In this episode, we explore the so-called “skills shortage” in New Zealand manufacturing. David and Rob unpack their NZ Manufacturer article, arguing that talent shortages are often a smokescreen for deeper issues in leadership, workplace culture, and internal systems. 

Rather than chasing unicorn hires, they challenge business leaders to rethink how they structure work, engage teams and build inspiring environments people want to be part of. Drawing on a compelling case study from Jones and Sandford Joinery, they show what’s possible when leaders focus on trust, coaching and continuous improvement. 

Listen to the discussion on the pitfalls of relying on outdated leadership models, how onboarding sets the tone for long-term retention and why the ultimate test for any workplace is: Would you want your kids to work here? 

Key Takeaways 

• 40% of manufacturing roles are low-skilled, but businesses still blame talent shortages instead of fixing internal systems. 

• Leadership is the real shortage, not people. Most owners are still acting as technicians, not coaches. 

• Culture is built through daily actions: trust, transparency and communication are the foundation. 

• Case studies like Jones and Sandford prove you can triple output without hiring more staff if you focus on the right things. 

• Hiring for potential beats chasing perfection, use personality and communication profiling to build better teams. 

• Effective onboarding is an investment, not a task to rush through in panic mode. 

• Ask the ultimate question: Would I want my kids to work here? 

Highlights 

"If you're blaming the market, you're probably not fixing the things you can control." 

"Create an environment where people say, 'I get to go to work today', not 'I've got to go to work.'" 

"A highly engaged workforce is around 20% more productive, why aren't we designing for that?" 

Our Mission 

We want to support 100,000 businesses to lift their performance by focusing on what’s within their control: building leadership capability, improving systems and creating workplaces where people thrive. Please help us by liking, subscribing, leaving a review and sharing the show  

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Connect with Rob and David on LinkedIn 

Rob Bull 

David Altena 

Learn more about Plexus Consulting and the mission Rob is on to make NZ the best place in the world to do business  

Download David's NBR-featured report "Boosting Productivity in New Zealand SMEs" by joining the mailing list on the Altena Solutions website and start your journey to a more productive business today