The Employer Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Attracting and Retaining Construction Talent
The Employer Toolkit is a free, practical resource for construction sector employers who want to attract the right people and keep them for the long term. It is now owned and managed by the Construction Growth Foundation (CGF). Originally developed by the Food & Fibre Centre of Vocational Excellence, the toolkit is being progressively updated with information and tools tailored to the construction sector.
Written in plain language for business owners, supervisors and managers, it walks you through the full employee journey, from writing a job ad through to onboarding, wellbeing and long-term development. You can read it online or download it at employertoolkitnz.org.
Overview
Construction and infrastructure are central to New Zealand's economy and its future. Yet attracting people is only part of the challenge. The real test for many businesses is holding on to good people once they have joined.
The Employer Toolkit is built around a simple idea: when you invest in your people from the very first interaction, you improve retention, wellbeing and performance across your whole business. It brings together practical guidance, tips, checklists and illustrative case studies so you can see what good looks like at each stage, then adapt it to your own team.
The toolkit is organised into four chapters:
Attracting the Right Individuals, a six-step hiring and onboarding process.
Māori Cultural Confidence, an introduction to te ao Māori in the workplace.
Workplace Wellbeing and Culture, covering mental, physical, cultural and social wellbeing.
Mentoring and Coaching, on supporting your people to grow and stay.
It is important to note that the toolkit is a guide rather than legal advice. The case studies are illustrative and are not intended to represent any individual, organisation or industry. For legal matters, the toolkit recommends seeking advice from a qualified professional.
Key content found in the toolkit
Attracting the right individuals. A six-step framework for hiring people who stay: Preparing, Finding, Assessing, Selecting, Hiring and Welcoming (onboarding). It includes a worked job ad example, guidance on where to advertise, how to interview across casual, semi-formal and formal styles, what tests and checks you can carry out, the paperwork legally required when you take someone on, and a structured onboarding plan for day one, week one and the first three months.
Māori Cultural Confidence. An introductory guide to te ao Māori and how to apply values such as whanaungatanga (kinship and relationships), manaakitanga (caring and respecting others) and kaitiakitanga (stewardship) in a construction workplace. It covers language, tikanga, welcoming practices and a helpful glossary of terms.
Workplace Wellbeing and Culture. Practical steps to build a positive culture across the four areas of wellbeing: mental, physical, cultural and social. This chapter includes two core tools, a Communications tool and a Buddy system tool, each with checklists and examples you can put to work straight away.
Mentoring and Coaching. The difference between a mentor, a coach and a buddy, the tuakana and teina concept, the 70:20:10 model of how people learn, and simple frameworks such as GROW and SMART goals to support your people to develop and progress.
Each chapter closes with three illustrative case studies, from "Needs Addressing" through to "Excelling", so you can benchmark your own practice.
Key statistics
The following figures are drawn from the toolkit and the sources it cites. We would recommend verifying any statistic from its primary source before quoting it externally.
$274.4 billion: the value of planned initiatives in Te Waihanga's National Infrastructure Pipeline as at March 2026, at various stages of funding, planning and delivery.
More than 80,000 new entrants a year have been attracted to the construction and infrastructure sectors on average since 2015, but only approximately one quarter remain in the workforce five years later. This figure is attributed to the former Workforce Development Council for Construction and Infrastructure.
Approximately 16.7% of the total construction workforce identify as Māori, a share the toolkit notes is steadily growing (attributed to MBIE building and construction sector trends reporting).
Many new employees leave within the first 90 days because the job was not what they expected (the toolkit cites Jobvite, 2018).
Nearly two thirds (65%) of Gen Z and younger workers reported experiencing at least one mental health problem in the past two years, a higher rate than millennials (51%), Gen X (29%) and Boomers (14%). The toolkit attributes this to the Oliver Wyman Forum Global Consumer Sentiment Survey.
Two out of three employees feel their voice is not listened to in some way by their manager or employer, which the toolkit links to workforce turnover.
Why the Employer Toolkit can help
When someone leaves, a business can lose the time, knowledge and resources invested in their recruitment, induction, supervision and development. High turnover also places extra pressure on teams and can affect productivity and project delivery.
The toolkit helps because it turns retention from a vague goal into a set of concrete, repeatable actions. It gives you the words for a clear job ad, the questions to ask at interview, the checklist for a strong first day, and the framework for an ongoing wellbeing and development conversation. Setting clear expectations and investing in people's development helps businesses improve retention, wellbeing and performance, and the toolkit is designed to make that investment straightforward, even for a small or time-poor business.
Who should read it
This toolkit is designed for:
Construction employers
Industry associations
Training providers
Workforce development organisations
Government agencies
Apprenticeship providers
How it can help the construction sector
Investing in the people who build New Zealand strengthens individual businesses and helps develop the workforce the sector needs for its future. A large pipeline of infrastructure work means little if the people to deliver it cannot be found and kept.
By lifting employer capability across recruitment, cultural confidence, wellbeing and mentoring, the toolkit supports the whole sector to hold on to more of the talent it attracts. Better onboarding reduces early departures. A more inclusive, values-led culture helps a diverse and growing workforce feel that they belong. Stronger wellbeing practices protect people in a sector that involves real physical, economic and environmental pressures. And a culture of mentoring and coaching builds the next generation of skilled tradespeople, supervisors and leaders. Improving retention is not just good for individual employers, it is essential for the long-term success and productivity of the sector as a whole.
At a glance
What it is: a free, practical employer guide for the construction sector, owned and managed by CGF.
Format: website and download PDF document, with tips, checklists and illustrative case studies throughout.
Covers: attracting and hiring, Māori cultural confidence, workplace wellbeing and culture, and mentoring and coaching.
Built for: employers, industry bodies, training and apprenticeship providers, workforce development organisations and government agencies.
Best for: any construction business that wants to reduce turnover and get the basics of people management right from the start.
Where to find it:employertoolkitnz.org.
Note: the toolkit is a guide, not legal advice. Seek professional advice for legal matters.
Download the Employer Toolkit
You can read the full Employer Toolkit online or download it.
The website also hosts extra chapters that are not covered in detail in the downloadable booklet, including understanding your obligations as an employer, and training and development. CGF will continue to update and improve the toolkit over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. The toolkit is a free resource. You can read it online or download it from employertoolkitnz.org.
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It is written for construction employers, business owners, supervisors and managers, as well as industry associations, training and apprenticeship providers, workforce development organisations and government agencies. Some sections will be highly relevant to your work while others may apply less to your specific circumstances.
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Yes. The toolkit was originally developed for the food and fibre sector and is being progressively updated with information and tools tailored to construction. The examples and case studies reflect construction and related trades.
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No. The toolkit is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For legal matters, including employment agreements and your obligations as an employer, seek guidance from a qualified professional. The toolkit also links to resources such as Employment New Zealand and WorkSafe New Zealand.
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Four main chapters: attracting and hiring the right people, Māori cultural confidence, workplace wellbeing and culture, and mentoring and coaching. The website hosts additional chapters, including employer obligations and training and development.
Publication date: August 2026
Publisher: Construction Growth Foundation (CGF). We'd like to acknowledge Food & Fibre CoVE who were the original sponsor of this asset.