Marie Tovio Consulting

09/11/2025

Summer’s coming - is your workplace ready?

As another challenging year wraps up, many Kiwi employers are preparing for the busy December-January period - juggling leave requests, public holidays, and keeping morale high while the team winds down.

This season tests every workplace’s planning and communication - and with a major law reform on the horizon (the new Employment Leave Act expected in 2026), now’s the time to review your leave management processes.

✅ Plan early and communicate clearly
✅ Get public holidays and closedowns right
✅ Keep payroll compliant
✅ Support your team’s wellbeing

A proactive approach now will help you finish the year smoothly - and start 2026 strong.

Read our full guide here: www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/_files/ugd/1a0d3a_be6e70613f254199bcfd25133dc0674b.pdf

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

06/11/2025

Work-from-home may have changed the dress code, but expectations and communication still matter.

We help employers set clear, fair guidelines for flexible work.

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

📱 021 932 332
📧 marie@tovioconsulting.co.nz
🌐 www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/book-online

04/11/2025

2026 - LOOKING AHEAD WITH INTENTION

As 2025 draws toward its final stretch, many workplaces are feeling the weight of another demanding year. It was meant to be the year of recovery - yet for many businesses, it’s been another cycle of adapting, stretching budgets, and finding new ways to stay sustainable. Leaders are tired, staff are feeling the strain of ongoing uncertainty, and there’s a quiet sense of “we just need to get through to Christmas.”

The economy may still be uncertain, but employers can take practical steps right now to reset, refocus, and strengthen their teams ahead of 2026.

I will be offering a range of workshops in 2026, designed to help managers and leaders refresh their HR and Employment Relations skills, build stronger teams, and prepare for upcoming legislative changes.

To find out more about these workshops - www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/_files/ugd/1a0d3a_40a9295d55e14275a1390523df12b52b.pdf

Until then, I hope you and your teams finish the year strong - and begin planning a brighter, more balanced year ahead.

📱 021 932 332
📧 marie@tovioconsulting.co.nz
🌐 www.tovioconsulting.co.nz

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

02/11/2025

Bringing someone back after illness or injury takes empathy and compliance.

Employers must ensure returning staff are fit for work - while protecting wellbeing, maintaining productivity, and meeting legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act, Employment Relations Act, and Privacy Act.

From seeking medical clearance to planning phased returns or managing medical incapacity - it can be tricky to navigate.

We help employers with these processes and more; helping you ensure a safe, fair, and sustainable reintegration into the workplace.

Read our practical framework here 👉 www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/_files/ugd/1a0d3a_a2e7fa57381e40f8a796188a73407e31.pdf

30/10/2025

Small issues don’t stay small when ignored.

We help managers have those tricky conversations before they become formal disputes - keeping teams strong, productive, and focused.

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

📱 021 932 332
📧 marie@tovioconsulting.co.nz
🌐 www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/book-online

29/10/2025

When an employee takes extended leave due to illness or injury, the impact is felt on many levels - personally for them, and practically for the workplace. But the real test for any organisation comes when it’s time for that employee to return.

We believe the way a business navigates this delicate process speaks volumes about its culture and its values. Handled well, a return-to-work plan can strengthen trust, engagement, and retention. Handled poorly, it can lead to stress, resentment, or even further absence.

This isn’t just about following the law - it’s about building workplaces where people feel supported to come back and contribute at their best.

How does your business currently manage return-to-work plans? Are you confident your approach supports both the employee’s recovery and the organisation’s needs?

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

How to Navigate Medical Absence and Fitness for Work.

29/10/2025

October HR/ER News from Marie Tovio Consulting - https://mailchi.mp/0a84afec5478/marie-tovio-consulting-hrer-news-8333684

This month: What happened to 2025 being the year of recovery? Find out how to make 2026 a time for positive change.

27/10/2025

Who has had this scenario at work?
In my latest podcast I share tips on managing return to work plans, including how to balance empathy with safety and legal compliance.

Click here to watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GvUiI2ujWw

📱 021 932 332
📧 marie@tovioconsulting.co.nz
🌐 https://www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/book-online

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

21/10/2025

🎙 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗡𝗢𝗪
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗣𝗜 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗼
🕵️‍♀️ 𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 6: "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘺"

We know that supporting employees through life’s challenges is a necessary part of a healthy, resilient workplace.

That’s why in the latest episode, we’re unpacking a scenario many leaders and HR professionals face: How do you successfully support an employee returning from extended leave due to illness or injury?

In this episode, I share practical insights, common pitfalls, and proven strategies to help both employers and employees navigate this sensitive transition with empathy, compliance, and clarity.

Whether you’re a manager, HR professional, or business owner, you’ll walk away with:
✅ A framework for balancing compassion with business needs
✅ Communication approaches that build trust and confidence
✅ Tips to reduce risk while fostering long-term engagement

🎧 Listen now and strengthen the way you support your people –www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GvUiI2ujWw

𝙈𝙏𝘾 – 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

20/10/2025

As your team expands, so do your responsibilities - and so do your people risks. That’s why we’ve created the HR Essentials Pack, designed specifically for small and growing New Zealand businesses that need to get the right HR policies in place - without the overwhelm.

This practical toolkit gives you everything you need to build a compliant, confident HR framework from day one.

Our HR Essentials Pack includes:
📄 Code of Conduct
🌴 Leave Policy
🔐 Privacy Policy
📈 Performance Management Policy
🧰 Feedback & Performance Improvement Templates
✅ Step-by-step guides to implement each policy effectively

Each document is provided in an editable Word format and includes practical guidance on how to tailor it to your business. Whether you’re just getting started or tightening up existing processes, this pack will help you get your HR house in order - quickly and confidently.

Already have one or two policies sorted? You can also purchase individual templates.

To enquire or purchase these packs - www.tovioconsulting.co.nz

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

19/10/2025

In today’s hyper-connected world, the line between personal and professional is thinner than ever.
A quick post, an offhand comment, or a “funny” meme shared after hours can easily spill over into the workplace - and sometimes, into reputational damage for your business.

While freedom of expression is protected under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, that right doesn’t shield employees from the consequences of breaching workplace policy or harming an employer’s reputation online.

Your business’s reputation is worth protecting, read our full blog here 👉 www.tovioconsulting.co.nz/_files/ugd/1a0d3a_cc1b9086ba0e42a284a33326c6ea0ff3.pdf

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

16/10/2025

Employment law surprises are never fun 😮.
We help employers get it right the first time - so no one’s caught off guard.

𝙈𝙏𝘾 - 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮

www.tovioconsulting.co.nz