New Zealand’s small businesses are in a familiar place at the end of summer: cautiously hopeful and watching economic numbers with interest. Fresh Employment Hero NZ Jobs Report data on wages and hours worked tells a story of a workforce operating in two gears: owners and managers making tough decisions about the year ahead and a frontline workforce grinding through consistently long months, with only occasional crossovers between the two top 10 lists. The macro signals are improving and there are genuine reasons for optimism, but at ground level, SME owners are still testing demand before they commit.
Technical Skills and Growth Specialists Demand Higher Wages
It may come as no surprise that leaders top the list of Top 10 High-Earning Job Titles in New Zealand SMEs. A clear managerial tier has emerged on the small business pay scale, with CEOs and Directors – the ones attempting to navigate economic headwinds – earning the highest hourly median hourly rates. But at mid-level, technical specialists, including consultants, software developers and project managers, are pulling well ahead of the pack. Drivers of SME growth, business development managers and operations managers, round out the top 10.
The Top 10 High-Earning Job Titles (Median Hourly Rate):
- CEO $126.90
- Director $88
- General Manager $84.50
- Consultant $65.30
- Financial Manager $64.50
- Sales Manager $63.40
- Software Developer $62.50
- Project Manager $62
- Business Development Manager $59.70
- Operations Manager $54.40
While these specific roles command strong rates, broader wage growth is losing steam. Stats NZ data shows annual wage inflation cooled to 2.0 per cent as of the December quarter – trailing the 3.1 per cent annual inflation rate recorded in early 2026. For most of the workforce, pay rises are no longer keeping pace with the cost of living.
Frontline Employees Are Working The Longest Hours
While the wage list highlights the value of a role, the “hardest-working” list highlights the intensity required to sustain many SMEs. These are the roles averaging well above the median 136.3 hours logged by employees of Employment Hero’s Kiwi customers.
At a staggering 175 hours per month, Machine Operators are effectively cramming an extra week of work into each month compared to the SME median. They’re followed closely by Truck Drivers and other Drivers, Service Technicians, Carpenters and Site Managers. Even white-collar operational roles are feeling the squeeze: as the only roles to make both the highest-earning and hardest-working lists, Project Managers and Operations Managers are being recognised for putting in long days.
The Top 10 Hardest-Working Job Titles (Average Monthly Hours):
- Machine Operator 175
- Truck Driver 171
- Service Technician 169
- Driver 166
- Site Manager 165
- Carpenter 165
- Project Manager 164
- Operations Manager 163
- Branch Manager 162
- Engineer 160
The dominance of trades and site roles is likely to be driven by activity on the South Island. While Auckland and Wellington slowed, Otago’s building work jumped 7.4 in late 2025, fuelled by record housing consents and projects like the $3 billion Milburn Quadrant Inland Port. With too few skilled workers to meet demand, existing staff are working longer to keep things on schedule.
Hiring caution may be responsible for long hours worked elsewhere too. With unemployment at 5.4 per cent, available workers exist, but risk averse SMEs may prefer to pay overtime to a stretched core team rather than committing to new hires.
