The places New Zealanders want to work the most

New Zealanders most want to work at Green Cross Health, new research suggests.Recruitment firm Randstad has released its latest list of the country's most attractive employers.While last year Air New Zealand was top, followed by the Ministry of Innovation and Employment and ANZ, this year Green Cross Health took first place, pushing Air New Zealand into second.AsureQuality was third and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare fourth.Randstad said this year's research included the usual willingness-to-work score as well as asking how workers evaluated things like leadership, career opportunities, and workplace experience.It said the highest-ranked organisations had built trust by demonstrating leadership credibility, equal opportunities and innovation."In a softer labour market, the strongest brands are proving they can adapt to change while keeping people at the centre of the workplace," Brooke Nelson, general manager of professionals at Randstad, said.She said Green Cross was strongly associated with strong management and leadership, equal opportunities, and competitive salaries and benefits.Air New Zealand was recognised for its state-of-the-art technology, leadership and reputation.Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and AsureQuality were rated highly for innovation and employee opportunity.Country director Sarah Bills said different generations sometimes wanted different things from work but they agreed on what made an employer trustworthy."Younger workers want confidence that they're building skills that will remain relevant in an AI-enabled world, while older workers place greater emphasis on stability and predictability."It used to be all about the brand but now it's really about proof of adaptability."People wanted to see companies' leadership navigating complexity, adapting to change and providing long-term support for growth and development, she said.Jobseekers wanted to be able to meet hiring managers or business leadership and assess whether the business was well managed, she said. "That real human connection is becoming really important for people."The strongest employers aren't choosing between technology and people. They're investing in both. Future-readiness isn't simply about adopting AI - employers must also demonstrate they can bring people with them on the journey. It's about helping people continuously learn, adapt and stay employable while providing the leadership and human connection that technology alone can't deliver."The most attractive employers aren't necessarily making the biggest promises. They are demonstrating that they can successfully navigate complexity, invest in future capability and support their people through change. As workers become more selective about career moves, that's increasingly what earns employee confidence."The top 10Green Cross HealthAir New ZealandAsureQuality LtdFisher & Paykel HealthcareNew Zealand Customs ServiceDepartment of ConservationRoyal New Zealand AirforceAccess Community HealthDeloitteMinistry for Primary IndustriesSign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.