain relevant and aligned with current standards to comply with these regulations.
The Financial & Advisory industry is a highly-flexible environment, with a number of self-employment options however, many kaimahi also work in full-time employment for banks, insurance companies, and consultancies. This core workforce accounts for approximately 75,060 people. In this industry many workers will gain valuable transferable skills including finance management, customer service, sales experience and communication skills. These skills support the workforce throughout their careers to develop and progress within their chosen pathways. Embracing and celebrating diversity makes businesses more attractive to potential kaimahi and customers, as well as creating economic and social benefits for employers, the workforce, and the wider community.
The Real Estate industry contributes $22.9 billion to the nation’s economy. This industry comprises of both real estate and property management.
Real estate agents and rental property managers serve distinct roles in the property market. Real estate agents primarily assist clients in buying and selling properties, guiding them through transactions, negotiations, and market analysis. Their focus is on facilitating property sales and purchases. Property management services include finding new tenants, handling tenant turnover, marketing properties and management property maintenance. Industry estimates each residential property manager can manage around 100 properties.
There are approximately 48,700 people employed in the Real Estate industry, including the property management workforce. The industry involves professionals from various disciplines, including brokers, property managers, developers, and legal experts.
The Cleaning industry supports a vast range of businesses, people and communities; it is an essential service that is becoming increasingly recognised and valued as one that ensures people can live and work in a safe and clean environment, whether that’s in commercial, domestic, or other public settings.
The Cleaning Services industry contributes nearly $1.4 billion to the nation’s economy and has immense value to society as an essential service. As observed throughout the pandemic, without cleaners, the public is at risk of multiple health hazards and unsanitary living, working, and public environments.
The Cleaning industry employs approximately 33,800 people, but this could be higher, if non-standard work patterns such as casual or very limited hours are included. These workers are diverse, comprising individuals from various demographic backgrounds, including students, part-time workers, and immigrants.
While some workers may enter the cleaning industry in entry-level positions, there are opportunities for career advancement and professional growth through training programs, mentorship, and internal promotions. Many cleaning companies offer training and development programs to help employees enhance their skills, knowledge, and performance.
The labour shortages from last year have eased because of the influx of migrant workers. All main centres reported job vacancies are filled or able to be filled quickly.
The Aviation industry offers links across New Zealand and connects New Zealand with the rest of the world. The industry support crucial parts of the New Zealand economy, including the tourism sector and is indirectly a factor in the success of many other NZ industries downstream, bringing customers and goods to New Zealand centres. Agricultural aviation also plays a significant role in the success of New Zealand primary industries. In 2023, the aviation industry directly contributed $2.8 billion to New Zealand GDP Aviation was hugely impacted by COVID-19 through border closures and wider travel restrictions but has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
The Aviation and Airport Services workforce is approximately 1% of the entire New Zealand workforce. Of the 17,765 people working in the Aviation & Airport industry in New Zealand in 2023, the majority are Auckland based (56% of the workforce) followed by Canterbury (20% of the workforce). This workforce is delivering a range of services for the industry, both on the ground and in the air (e.g. logistics, refuelling, dispatch, weight and balance checks, air traffic control, baggage handling, check-in, flight attendants, pilots, engineering, and aircraft manufacturing).
Contact Centres play a crucial role in New Zealand’s business landscape, providing essential customer service support to businesses, government agencies, and banking institutions. These services have become increasingly vital due to several factors, including the growing number of businesses transitioning online and the rising complexity of customer inquiries, a trend further exacerbated by the digital age and the impact of COVID-19.
There are approximately 2,300 people employed in Contact Centre Operations. This is down from 3,100 in previous years. Whilst there is an increase in demand for Contact Centre services, this decline in the Contact Centre workforce is reflective of more vendors using overseas contact centre staff and the uptick in technology adoption and subsequent efficiency.
The Contact Centre industry is considered an ‘accessible’ entry point for many entering the workforce as it employs a high proportion of workers without tertiary education and has a range of flexible hours that might suit people who are studying or have other commitments outside of work.
However, the industry also provides a number of career pathways for many both in the sector as Contact Centre managers and outside of the sector through using their transferable skills such as their customer service skills, problem solving and ability to rapidly adopt technology. This is particularly the case as businesses continue to digitise their operations and interactions with customers become more complex and contact centres face the challenge of addressing increasingly sophisticated inquiries. Whether it’s troubleshooting technical issues with online platforms, navigating intricate product specifications, or resolving disputes, contact centre workers possess the expertise and resources to provide effective solutions.
In addition, a number of industries use Contact Centres as a recruitment and training grounds, such as finance and banks recruiting workers from their relevant Contact Centres.
