Sarah Meikle - All India Permit Tours | A new chapter: turning a passion into a business

A job description might tell you what a role is supposed to be. It does not necessarily tell you how somebody actually lives that role. In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Dr. Deepika Jindal, Subject Group Lead for Management at the University of Auckland and Director of the Master of Business Management programme, to explore the relationship between work, identity, leadership and the changing role of HR. Deepika's research interests include job crafting and career crafting. At the centre of the conversation is job crafting. Deepika describes job crafting as the way people proactively shape the tasks, relationships and meaning within their roles. While a job description may be given from the top down, individuals inevitably bring their own strengths, passions and preferences to how that job is performed. That agency can create stronger engagement and more meaningful work, but it also needs to work for the organisation. Deepika argues that managers can benefit from having job crafting conversations alongside traditional performance discussions so that individual preferences, team requirements and organisational outcomes remain aligned. From there, Lisa and Deepika explore the wider skills required of modern HR professionals. They discuss why knowledge alone is not enough, and why problem solving, ethical judgement, political awareness and the ability to work with incomplete information matter so much in real organisational environments. Deepika explains that HR professionals need to be comfortable with complexity and ambiguity rather than expecting every workplace issue to have a clear black-and-white solution. The conversation also reframes organisational politics. Rather than seeing political skill as manipulation or self-interest, Deepika describes it as the ability to understand different stakeholder interests, read the environment and influence towards an outcome that benefits both people and the organisation. HR's position across teams, functions and leadership levels can give practitioners a valuable view of those dynamics and an opportunity to build bridges across the organisation. The episode then moves into leadership, trust, fairness and judgement before turning to careers themselves. Deepika challenges the idea that our identity should be tied to a particular job title. Instead, she discusses the concept of “possible selves”, recognising that careers and professional identities can continue to evolve throughout our lives. She closes by sharing her current research into career crafting among New Zealanders aged 65 and over, examining meaningful paid and unpaid work, identity, wellbeing and how organisations might better retain the experience and capability of older workers. What You’ll Learn What job crafting actually means

Could a $5,000 investment at birth help set every New Zealander up for retirement? Nadine Higgins speaks to Fraser Whineray about his KiwiSaver 2.0 proposal, including automatic enrolment at birth, compulsory employer contributions that rise gradually over time, and bringing the self-employed into the system. They also discuss the trade-offs around first-home withdrawals, who ultimately pays for higher contributions, and why Whineray wants KiwiSaver access protected from changes to the pension age. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it really take to build a million-dollar business? And what are the lessons you only learn by actually doing it? I've built businesses across multiple industries, from shapewear and e-commerce to haircare, beverages and education. But behind every success have been plenty of mistakes, setbacks and lessons I wish I'd known sooner. In this episode, I'm answering six of the most common questions I get from business owners and sharing the biggest lessons I've learnt along the way. We get into why focus is more important than having a million ideas, the traits that separate successful entrepreneurs from everyone else, how to overcome imposter syndrome and how to get the attention of people who could open doors for your business. I also share the three signs I look for to know whether a business is actually on the right track, why making sales doesn't necessarily mean you're building a successful business, and what continues to motivate me after achieving some of my biggest financial goals. Whether you're just starting out, struggling to grow or wondering what comes next, this episode is packed with practical advice, honest reflections and lessons you can apply to your own business today. Ready to take your business further? 🔗 Book a free strategy call: https://www.makeithappen.org.nz/ 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on business, marketing, strategy and scaling. 🌐 Learn more: http://makeithappen.org.nz/ 🌐 Instagram: @makeithappen See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's unveiled a 26 point plan for its first 100 days if re-elected. The first pledge will be introducing KiwiSaver changes to parliament, including $15,000 for every newborn, and making the scheme compulsory. Other promises include cutting student loan repayments, extending paid parental leave, boosting Pharmac funding for cancer medicines and capping council rates increases. Nicola Willis says the party's been campaigning hard on these issues and voters should know what to expect. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economist Tony Alexander analyses easing inflation, rising petrol prices and what the latest figures mean for interest rates, households and businesses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.