Homegrown businesses held their own against giants like Hilton and Specsavers on the Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026, based on the strength of their own employees’ feedback.
realestate.co.nz, NZ’s dedicated property portal,, ranked first in the Small category of the Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026. Auckland telecommunications firm Grapevine Communications placed seventh in the same category along with NZ founded Black Box Limited, and New Zealand established accounting firm Nexia came seventh in the Medium and Large category.
How did realestate.co.nz close its middle-manager gap?
It brought middle managers inside the strategy and gave them more coaching time. Managers now join monthly progress discussions on the company’s four strategic initiatives, so they help shape the plan they deliver.
“A strong overall culture had masked a real gap for the people responsible for delivering it day to day.”
Kim Hamilton · Head of People & Culture, realestate.co.nz
realestate.co.nz reports that within 12 months its middle managers moved from 57% to 100% agreement on work-life balance, trust, and psychological and emotional health. Manager satisfaction with the company as a great place to work rose from 71% to 95%, alongside 20% year-on-year revenue growth in FY26.
Middle managers agreeing on trust and wellbeing
2025 survey
12 months later
A 43-point rise in one year. Company-reported survey results.
Perks with punch: realestate.co.nz gives staff 10 extra days off
The company decided time was the most useful wellbeing benefit it could offer. ECG Wellbeing Leave, named after its company values, adds 10 paid days a year on top of annual leave.
Anyone who has drafted a careful email explaining why they need a Friday will see the appeal.
“…there’s no application, no justification, no sense that using it is a favour being granted.”
Kim Hamilton · Head of People & Culture, realestate.co.nz
In realestate.co.nz’s 2026 Great Place To Work survey, 100% of staff agreed they are encouraged to balance their work and personal lives.
How is Nexia, a Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026 winner, growing leaders?
Through NEXT Leaders, a program that sets emerging staff loose on live business problems and has them present their ideas to the National Board in Australia. The firm began with a 2016 Christchurch merger and now spans Auckland and Hawke’s Bay as part of the Nexia International network.
“People from different backgrounds, locations and service lines work together on real business challenges, including AI adoption…”
Alicia Calles · Payroll Administrator, Nexia New Zealand
For a young accountant, pitching an AI idea to the people who can fund it is a long way from reconciling someone else’s GST return.
How does Grapevine Communications keep its team together?
With weekly all-hands meetings that keep staff informed about change and give them a regular say in it.
“The more that staff are involved, the more we are able to create a feeling of ownership over the changes.”
Jordan Ritchie · Director, Grapevine Communications
Ritchie sees face-to-face contact getting scarcer outside work, which makes the time a team spends together at work more valuable.
How does Black Box fund its staff ideas?
Through its Idea Portal, which scores staff suggestions and backs the strongest with sponsorship and funding. Black Box Technologies New Zealand, 11th in the Small category, is the local arm of the NZ founded Black Box Limited.
“…the Idea Portal itself, which originated from an employee suggestion.”
Daina Nair · Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, Black Box
Few internal tools are their own proof of concept.
What do these Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026 have in common?
Each runs change on a predictable rhythm and lets staff help steer it.
| Company | 2026 ranking | How staff shape change |
|---|---|---|
| realestate.co.nz | 1st, Small | Weekly virtual All Hands and an employee-led wellbeing committee |
| Grapevine Communications | 7th, Small | Weekly all-hands meetings with room for input |
| Nexia New Zealand | 7th, Medium and Large | Staff from every level sit on national committees |
| Black Box Technologies New Zealand | 11th, Small | Town halls and open forums |
Frequently asked questions
Who is number one on the Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026 list?
realestate.co.nz ranked first in the Small category of the Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026, and Hilton ranked first among Medium and Large organisations. Great Place To Work groups the rankings by company size, so each category has its own leader and its own mix of local and global names. Homegrown names in the rankings include Grapevine Communications, seventh in the Small category, and Nexia New Zealand, seventh among Medium and Large organisations.
How does a company get on the Best Workplaces in New Zealand list?
A company must first become Great Place To Work Certified by running the two-week Trust Index employee survey and completing a Culture Brief. Scoring 65% or higher earns Certification and eligibility for the Best Workplaces in New Zealand lists, provided the results fall within the list’s qualification window. Recognition is based on employee feedback from the Trust Index survey, supported by the Culture Brief submission. Companies of every size and industry can apply.
Why are middle managers struggling at work in 2026?
Middle managers carry pressure from above and below, and global data shows the strain. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 report found manager engagement fell to 22% in 2025, down from 31% in 2022. realestate.co.nz, a Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026 winner, found its middle managers scored 57% on trust and wellbeing while the wider company scored above 90%. Monthly strategy discussions and more coaching lifted that figure to 100% within 12 months.
What is ECG Wellbeing Leave at realestate.co.nz?
ECG Wellbeing Leave gives realestate.co.nz employees 10 additional paid days off every year, separate from annual leave. It is named after the company’s values of Excellence, Care and Growth, and requires no application or justification to use. It sits alongside fully funded health insurance, an employee assistance program, flexible working and enhanced parental leave at the portal, which topped the Small category of the Best Workplaces in New Zealand 2026.
