The SME Stream

How do organisations create workplaces where people can thrive while still delivering strong business outcomes?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Danielle Scott, Manager People & Sustainability at AoFrio, to explore leadership, resilience, employee wellbeing, and the changing role of People & Culture.

Drawing on her experience across operations, customer experience, and people leadership, Danielle shares practical insights into building authentic workplace cultures, supporting leaders through change, developing capability, and helping employees bring their whole selves to work.

From psychological safety and financial wellbeing to AI, sustainability, and leadership development, this conversation explores what modern organisations need to do to create resilient, high-performing teams.

What You'll Learn

• Why empathy and trust are essential leadership capabilities

• How authentic workplaces improve engagement and performance

• The importance of resilience and wellbeing for People & Culture leaders

• Why capability building matters more than ever in an AI-enabled workplace

• How to support technical experts as they transition into leadership

• The connection between sustainability, purpose, and employee engagement

• Why organisations are increasingly hiring for potential rather than experience

Key Takeaways

• Great leadership starts with self-awareness, empathy, and trust

• Employee wellbeing and business performance go hand in hand

• Capability and learning agility are becoming more valuable than technical expertise alone

• Strong cultures are built by creating space for people to learn, grow, and bring their authentic selves to work

• AI will change how we work, but human leadership remains essential

About Danielle Scott

Danielle Scott is Manager People & Sustainability at AoFrio, where she leads people strategy, sustainability initiatives, leadership development, and organisational capability. Passionate about creating authentic, people-first workplaces, Danielle focuses on building resilient teams and helping organisations navigate change with empathy and purpose.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations navigate AI, changing workforce expectations, and increasing pressure on leaders, creating workplaces where people feel supported, connected, and able to grow has never been more important. This episode offers practical insights for leaders, HR professionals, and business owners looking to build resilient cultures that balance people, performance, and purpose.

Connect

• Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellescottnz/

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ASB's settlement over alleged historic breaches of credit disclosure rules has affected its bottom line.

The bank reached a $135.6-million-dollar settlement in October last year.

In annual results released today, ASB's reporting a six-percent rise in operating income, but a 16 percent rise in operating expenses.

CEO Vittoria Short says inflation and new investments in technology also added to the profit drop. 

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ExportNZ is sounding the alarm about the costly obstacles faced by exporters. 

Its report says at least 83% of our exports are affected by non-tariff barriers, resulting in more than $9 billion a year in costs. 

It finds on average, Kiwi products face nine separate non-tariff barriers across the markets they enter. 

Executive Director Joshua Tan told Mike Hosking it's also about having the right settings at home. 

He says it's not just about Free Trade Agreements or non-tariff barriers; there's a lot which can be fixed in this country. 

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Everything in this election's just been turned on its head in 24 hours for three reasons. 

And it's not because of National. 

Firstly, yesterday, Chris Hipkins was asked if he'd tell us how he would deal with TOP, what the caveats would be. 

He said: 

Secondly, TOP is looking more and more likely to get into Parliament and council hold the balance of power. 

Thirdly, Luxon, while wounded, will not face another coup now the detractors wouldn't organise themselves into a single ticket and topple the boss.

No more than they would organise a piss up in a brewery. 

In this case the old saying it tipped on its head. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame you.

There are no third chances for a coup pre-election.

Which brings us the state of play. This election is going to be fought, won and lost, on one issue. TAX!

For Hipkins to woo the Greens, Te Pati Māori and Opportunity, they will need to move on the tax. 

Chloe, Qiulae Wong and Debbie are loading the gun, cocking it and wanting to fire on kiwi households. 

So which taxes? 

I went on TOP's calculator this morning for the land tax. 

If you're a single divorced mum with a house from your settlement worth $2m, which is not much in Auckland or the deep south, you'll be paying an extra $456 a week. 

That includes $35k a year in land taxes.

If you're a couple with kids living in Beachlands, you'll be paying an extra $30 a week in taxes, including $24k in property taxes.

That's before you've factored in taxes on farmland, an effective inheritance tax, a capital gains tax on an extra house (say a retirement rental investment, or a kid you saved to buy your kids), an inheritance tax/ gift tax when you die on pass on big assets. 

When you add to this the fact we don't know how these four left bloc parties will spend your money, and how effective they'll be at doing so, this gets messier than a botched Tory coup. 

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The uncertain economic environment could be the reason for climbing unemployment and declining job ads.

The latest Seek data shows job ads fell 0.8 percent last month, the third consecutive month of decline.

It suggests conditions remain strongest in the South Island, while centres like Auckland, Wellington, and Waikato face greater headwinds. 

Westpac Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold says the labour market has not emerged unscathed from the Iran war. 

"Perhaps at the start of the year, they were looking forward to a much better year, but business confidence really got buffeted around the last three or four months." 

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New Zealand businesses have spent much of the past year waiting for the recovery, but what if the economy they’re dealing with now is the new normal?

Join Liam Dann and Tamsyn Parker as they ponder whether Christopher Luxon had actually had a point when he shared his controversial thoughts with the Rotorua business community. They also unpack the latest unemployment figures, and look ahead to reporting season.

The Economy of Everything is made in partnership with CMC Markets

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