How Central Demolition keeps safety sharp and HR simple with Employment Hero

About Central Demolition

Central Demolition specialises in high-risk demolition and A-class and B-class asbestos removal across New Zealand’s North Island. Tackling everything from residential knock-downs to multi-storey deconstruction, compliance isn’t a box-ticking exercise here; it’s the backbone of the business. 

When Health & Safety and HR lead Nathan Frost joined in 2023, he inherited Employment Hero along with a very full plate: safety, HR, and compliance across multiple sites. The brief was simple – make HR faster, cleaner and safer, without adding paperwork.

Breaking ground with Employment Hero

When Nathan joined, Employment Hero was already part of Central Demolition’s toolkit, but no one was quite sure how to use it to its full potential. HR was still buried in paper stacks and crammed file cabinets, and certifications were a constant race to keep up with. 

Nathan took the reins on Employment Hero, learning the platform inside-out to replace the paper trail with a clean, streamlined digital workflow.

“It was actually relatively easy to figure out,” he recalls. When he did get stuck, “I’d email support and always get a reply within 24 hours.” 

Paired with step-by-step guides and responsive support, he built momentum quickly, and the team started seeing benefits almost immediately.

Certifications on autopilot

For a demolition business, certifications aren’t nice-to-haves; they’re site entry tickets. Nathan’s favourite Employment Hero feature is certification tracking with automated reminders.

“I love that I can put all their certifications under their profile, with an expiry date, and get a notification 28 days prior. I’ve already got enough on my plate – I don’t have to worry about expiry dates.”

Those nudges matter on the ground. Clients often ask for training records on the spot. With everything attached to the employee profile, team members can respond with confidence and keep schedules intact. 

“It’s just a flow motion now… they’re consistently trained because I get the notification,” says Nathan.

Clearing the air with anonymous check-ins

High-risk work demands clear heads. Central Demolition uses Employment Hero’s anonymous Happiness Survey to surface issues early, without awkwardness. 

“Everyone really speaks their truth because it’s anonymous,” Nathan says. “That allows us as a management team to understand where the frustrations are and address them… we can’t afford to have anyone off their game, especially in our line of work.”

With fear of backlash removed, people speak freely. Team leads turn recurring themes into action, whether that’s sharper crew communication, smoother handovers, or workload adjustments when fatigue surfaces. The result is a steady feedback loop that lifts morale, reduces avoidable friction and keeps the operation zeroed in on safe, consistent delivery.

Every policy and document, in your toolbelt

Wedged between excavators, trucks and concrete saws, instant access to important documents is a game-changer. The Employment Hero Work App puts policies, contracts and industrial agreements in each employee’s pocket, so anyone can confirm a clause or check a safety policy mid-shift.

“There’s less admin back-and-forth, and it fosters a workplace culture built on openness and trust since everyone knows the information they need is at their fingertips,” Nathan says.

Paper-light HR for a greener build

Paper mountains are out; digital records are in. This shift also supports the group’s sustainability ethos alongside sister company Central Environmental, which recycles materials from their sites. 

“We’re trying to hop away as much as we can from using paper… Employment Hero plays a huge role in that, with everything now on the computer,” Nathan pointed out.

Built for crews, not cubicles

Employment Hero hasn’t changed what Central Demolition does; it’s changed how confidently and calmly they do it. Certification reminders keep compliance tight without mental load. Anonymous surveys keep communication honest and culture strong. And with the EH Work App, every team member carries their HR essentials on-site.

Nathan sums it up: “I use it every day. It saves me so much time and mental load… it’d be ideal for any construction outfit, especially the big crews, because all those guys have to be trained in their specifics.”

Want to experience Employment Hero for yourself?

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!

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