Short retention span?

Ben Kershaw

I was walking into work this morning thinking about retention—specifically, how regional companies probably have a better shot at achieving higher retention rates than their big-city counterparts.

What I mean is this: provided the job is good, the opportunity solid, and the people aligned, regional companies can reasonably expect longer employee tenures than similar roles in the major centres.

That’s largely because, in cities, good people leave good jobs all the time. The progression horizon is shorter—more roles, more opportunities—and people are more likely to move on just because they can. So it makes sense that average tenure in the cities tends to be shorter than in regional New Zealand.

But here’s where it gets interesting: in some regional centres, people stay in roles for a long time, and over time, that can breed a certain fear of moving on.

Why people don’t move on (even when they should)

There are a few reasons for this. One is the perception—right or wrong—that there are fewer opportunities. In a smaller market, taking a leap can feel riskier. The fear of failing or not finding something else weighs heavier when you don’t have twenty other similar roles just around the corner.

Secondly, there’s a bit of a culture of fear in smaller communities. Not because employers are intimidating—but because these are tight-knit towns where everyone knows everyone. It’s hard to be seen as open to new opportunities without someone finding out. Bumping into your boss on the way to a job interview? Not ideal. That fear keeps people put.

Thirdly, there’s a lower uptake of platforms like LinkedIn in regional New Zealand. It could be due to perceived job security or just a lack of reliance on social media, but whatever the reason, fewer professionals have active online profiles. So when people do quietly start to consider a move, they’re not necessarily visible to you—or to anyone.

Inertia and the illusion of “no talent”

These factors all feed into one thing: inertia. And this is one of the biggest reasons regional employers get such a low hit rate when they advertise vacancies.

We often meet clients who are convinced their local talent pool is tapped out or just doesn’t exist. Why? Because when they advertise, they get very few local candidates—or none that are relevant.

But here’s the thing: inertia often masks availability. Many capable, well-aligned local candidates are simply not active in the market. They’re not on Seek. They’re not updating their CV. They’re doing good work—but that doesn’t mean they’re in the right job, or that they wouldn’t be open to something better.

When we utilise search to support those same employers, we often find excellent local candidates. People who never would have applied, but are a great match—and in many cases, a lower-risk hire. They already know the region. They’re invested in the community. They’re not dealing with the upheaval of relocation.

Yes, we do sometimes have to go national. But local talent is there. Whether or not you can see it is another thing entirely.

So why does this matter?

If you’re a regional HR leader, people and culture professional, or business owner, here’s the key point: your high retention rates might not reflect your employee brand or culture. People might be staying not because they’re engaged, but because they feel stuck.

There are tools out there—data, indices, benchmarks—that show how many people are open to leaving a job in any given year. Often, that number is higher than you’d think. Don’t mistake lack of movement for loyalty.

This all matters because, as we’ve said before, the war for talent isn’t over. It’s just getting started.

The skills we need tomorrow don’t exist today. The ones we relied on yesterday? Already out of date. The pace of change is accelerating—and people who can keep up with that change (or better yet, lead it) are in short supply.

We’re talking about deep specialists, adaptable learners, and true innovators—people who aren’t just filling roles but helping to shape what comes next. And when you’re a few steps removed from the global market, like many regional businesses are, innovation isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s survival.

Retention is no longer a passive game

Yes, regional businesses have traditionally enjoyed longer tenure. But that’s changing. Here’s why:

• Borderless work and remote roles are putting pressure on regional talent pools.
• Regional businesses are growing, increasing internal competition for local talent.
• Workforce needs are evolving faster than ever, making some niche or overlooked candidates suddenly highly desirable.

So if your approach to retention is built on comfort, inertia, or a lack of local competition, it’s time to reassess. That cushion is disappearing fast.

Retention starts before day one

At Moxie, we believe retention starts before someone even accepts the job.

We’re a recruitment and research business. We help regional companies find exceptional talent—but more importantly, we help them find the right people. The ones who align on purpose, values, motivation, behavior, and capability—not just those with the right CV.

That’s why we’re able to offer a 12-month replacement guarantee—something we haven’t seen matched in New Zealand. Our placements tend to stick. Why? Because we do the hard work up front. Our process is designed to find people who thrive, grow, and make a meaningful impact.

Once hired, the insights gathered during the recruitment process can be used to tailor onboarding, development, and even management styles. Helping organisations not just retain staff, but keep them genuinely engaged—and operating in their flow state.

Real results in the real world

We’ve seen this play out over and over again. One of our long-term clients—a major regional employer with a strong employee value proposition—has been working with us for more than seven years.

Every single person we’ve placed with them during that time is still with the business.

That’s almost unheard of.

What makes it even more impressive is that around 80% of those hires were relocated from outside the region. They left behind homes, networks, and familiarity—and still stayed long-term.

That’s not just about our process. It’s also a credit to the organisation. They’ve always held the bar high: demanding cultural alignment, running robust assessments, onboarding thoroughly, and genuinely looking after their people.

They were a tough client in the beginning—clear on what they wanted and unwilling to compromise. But that clarity made all the difference. Over time, we developed a strong partnership, and it’s one we’re proud to maintain.

The first step to retention? Hiring the right people

It might sound obvious, but it’s worth saying: the single best thing you can do to improve retention is to hire people who are a strong fit from the start.

That means understanding your opportunity. Defining what success looks like. Creating behavioral and motivational benchmarks. Running a proper search. Building a shortlist of real matches—not just the best of who happens to apply.

It’s about identifying what’s important to your organisation and to your candidates—and testing alignment before a job offer is even made.

Too many businesses rely on what’s easy or familiar. But in a fast-changing market, hope is not a retention strategy.

At Moxie, our five-step process helps organisations:

1. Clarify the opportunity
2. Define measurable success benchmarks
3. Conduct a targeted national search
4. Run a rigorous selection process
5. Enable long-term retention

We help you make confident, informed hiring decisions—and build the foundations for people to stay, thrive, and grow with you.

Because in regional New Zealand, retention isn’t about luck or loyalty anymore. It’s about process, alignment, and doing the work up front.

If you’re serious about keeping your best people, the best time to start thinking about it is before you even make the hire.

Contact Moxie to book a free hiring strategy session.