Randstad has named Green Cross Health, Air New Zealand, AsureQuality, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and New Zealand Customs Service as New Zealand's most attractive employers, based on responses from 3,501 workers.
The five organisations rated highly for leadership, equal opportunities, career development and technology, despite operating in very different parts of the economy, including healthcare, aviation and border protection.
Green Cross Health topped the list, with the strongest associations in management and leadership, equal opportunities, and salary and benefits. Air New Zealand was recognised for technology, leadership and reputation, while Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and AsureQuality scored highly for innovation and employee opportunity. New Zealand Customs Service stood out for technology leadership, interesting work and strong management.
The findings come as New Zealand's labour market shows mixed signals. Randstad pointed to annual employment growth of 1.2%, improving hiring intentions and job advertisements up 9.7% year on year, while saying worker confidence has not fully kept pace.
Shift in priorities
The research suggests workers are placing greater emphasis on how employers manage change and support staff, rather than relying mainly on reputation or brand recognition. It also reflects a methodological change: this year's rankings moved beyond a willingness-to-work-for score to a broader attractiveness score based on views of leadership, career opportunities and workplace experience.
Brooke Nelson, General Manager of Professionals at Randstad New Zealand, said the results showed employer appeal emerging across a wide range of sectors.
"This year's findings show that employer branding is being built in very different sectors of the economy. Whether it's a healthcare provider, national airline or border security agency, the highest-ranked organisations have earned 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," Nelson said.
Nelson said workers were taking a more developed view of what makes an employer attractive.
"In previous years, employer attractiveness was often discussed through the lens of culture, reputation or brand recognition. What we're seeing now is a more sophisticated assessment. Workers want to know whether an organisation is equipped for the future, whether leaders can navigate change effectively, and whether employees will be treated fairly along the way. This year's winners have demonstrated that it's possible to combine innovation, opportunity and strong leadership. Congratulations to our top employers for striking that balance and showing what future-ready workplaces can look like across New Zealand," Nelson said.
AI and trust
The research also highlighted unease about the impact of artificial intelligence on work and hiring. Nearly 60% of New Zealand workers said they believed the benefits of AI would flow mainly to organisations rather than employees.
At the same time, respondents did not reject workplace technology. Technology was one of the strongest perception drivers for four of the five top-ranked employers, suggesting workers still value innovation when it delivers clearer benefits for employees.
Human contact remained important in the hiring process. Randstad said 69% of workers value human interaction when exploring roles, while 73% want to connect with a real person rather than a bot during recruitment.
Sarah Bills, Country Director of Randstad New Zealand, said the findings pointed to broad agreement across age groups on the need for trust.
"Different generations may want different things from work, but they largely agree on what makes 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. 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," Bills said.
Employer response
Two of the employers in the rankings commented on their results. Air New Zealand said the recognition reflected the contribution of its workforce and workplace culture.
"We're really pleased to be recognised as one of New Zealand's most attractive employers. Air New Zealand is a special place because of our people, the culture they create and the pride they take in looking after our customers. Together with our people and their unions, we'll keep listening and working to make Air New Zealand a great place to build a career," Dines said.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare also linked its ranking to employee contribution and purpose at work.
"Our people are the reason we can make a difference. Every day, they work to improve care and outcomes for patients, support one another, contribute to something meaningful, and continually look for ways to improve. That shared sense of purpose and drive to improve shapes our culture and helps us achieve more together. It's especially rewarding to see that recognised," Talbot said.
The employer brand study is in its 17th year in New Zealand and forms part of a wider international survey covering 171,000 respondents and 6,400 organisations across 34 countries, including 3,501 people in New Zealand.