There’s a game-changing solution that’s helping SMEs navigate this complexity with ease: a library of over 5.2 million HR and compliance documents.
SMEs across Australia and New Zealand are turning to these pre-made, expertly crafted documents to keep up with constantly evolving regulations. From updated wage laws to new employee protections, these documents are becoming essential tools for businesses that need to stay compliant while saving time and avoiding costly mistakes. So, what’s driving this massive spike in document downloads? Simple: SMEs are using these resources to streamline HR tasks, minimize risk, and ensure they meet all the legal requirements—without the headaches. Let’s take a look at how this approach is helping SMEs stay ahead in a complex regulatory world.
“SMEs are facing a perfect storm of challenges as 2025 approaches, including rising costs, employment law reforms, and an accelerating pace of digital transformation. In 2024, Australia and New Zealand introduced significant legislative updates for employers,” says David Price, CEO of BrightHR ANZ.
“In Australia, we saw The Fair Work Legislation Amendment, otherwise known as Closing Loopholes No.2, Bill pass parliament, resulting in significant changes including the Right to Disconnect and new definitions for employers and employees. In New Zealand, there’s been updates to the minimum wage and enhanced protections for migrant workers, alongside a renewed focus on health and safety laws.”
Business owners are turning to expertly created HR documents to ensure compliance, with the report revealing that over 5.2 million pre-made HR and health & safety documents were downloaded globally in the last year, a 44.2% increase on the previous twelve months.
Key findings: HR tech adoption accelerates across small businesses
HR document libraries are helping businesses navigate regulatory change: In a year of significant regulatory change for Australian and Kiwi businesses, staying compliant has become more complex than ever, with significant updates such as additional gig economy regulations and new protections for independent contractors in Australia and minimum wage updates in New Zealand requiring business owners to be agile to adapt. Amidst these legislative shifts, business owners are turning to expertly created HR documents to ensure compliance, with the report revealing that over 5.2 million pre-made HR and health & safety documents were downloaded globally in the last year, a 44.2% increase on the previous twelve months.
Scheduling software and remote clock-in technology are helping businesses adapt to flexible work arrangements: Hybrid, remote, and flexible working are now standard across both Australia and New Zealand, with 78% of Australian employers and 81% Kiwi employers now offering flexible working options. As employers adapt to this changing landscape, technology is proving vital in helping employers accommodate flexible work arrangements. In the last twelve months, over 3.4 million clock-ins were logged through BrightHR’s time-keeping app Blip—a 40.9% increase year-on-year—while over 10.1 million minutes of work (approximately 168 million hours) were offered to employees through its shifts and rotas tool—an increase of 31.2% compared to last year. Whether employees are in the office, at home, or working remotely, businesses are embracing tools that facilitate flexible work arrangements and ensure productivity and accountability.
The future of employee recognition is digital: Employee recognition has become central to retaining talent in Australia and New Zealand, especially amid the rising competition for skilled workers. According to Deloitte, companies that prioritise EX see a 25% increase in employee retention, demonstrating the benefits of employee recognition and holistic benefits packages for retaining top talent. The Leaders in Tech report indicates that small businesses are leveraging technology to improve EX and recognise employee contributions, with over 60,000 Praise points shared through BrightHR’s innovative Praise tool this year.
Use of e-learning courses for HR and health & safety compliance is growing rapidly: In the light of new regulatory requirements and the changing nature of work, training employees and managers in employment law and workforce changes has become essential for businesses looking to stay compliant and competitive in a fast-moving regulatory landscape. It’s one thing adhering to legislative changes, but training employees and managers is crucial to mitigate risks and ensure accurate, proper implementation of new regulations. In the past year, the BrightHR Learning Management System (LMS) saw over 750,000 e-learning courses completed globally, a staggering 1,289% increase on the previous year, highlighting that business owners are recognising the need for continuous learning to ensure compliance.
Tech is supporting work-life balance as employee wellbeing becomes a top priority: Over the past year, over 137,000 holiday days were logged on the BrightHR system across Australia, a 27.4% increase on the previous twelve months. Recent studies demonstrate that wellbeing is fast becoming one of the top priorities for Australian and Kiwi employers and ensuring that employees take enough time off is a key part of this.
With streamlined leave management, employers can ensure their staff are taking time off to recharge, resulting in a healthier and more productive workforce. In a time where employee burnout has become a significant concern, staff vacation planners that save time with automatic vacation calculations, instantly flag vacation request clashes, and automatically comply with vacation laws, are quickly establishing themselves as vital tools for facilitating a better work-life balance.
Commenting on the launch of the report, Alastair Brown, CTO at BrightHR, says: “As SMEs navigate increasing workloads and financial uncertainty, automating key HR functions is helping them manage operations, improve compliance, and control costs. At BrightHR, we’re proud to lead this charge, providing the tools businesses need to succeed and grow in the face of challenges. “2024 has been a year of rapid transformation, from economic shifts to the growing adoption of AI, and BrightHR has been at the forefront of helping businesses adapt. We’ve launched over 24 major products this year, welcomed more than 20,000 new customers, and empowered businesses to stay ahead of regulatory changes and workforce demands.
“Our second Leaders in Tech report clearly shows that HR technology is no longer a luxury but a necessity for small businesses. By embracing innovations in employee recognition, smart scheduling, and e-learning, and using these tools to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, SMEs can protect their businesses and ultimately position themselves up for long-term growth. Whether it’s managing flexible working through our Blip app, supporting staff compliance with HR and health & safety regulations through our Learning Management System, or helping businesses distribute 10 billion minutes of work through our scheduling tool, our commitment to innovation is clear. As we look to 2025, we’re ramping up investments in payroll, performance management, and new features like our NFC-enabled clock-in kiosks—continuing to deliver tools that help businesses thrive in a complex and evolving landscape.
“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re proud to lead the HR tech space with solutions that are shaped by their needs. The future is bright, and it’s theirs for the taking.”
Data from over 40,000 small businesses in Australia and New Zealand using BrightHR software – and their more than 192,000 employees – shows that:
- Over 137,000 holiday days were logged on the BrightHR system in 2024 across Australia, a 27.4% increase from 2023
- Flexible working options were offered by 78% of Australian employers and 81% of New Zealand employers, indicating that it is the standard despite the push by many companies to get people back into the office full-time
- The top questions searched for by Australian employers in Bright Brainbox – a powerful search tool with answers to over 12,000 questions – related to the right to refuse annual leave requests, paying sick pay if someone is on holidays, and how the right to disconnect impacts businesses with 24/7 operations
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