People & Culture

Running a retail business means your focus is on your customers, your team, and your sales floor – not navigating employment law. When a staff situation arises, and the Retail NZ HR Helpline has given you the general guidance, but you’re still unsure what to say, what to do, or how to handle what comes next, that’s where we come in.

People & Culture is the official HR consulting partner for Retail NZ, providing HR support for retail businesses across NZ that goes beyond general advice.

You can find out more at peopleandculture.co.nz/.

How we support retail businesses

We work with retail business owners, store managers, and leadership teams across New Zealand on the real-world people challenges that keep you up at night:

Managing a staff member who isn’t performing
Navigating a complaint or sensitive workplace situation
Preparing for a difficult conversation
Handling conduct and attendance issues
Drafting employment letters and documentation
Supporting formal disciplinary or dismissal processes
Resolving team conflict before it escalates
Ongoing people support as your business grows

We don’t just tell you what the law says. We help you apply it in your business.

“People and Culture are a great balance of professional and caring, pragmatic while also understanding best practise. They simplify problems and support us to move forward.” – Vicky Taylor, CEO Moochi

HR support options for Retail NZ members

From one-off situations to ongoing people support, find out how we work and how we can help your business.

Most Retail NZ members reach out when they find themselves thinking:

“I know I need to act but I’m not sure how to handle this the right way.”
“This situation could escalate and I need someone in my corner.”
“I need help preparing for this conversation.”
“I want to make sure I’m following the right process.”

If any of those sound familiar, a free 30-minute call with our team is the best place to start.

Access the support you need, when you need it.

On-Demand Support

Pay as you go with no minimum commitment. Ideal for one-off situations or when an issue comes up unexpectedly. Retail NZ members receive 15% off the standard rate.

Ongoing HR partnership

From 6 hours per month. You work with the same Senior HR Consultant every time so you never have to re-explain your business, your team, or your history. Includes regular check-ins, proactive guidance and support across employment relations, day-to-day people matters and more complex situations. Great for businesses with growing teams or frequent people challenges.

HR health check

A structured review of your current people practices, policies and processes. We identify compliance risks, gaps and areas for improvement with NZ retail employment law and give you a clear, prioritised roadmap to strengthen your HR foundations. Ideal for retail businesses that want to get ahead of issues before they arise.

People & Culture was founded by Melanie Marx and Gemma Stringer, experienced HR professionals with a track record of supporting New Zealand businesses through complex people challenges. We have worked across retail, SMEs and larger organisations and we know that what retail business owners need isn’t more theory. It’s someone who can help them move forward.

We are energetic, practical and genuinely passionate about people. We make HR feel less daunting and more like a conversation with someone who’s fully in your corner.