128 days ago

Poll: Is restructuring the right tool for change?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Restructure.
A scary word that can make people uneasy—and for good reason. According to The Post, more than a third of New Zealand’s public services have recently faced it.

But why is restructuring the go-to strategy for driving change?

In The Post’s article 'Reaching for change: Is our public service obsessed with restructuring?', doctoral candidate Annika Naschitzki from Victoria University is trying to understand repetitive restructuring.

New Zealand’s public service is often seen as risk-averse, slow-moving, and stuck. But interviewed staff indicate that they want change, that change is needed ... just not through restructuring.

Naschitzki doesn’t mince words: “We always have the same issues, but we keep trying to fix the same problem with the same hammer we've been using for decades.”

Are we leaning too heavily on structural change when real transformation might lie elsewhere? Perhaps through training, resourcing, tools, and practice, as Naschitzki suggests.

What do you think?
Is restructuring the right tool for meaningful change, or just a habit we can’t seem to break?
If you are wary of restructuring, how can we do better?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

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Is restructuring the right tool for change?
  • 7.4% Restructuring is the only option in the current climate
    7.4% Complete
  • 25.5% Can be great if done in consultation with staff doing the work
    25.5% Complete
  • 15.1% Any change is good, as long as we know what we are trying to achieve
    15.1% Complete
  • 14.1% No, restructuring consumes too much resourcing
    14.1% Complete
  • 35.6% There is no one-size-fits-all answer ...
    35.6% Complete
  • 2.2% Other - I will share below
    2.2% Complete
714 votes
More messages from your neighbours
6 hours ago

Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’

If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.

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1 day ago

Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”

We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?

Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.

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Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
  • 41.6% Yes
    41.6% Complete
  • 31.8% Maybe?
    31.8% Complete
  • 26.6% No
    26.6% Complete
425 votes
6 days ago

FREE 10-liter emergency water bottles

Michael from Newtown

Merry Christmas -

I have around twenty, empty 10-liter distilled water bottles to serve as emergency water storage. I saved them for my friends, but they already have their own water supplies. Take as many as you like. Please respond to this notice if you are interested.

Best wishes - Michael