McLeod Transport in the Bay of Plenty are looking at becoming landlords because they can't get workers.
The broadest of questions once again has to be asked of the Government.
Just how badly do they want to cripple business and constrain the economy with their mad immigration policy? How many examples of extreme madness do they need before they work out they’ve got it horribly wrong?
But back to the here and now. McLeod is arguing housing and labour are the biggest business killers. They can't get people, and if they can, they can't afford a house. So, the employer is now looking at being a landlord.
Sleepyhead in Waikato is sort of doing the same sort of thing with their mass development, some groups like Police and Defence have done it for years, you will find it a bit in rural New Zealand on far-flung properties and businesses.
But the overall picture here is that these past few years have seen an astonishing swing towards the employee and their so-called rights, and more worryingly, their expectations.
We have four-day weeks, endless nods to the new age, office "activations,” work from home, more money, more leave, more inducements, sign on bonuses, and now apparently housing.
Heads up, it won't last.
When I started work, too many employers were bastards. The power was in the other camp, and you were lucky to have work. Restructure was ongoing, jobs and layoffs were regular events, and there was an air of fear and trepidation.
They always told you there was no pay rise and to be grateful you had a pay cheque.
Quite rightly, we resented that.
In theory, the trick is to strike a balance. A quid pro-quo. Good people are looked after and rewarded, .and good people work hard for their bosses.
And in more recent times, we have roughly headed in that direction. Things have been, in my experience anyway, vastly more cordial and professional.
But Covid has tipped it and workers are taking the mickey. They are milking it. And it won't, and can't, last.
The shame of it is, when it stops, how many of those that have enjoyed the largesse of the past few years will get a shock? How many have become entitled by default and will not know what's hit them? How many milked it and in doing so ruined it, ultimately, for everyone else?
Sleepyhead in Waikato is sort of doing the same sort of thing with their mass development, some groups like Police and Defence have done it for years, you will find it a bit in rural New Zealand on far-flung properties and businesses.
But the overall picture here is that these past few years have seen an astonishing swing towards the employee and their so-called rights, and more worryingly, their expectations.
We have four-day weeks, endless nods to the new age, office "activations,” work from home, more money, more leave, more inducements, sign on bonuses, and now apparently housing.
Heads up, it won't last.
When I started work, too many employers were bastards. The power was in the other camp, and you were lucky to have work. Restructure was ongoing, jobs and layoffs were regular events, and there was an air of fear and trepidation.
They always told you there was no pay rise and to be grateful you had a pay cheque.
Quite rightly, we resented that.
In theory, the trick is to strike a balance. A quid pro-quo. Good people are looked after and rewarded, .and good people work hard for their bosses.
And in more recent times, we have roughly headed in that direction. Things have been, in my experience anyway, vastly more cordial and professional.
But Covid has tipped it and workers are taking the mickey. They are milking it. And it won't, and can't, last.
The shame of it is, when it stops, how many of those that have enjoyed the largesse of the past few years will get a shock? How many have become entitled by default and will not know what's hit them? How many milked it and in doing so ruined it, ultimately, for everyone else?
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.
3 comments:
Oh from the high and mighty throne of well-paid entitlement.
What is different about your upper-echelon salary and increases when you get them and the person on low wages getting an increase Mike?
Is it because you deserve it and they don't?
You should try some of those jobs like walking up and down a road works site re-sealing a road in the rain or the heat in full safety gear. I bet your air-conned office feels nice right now.
MC
I’m not surprised that you’re anonymous. Mike is quite right, the pendulum has swung in favour of employees. All these things have a cost. Countdown is giving its staff a large increase but that’ll be reflected in the prices it charges and,eventually, in inflation and so the cycle starts again. There will be a correction and Mike’s air conditioned office has nothing to do with it.
All the road works I drive past have 2 blokes actually working, 3 or 4 leaning on the back of utes , a couple in hi vis vests supervising and a suit or 3 wandering around with clip boards. PRODUCTIVITY is what drives wage increases, the actual fact of getting paid for what you are worth, not mythical figures plucked from the air by incompetent govt ministers and over fed Union officials. Kiwialan.
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