Bus company named employer of choice
An Otago bus company is the first public transport operator in New Zealand to win a reputable human resources award.
Kinetic New Zealand, which delivers the Go Bus services in the Otago region, has been named a 2025 HRD Magazine 5-Star Employer of Choice Gold Award winner.
The HRD Awards recognise New Zealand organisations that go above and beyond to create exceptional employee experiences in a competitive market.
Kinetic is New Zealand's largest passenger transport operator, with about 300 employees based in the Otago region, and more than 4500 nationwide.
The award reflects the company's strong commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive and rewarding workplace within every community it serves.
Kinetic New Zealand managing director Calum Haslop said it may sound "cliched", but the award genuinely belonged to everyone in the company.
"We're incredibly proud to be recognised as an HRD Employer of Choice — a first for Kinetic New Zealand, and a testament to our people-first philosophy.
"By building a ... workplace where everyone can thrive, we believe we're setting ourselves up for success.
"From fostering a diverse workforce to offering industry-leading wages, reward and recognition programmes, and long-service awards, we invest in our people every day."
He said a highlight of the past year had been the launch of the Women Up Front programme, which had already welcomed 100 new female drivers across New Zealand.
"It's driving us closer to our goal of 40% female drivers by 2030.
"Redressing the gender imbalance in our workforce is key to building a more sustainable commercial business long-term."
As part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Kinetic New Zealand was addressing barriers to employment in the transport industry.
Kinetic people, culture and safety director Nicky Harrison said their research showed the key limitation to recruiting female drivers was simple — it was often not considered at all.
"Our Trainee Bus Driver Women Up Front programme is all about changing that.
"Our commitment to inclusion isn't one dimensional. We're also making strides in LGBTQI+ inclusion and allyship, ensuring that Kinetic New Zealand continues to be a place where everyone feels valued and supported."
HRD special reports managing editor Chris Sweeney said the award was testament to the professionalism and commitment Kinetic New Zealand brought to the industry, and additionally showcased its desire to maintain first-rate standards.
john.lewis@odt.co.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Paper
5 minutes ago
- New Paper
Friends toil at nasi padang stall, find ways to attract customers amid rising costs
In Singapore's saturated F&B industry, it's not easy to survive - much less stand out. So when friends Leelavathi Sinnathurai, 57, and Nabisah Bevi Maudu, 55, decided to open N&N Nasi Padang Corner at 1036 Sembawang Road in February, those around them thought they were a little mad. N&N stands for Nancy and Nash, as Ms Leelavathi and Ms Nabisah are known. "We were just having breakfast when the stall owner told us there was a vacancy," Ms Nancy recalled, chuckling at the memory. "We'd been talking about it casually, and suddenly, it just... happened." Ms Nash does all the cooking. Ms Nancy is the cashier, handles daily operations and chats with the regulars. But the stall is not a hobby project. Between managing costs, cooking over 30 dishes daily, and competing for customers in a saturated market, it's a full-time grind. Ms Nash learnt to cook from her mother and best friend, who ran a nasi padang restaurant for 30 years. After years of helping out in the kitchen, she eventually struck out on her own. "Even now, I don't get tired of cooking," she said. "It's my passion. I can cook at work, then go home and still cook for my family." Her favourite dish? The beef rendang, slow-cooked till tender and served with chilli padi on top. "It's traditional kampung style - very homely," Ms Nancy added. "A lot of customers say it tastes like something their mum or grandma would make." Their ayam masak merah is another crowd favourite. The nasi lemak goes for just $4 a plate, which some customers say is "value for money". "We even give out free keropok and fruits," Ms Nancy said. "Watermelon, papaya, banana - we cut and leave it there for people to help themselves. Especially on Fridays. It's a good thing to do." That said, some customers have baulked at paying $7 to $9 for nasi padang. But the duo is used to it - and ready to explain. "You can't compare today's prices with a few years ago," said Ms Nash. "Everything's more expensive now - even eggs. A tray used to cost around $4, but now it's nearly double." Leftovers aren't kept overnight either. "We throw them," she said bluntly. "Fresh food, every day." "If a customer really cannot afford it, sometimes we give them a discount," Ms Nancy said. "Or throw in an extra egg." Operating hours are tight. The coffee shop opens at 6am, so Ms Nash starts cooking early - sometimes even at her Jurong outlet before driving the food over to Sembawang. Every Friday, they also prepare food deliveries for several mosques across Singapore, including those in Marsiling, Keppel and Jurong. And yes - they clean the stall themselves. "Even spray air freshener," Ms Nancy joked. "It's supposed to be the coffee shop's job, but we just do it." Rental, they admit, is steep - about $6,000 to $8,000 a month. They're now exploring ways to open for dinner, possibly with lighter bites like vadai. "Right now, we're operating until only 3pm. But the area gets busy at night - bars, clubs, all around. So we thought, why not try something new?" Ms Nash said. They're bringing in a partner who specialises in vadai - a familiar face from pasar malams. Ms Nash also has bigger ambitions. "I want to create more dishes. I'm good at seafood - that's my next goal." For now, Ms Nash and Ms Nancy are keeping things humble - good food, good service, and a little extra to make customers smile. And regulars are noticing. Mr Soe, 55, has been eating at the same stall location for over a decade - even before the current owners took over. "The previous couple retired when the old man got sick, but the food now still has the same taste," he said. While he admits prices have gone up a little, he isn't too fussed. "I bought two meals for $11 - one for me, one for my kids. Chicken nuggets and nasi lemak for the kids. Not too bad lah. The quality is quite good, and they've added more variety now." And with few other food options nearby, it's a spot he keeps returning to. "Unless we want to drive to another block, there's not much else to eat. So we support these neighbourhood shops." Ms Nancy said that kind of support means everything. "We do it because we love it - and because when someone says the food reminds them of home, that's the best feeling," she said.
Economic Times
6 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Oil prices hold gains ahead of US-China trade talks
Oil prices held on to last week's gains early on Monday as investors waited for U.S.-China trade talks to be held in London later in the day. ADVERTISEMENT Brent crude futures were flat at $66.47 a barrel at 0008 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was trading up 1 cent at $64.59. The prospect of a U.S.-China trade deal supported prices as three of Donald Trump's top aides were set to meet with counterparts in London on Monday for the first meeting of the U.S.-China economic and trade consultation mechanism. The announcement on Saturday followed a rare Thursday call between the two countries' top leaders, with both under pressure to dial down tensions as China's export controls on rare earths disrupt global supply chains. Oil prices posted their first weekly gain in three weeks on the news. A U.S. jobs report showing unemployment held steady in May appeared to increase the odds of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut, further supporting last week's gains. Inflation data from China on Monday morning will give a reading of domestic demand in the world's largest crude importer. The economic data and the prospect of a trade deal that could support economic growth and increase demand for oil outweighed worries about increased OPEC+ supply after the group announced another big output hike for July on May 31. ADVERTISEMENT HSBC expects OPEC+ to accelerate supply hikes in August and September, which are likely to raise downside risks to the bank's $65 per barrel Brent forecast from the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a research note on Friday. Capital Economics researchers said they believe this "new faster pace of (OPEC+) production rises is here to stay". ADVERTISEMENT (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cynthia Erivo Belts ‘Sometimes All You Need Is a Song' to Open Tony Awards
Cynthia Erivo sang a song with the lyrics that 'sometimes all you need is a song' for a rousing opening of the 2025 Tony Awards. The Wicked star, who won a Tony herself for her role in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple, is hosting the 78th annual event live from Radio City Music Hall. As she made her way to the stage, she met up with presenter Oprah Winfrey for a pep talk; together they recreated the finger-grabbing meme that went viral, which originally featured her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande. More from Rolling Stone Tony Awards Livestream: Here's How to Watch the 2025 Tonys Online Free 'Wicked: For Good' Trailer Sees Glinda and Elphaba's Friendship Tested 'Ballerina' Is Not the 'John Wick' Spinoff You're Looking For Erivo was backed by a full choir, and Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, and Adam Lambert provided assists from the audience for the opening number. Early in the broadcast, there was also a fun reunion: Bill & Ted, a.k.a. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves who are not yet starring on Broadway, but will be soon, were the first presenters of the night, which was bestowed on Best Performance of a Leading Actress winner Sarah Snook for her performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray. The actors, who starred in three Bill & Ted films (and voiced the animated TV series spinoff) including the most recent Face the Music in 2020, are next teaming up on Broadway as Estragon (Reeves) and Vladimir (Winter) in a revival of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. The Jamie Lloyd-directed production officially opens on Sept. 28 at Hudson Theatre, with preview performances beginning on Sept. 13. The limited engagement is set to run through Jan. 4, 2026. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century
