Assurance news of a rise in Kiwis calling in sick indicates a positive cultural shift. 

A Business NZ and Southern Cross report shows workers are taking an average of 6.7 sick days a year, up from 5.5 in 2022. 

Employers and Manufacturers Association Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge while it is a cost, most employers recognise it stops infections spreading. 

McDonald says the stats better reflect the understanding in a workplace, that people do genuinely get sick, and it's better to manage this than have them in. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Assurance news of a rise in Kiwis calling in sick indicates a positive cultural shift.&nbsp;
A Business NZ and Southern Cross report shows workers are taking an average of 6.7 sick days a year, up from 5.5 in 2022.&nbsp;
Employers and Manufacturers Association Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald told Ryan Bridge while it is a cost, most employers recognise it stops infections spreading.&nbsp;
McDonald says the stats better reflect the understanding in a workplace, that people do genuinely get sick, and it's better to manage this than have them in.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Alan McDonald: EMA Head of Advocacy on Kiwis taking more sick days than ever before

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/587a5dbf-d503-4f55-9874-b38c011fa1d3/transcript

Do you know what's really starts to rub me the wrong way? 

It's governments telling us to do more things. 

This morning, we've got the government coming out with yet another hotline.

Sounds fancy. Sounds efficient. 

It's a hotline to report road cones. A road cone tipline. 

Sorry, but if the problem is that there are too many road cones on the road, and they're unnecessary for the work being carried out —which half of them appear to be— then why do you need us to tell you that?

Surely if we just had better, clearer rules and less bullshit, we wouldn't need a road cone tipline. A pothole tipline. A 105 theft tipline. A beneficiary tipline.

Either you know what you're doing and you've got smart people and smart systems, or you don't. 

And every time I hear of another tipline I realise, they have no idea. 

Tiplines are the equivalent of a safety calming measure. Those weird speed bumps or narrowing roads, designed to make people feel better when driving around.

All they really do is piss people off and reveal how rubbish your road designs are to begin with. 

Just think about this: 

There's a bunch of road cones in a dumb place on a busy road. WorkSafe and NZTA and Council people drive past this busy spot every day. 

Barbara in her little Honda Civic, she drives past. She calls it in.

Barry in his truck and trailer. He calls it in.

Sally picks the kids up at 3pm from school every day. 

They all ring the tipline. They all report the same thing. It will then be somebody's job to sort through the tips. Somebody else will triage the tips. That's two jobs.

In three weeks, Barry, Sally, and Barb get a letter. Because the post only runs two days a week. 

The letter says we're looking into the issue for you. 

Meanwhile, 100 government or council people have walked or driven past the road cone Armageddon and nothing's changed. 

Tiplines are plasters over grenades.

The only time I want to ring a tipline is speak to the actual dump. 

In its first 156 days in office, the National-led government has set up 37 reviews, inquiries or advisory panels – some of which are being led by former ministers, including Bill English, Steven Joyce, Murray McCully and Roger Sowry.

Do you know what's really starts to rub me the wrong way?&nbsp;
It's governments telling us to do more things.&nbsp;
This morning, we've got the government coming out with yet another hotline.
Sounds fancy. Sounds efficient.&nbsp;
It's a hotline to report road cones.&nbsp;A road cone tipline.&nbsp;
Sorry, but if the problem is that there are too many road cones on the road, and they're unnecessary for the work being carried out —which half of them appear to be— then why do you need us to tell you that?
Surely if we just had better, clearer rules and less bullshit, we wouldn't need a road cone tipline. A pothole tipline. A 105 theft tipline. A beneficiary tipline.
Either you know what you're doing and you've got smart people and smart systems, or you don't.&nbsp;
And every time I hear of another tipline I realise, they have no idea.&nbsp;
Tiplines are the equivalent of a safety calming measure. Those weird speed bumps or narrowing roads, designed to make people feel better when driving around.
All they really do is piss people off and reveal how rubbish your road designs are to begin with.&nbsp;
Just think about this:&nbsp;
There's a bunch of road cones in a dumb place on a busy road. WorkSafe and NZTA and Council people drive past this busy spot every day.&nbsp;
Barbara in her little Honda Civic, she drives past. She calls it in.
Barry in his truck and trailer. He calls it in.
Sally picks the kids up at 3pm from school every day.&nbsp;
They all ring the tipline. They all report the same thing. It will then be somebody's job to sort through the tips. Somebody else will triage the tips. That's two jobs.
In three weeks, Barry, Sally, and Barb get a letter. Because the post only runs two days a week.&nbsp;
The letter says we're looking into the issue for you.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, 100 government or council people have walked or driven past the road cone Armageddon and nothing's changed.&nbsp;
Tiplines are plasters over grenades.
The only time I want to ring a tipline is speak to the actual dump.&nbsp;
In its first 156 days in office, the National-led government has set up 37 reviews, inquiries or advisory panels – some of which are being led by former ministers, including Bill English, Steven Joyce, Murray McCully and Roger Sowry.

Best of 2025: Ryan Bridge - We shouldn't have to work for the government

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bd5cf552-d046-4bd9-8f0d-b3c4002950dd/transcript

I went out for lunch to a café the other day and our table was served by a couple of waiters who all seemed to have a similar vibe about them.

They just. Did. Not. Seem. To. Care.

No smiling. No banter. No small talk or polite conversation. Just this blank look on their faces.

You sit there and think “did they hear me”? You ever so politely repeat yourself in case they didn’t. 

But they did. They got it. There’s just no engagement. Face colder than a witch's tit. No refills of your water. No "would you like another coffee?"

Like, hello!? Is anybody in there? Is anyone home? Why are you all moving so slowly? Shouldn’t you be rushing the joint taking orders and filling coffees? 

When I was young it was drilled into us: when you’re waiting tables and taking orders. You work your way up from "dish pig" to front of house. You basically run round busy as a bee, trying to impress your boss, trying to win your guests over. Taking wagers of who might get a tip. 

"Can I help you, sir? What more can I get you?" You’d help the elderly into their seats. You’d bend over backwards to make everyone happy. 

And these guys are on at least $23 an hour. 

And I know what you’re thinking, maybe I’m the a-hole. Maybe I’ve forgotten mum’s many sermons on good manners and etiquette.

So I asked the people who I was out to lunch with - they all thought the same thing. I asked friends who are teachers, I asked parents with kids around that age.

Guess what? They’ve all noticed the same thing happening.

Hell, there’s even a TikTok trend called ‘the Gen Z stare', which describes what I saw at the café - the vacant look a Gen Zer gives in response to a question or statement. If it’s in TikTok then it must be a thing, right?

So the question is why?

Was it Covid? Was it everyone wearing masks? So much of how we communicate is through facial expressions, maybe they’ve missed out on years of social queues and norms? Is the smartphones? Is it both?

Or, maybe, just maybe, they just don’t give a shit?

Maybe we have on our hands a generation of young people who don’t really think they NEED to be bothering with mundane things like work. 

Disclaimer: this is is obviously not an entire generation of young people. And some people are just shy. I get that. We've all had excellent experiences. But, y'know. Is this a thing you too have noticed? 

I went out for lunch to a café the other day and our table was served by a couple of waiters who all seemed to have a similar vibe about them.
They just. Did. Not. Seem. To. Care.
No smiling. No banter. No small talk or polite conversation. Just this blank look on their faces.
You sit there and think “did they hear me”?&nbsp;You ever so politely repeat yourself in case they didn’t.&nbsp;
But they did. They got it. There’s just no engagement. Face colder than a witch's tit. No refills of your water. No "would you like another coffee?"
Like, hello!? Is anybody in there? Is anyone home? Why are you all moving so slowly? Shouldn’t you be rushing the joint taking orders and filling coffees?&nbsp;
When I was young it was drilled into us: when you’re waiting tables and taking orders. You work your way up from "dish pig" to front of house. You basically run round busy as a bee, trying to impress your boss, trying to win your guests over. Taking wagers of who might get a tip.&nbsp;
"Can I help you, sir? What more can I get you?" You’d help the elderly into their seats. You’d bend over backwards to make everyone happy.&nbsp;
And these guys are on at least $23 an hour.&nbsp;
And I know what you’re thinking, maybe I’m the a-hole. Maybe I’ve forgotten mum’s many sermons on good manners and etiquette.
So I asked the people who I was out to lunch with - they all thought the same thing. I asked friends who are teachers, I asked parents with kids around that age.
Guess what? They’ve all noticed the same thing happening.
Hell, there’s even a TikTok trend called ‘the Gen Z stare', which describes what I saw at the café - the vacant look a Gen Zer gives in response to a question or statement. If it’s in TikTok then it must be a thing, right?
So the question is why?
Was it Covid? Was it everyone wearing masks? So much of how we communicate is through facial expressions, maybe they’ve missed out on years of social queues and norms? Is the smartphones? Is it both?
Or, maybe, just maybe, they just don’t give a shit?
Maybe we have on our hands a generation of young people who don’t really think they NEED to be bothering with mundane things like work.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: this is is obviously not an entire generation of young people. And some people are just shy. I get that. We've all had excellent experiences. But, y'know. Is this a thing you too have noticed?&nbsp;

Best of 2025: Ryan Bridge - The Gen Z stare

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d98d997c-fbcb-46c8-9a67-b3bd0029916c/transcript

Teachers say they're struggling to deal with increasing violent incidents due to a lack of learning support. 

New data shows 12,300 students have been disciplined for physical assault on teachers and students this year – a 49% jump from 2019. 

PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Francesca Rudkin teachers have been given increasingly more restraint training to deal with these incidents, but the main problem is with students' unmet needs. 

He says our children are coming to school with complex needs, a lot involving mental health issues. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Teachers say they're struggling to deal with increasing violent incidents due to a lack of learning support.&nbsp;
New data shows 12,300 students have been disciplined for physical assault on teachers and students this year – a 49% jump from 2019.&nbsp;
PPTA President Chris Abercrombie told Francesca Rudkin teachers have been given increasingly more restraint training to deal with these incidents, but the main problem is with students' unmet needs.&nbsp;
He says our children are coming to school with complex needs, a lot involving mental health issues.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Chris Abercrombie: PPTA President on the growing rate of violence in schools

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bc1ce604-51b5-4444-afa3-b3b70166982e/transcript

Alan McDonald: EMA Head of Advocacy on Kiwis taking more sick days than ever before

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