One New Zealand, a major telecommunications company in New Zealand, is asking staff to consider voluntary redundancies due to the challenging economic conditions and the need to balance operational costs. The company is also implementing artificial intelligence to better serve its customers.
On Monday, One NZ’s chief people officer, Jodie King, sent an email to staff regarding the proposal for voluntary redundancies, excluding the retail and care teams.
“As many of you have heard all of our leadership say many times, we’re in an industry that is constantly changing, and we’ll continue to change with it. Change often brings opportunities, and for those who enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and being at the forefront of new technologies, it’s a great thing,” King wrote.
You would also have heard our recent financial updates that we need to contain operational costs so we can continue to invest in the technology and solutions our customers value the most – and continue growing One NZ’s market position for the long term.”
“As you know, we are working to streamline our priorities, and we have Transforming One (T-One) underway as a major business-wide project that will change the shape of our organisation going forward, which also includes utilising new AI tools to drive productivity benefits and enable us to serve our customers in different ways,” King said.
A One New Zealand spokesperson also said that the company is among several that are either offering or contemplating voluntary redundancy schemes.
“In this tough economic environment, we’ve been reducing operational costs and implementing productivity tools such as AI technology to continue to provide our customers with great connectivity at sustainable prices,” the spokesperson said.
“We are offering a strong redundancy package for those who choose to take it and are committed to supporting our team through this process.”
It is understood that some staff have expressed concerns about the company’s decision to call for redundancy while simultaneously engaging in significant spending initiatives.
Recently, One New Zealand was announced as the naming rights partner for Te Kaha Stadium in Ōtautahi, Christchurch. The company has also revealed that its Auckland Support Office will transition from its current site at Smales Farm to new premises located in Wynyard Quarter.
One NZ addressed the issue of financing its office relocation in Auckland and the sponsorship of the stadium while offering voluntary redundancy options to employees.
“There are many competing priorities at play, and we need to continue to win and retain customers while also considering how to maintain cost discipline,” it said.
“This means we will continue to do things like new advertising campaigns and invest in our mobile and fibre networks, while also needing to reduce operational costs.”
“Our Auckland office move is based on a long-term plan and pay-off period. If we stayed at Smales Farm, we would need to invest into that building instead to ensure the office is fit for purpose,” the email said.
“The One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch is a 10-year sponsorship deal that we need to start paying for in 2026, and we will be making efficiencies in our marketing budget to accommodate it.”
The expression of interest process for voluntary redundancy is available from July 22 until noon on August 2. One NZ Zealand emphasised that not all submissions will be accepted but has encouraged those considering their future at the company to take part in the process.