How Employment Hero reeled in HR efficiencies for Fiordland Lobster Company

About Fiordland Lobster Company

From the chilly southern waters of New Zealand and Australia, Fiordland Lobster Company exports premium southern rock lobster to customers around the world, most notably China, while also serving domestic markets.

With just under 200 staff spread across both countries, the company’s operations are as intricate as their prized catch. Overseeing the people side of this bustling business is Toni Magi, General Manager for Human Resources across both Fiordland Lobster Company and South Australian Lobster Company.

Toni was the organisation’s first dedicated HR leader, brought in to elevate a function that had long been more payroll-focused. 

A tangle of manual processes

Before Employment Hero, Toni was navigating a highly manual HR and payroll environment.

From paper-based employee files and leave requests to running two separate payroll systems, one in Australia and one in New Zealand, everything was time-consuming and fragmented.

“Employment contracts, leave applications, even onboarding forms – everything was on paper,” Toni said. “If you applied for leave, you did it on paper. There was nothing automatic.”

The inconsistency between the two countries’ systems created an uneven employee experience. Toni knew a change was needed – not just for efficiency, but to give every team member the same, modern workplace experience.

Casting the net for the right solution

Toni considered other platforms, even ones she’d implemented in previous roles, but Employment Hero came out on top.

“For me, it was about ease of use for the end user,” Toni explained. “Employment Hero had the right feel – it was accessible, mobile-friendly, and provided more bang for buck.”

The decision wasn’t just about features; it was about creating a system that could support everyone, from tech-savvy office staff to factory workers without smartphones.

“It can be as simple or as powerful as you want it to be. The implementation team made it so easy,” she said.

Smooth sailing with payroll and HR

Since implementing Employment Hero, the transformation has been immediate. Employees can now update their personal details, submit leave requests, and access their information anytime, all on their own.

“All payroll processes are now online, which has cut processing time significantly,” Toni said. “People enter their own timesheets – I don’t have to do them, and managers don’t have to send them to me to get entered.”

The reporting function has also been a game-changer, allowing her to run reports and access information instantly. With all employee data now centralised, Toni no longer has to “dig through 8 different folders” just to find someone’s details.

Hooking performance and engagement

Before Employment Hero, performance appraisals were a 10-page paper marathon, per employee. Now, the process is online and streamlined.

Fiordland has also launched its first online performance appraisal program, boosting engagement and making reviews more accessible for both managers and staff. For Toni, some of the biggest wins have been the automation of employment contracts and onboarding.

“It’s all systemised now. Everything’s ready before they start, so they can jump straight in from day one,” she said. 

Company-wide announcements and digital recognition for birthdays and anniversaries have added a splash of joy to the workday, reeling in a stronger sense of connection.

“It makes a difference to people when they see their birthday or work anniversary recognised. They think, ‘Oh, everybody knows me,’” she noted.

A fresh catch for onboarding

With Employment Hero’s onboarding features, the process is now centralised, consistent, and engaging.

New hires receive their contracts, policies, and even a welcome video from the CEO before day one, helping them feel part of the team immediately.

“I can allocate tasks to different people, and the system tells them when they need to be done. It works for everyone, whether it’s a manager who needs to be set up for credit cards or a factory hand starting on the floor,” Toni said.

Time savings that make a splash

Toni estimates a 50% reduction in admin time since implementing Employment Hero.

“An employment contract used to mean printing, signing, scanning, and filing. Now it’s templates, online signing, and done,” she explained.

With all that freed-up time, Fiordland Lobster Company is now better equipped to focus on what it does best – delivering world-class lobster to the world.

From tide to streamlined ride

Employment Hero is the all-in-one HR, payroll, and recruitment platform that streamlines your employment processes so you can focus on growing your business! 

Employment Hero has helped Fiordland Lobster Company untangle its HR and payroll processes, improve consistency across countries, and boost engagement from the factory floor to the boardroom.Looking to streamline HR and bring more value to your business? Book a demo with our business specialists today.