The Employer Toolkit is now owned and managed by the Construction Growth Foundation (CGF). Originally developed by the Food & Fibre Centre of Vocational Excellence, this practical resource will continue to support New Zealand employers and will be progressively updated with information and tools tailored to the construction sector.
 

Construction and infrastructure are central to New Zealand’s economy and future development. As of March 2026, Te Waihanga’s National Infrastructure Pipeline contained $274.4 billion of planned initiatives at different stages of funding, planning and delivery.
 

Attracting people is only part of the challenge. Waihanga Ara Rau reports that the construction and infrastructure sectors have attracted more than 80,000 new entrants a year on average since 2015, but only approximately one-quarter remain in the workforce five years later. Its research identifies workplace culture, management capability, supervision, wellbeing and access to support as important influences on workforce retention.
 

When someone leaves, businesses can lose the time, knowledge and resources invested in their recruitment, induction, supervision and development. High turnover can also place additional pressure on teams and affect productivity and project delivery.
 

Creating a supportive workplace, setting clear expectations and investing in people’s development can help businesses improve retention, wellbeing and performance. Investing in the people who build New Zealand strengthens individual businesses and helps develop the workforce needed for the sector’s future.