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At Gunson McLean we are more than just a business offering financial expertise we also support our communities in Dargaville and Whangārei. By partnering with various local organisations, we help sustain and strengthen sports, recreation, and community initiatives in the region. Empowering Local Sports Clubs We understand the role sports play in bringing people together, promoting teamwork, and supporting youth development. We are proud to sponsor the Old Boys Marist Rugby & Sports Club, Hikurangi Rugby Football Club Inc, Maungakaramea Hockey Club, Maungakaramea Bowling Club, Mid Western Rugby Squash Club, Kamo Rugby & Squash Club, New Zealand Vikings Rugby Football Club Inc., and the Cobham Cricket Club. Promoting Outdoor Education We also believe that outdoor education is essential for youth development and are proud to work with the charitable trust, Pātaua Outdoor Education & Recreation Trust (POERT). We have been closely involved in the Trust’s activities for the past 8 years – handlings its financial matters – and Craig Gunson is the current Treasurer. Backing Community Halls & Facilities We’re proud to support the Whareora Hall Society and Whareora Cemetery Board as well as local cycling and motorcycling groups Marsden Wheelers Cycling Club Inc., and the Whangārei Motorcycle Club.  We are passionate about the causes we support, and the opportunities and growth this enables in our Dargaville and Whangārei communities.

These days, having a website isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must have! Whether you’re running an online store, offering services, or just sharing valuable info, your website is often the first impression people get of your business. But just having a website isn’t enough. It needs to run smoothly, engage visitors, and actually help your business grow. When was the last time you thought about how well your website was helping your business? Your website might be turning people away without you even realising it—maybe your site is too slow, hard to navigate, or just not appearing in search results. Here’s why website analysis is so crucial: Better User Experience (UX) – A well-organised, easy-to-use site keeps visitors engaged and more likely to take action, whether that’s making a purchase, booking a service, or getting in touch. Stronger SEO Performance – Google and other search engines favour websites that load fast, work well on mobile, and are optimised for relevant keywords. If you’re not ranking, you’re missing out on traffic. Higher Conversion Rates – Even if you’re getting visitors, are they turning into customers? Website analysis can highlight issues like confusing layouts, weak calls to action, or technical errors that might be affecting conversions. Staying Ahead of Competitors – Regularly analysing your site helps you stay up to date with trends and customer expectations, keeping you competitive. What to Look Out for When Analysing Your Website Before you pay anyone the big bucks, you can perform a basic analysis of your own website by considering the following five things: 1. How quickly does your website load? How long does it take for your website to load? A long load time will turn people away. Utilise a device that you don’t often use to check how quickly your website loads. Aim for a load time under three seconds. 2. How easy is it to navigate? Is your site easy to navigate, and can visitors quickly find what they need? 3. Is your site mobile-friendly? More and more people browse on their phones, so make sure your site works well on all devices – most websites will work well on computers but what about mobile phones or iPads and Tablets? 4. Are you using up-to-date terminology? Does your site have relevant keywords to help visitors find your website? These keywords are used by search engines to help them decide which websites to show to people searching for products or services you offer. If you have articles or help guides, are these high-quality and informative? Improving both of these will help your ranking in search engines. 5. How easy is it to contact you? Check your contact forms are working and easy to fill in (no one likes having to repeatedly try and submit a form). How easy is it for customers to checkout, or make a booking? Remove unnecessary steps to simplify the process. Best Tools for Website Analysis There are plenty of tools to help businesses keep their websites in check. Some of the most useful include: Google Analytics – Get insights into user behaviour, traffic sources, and conversion rates. GTmetrix – Checks page load speed and suggests ways to improve it. For the more tech-savvy: Google Search Console – Track how your site appears in search results and fix any technical issues. PageSpeed Insights – Find out how fast your site loads and how to make it faster. SEMrush / Ahrefs – Great for SEO analysis, keyword tracking, and competitor research. Hotjar – Offers heatmaps and session recordings to see how people interact with your site. If you’re not regularly checking in on your website’s performance, you could be losing customers without even knowing it. People expect smooth online experiences, and businesses that don’t meet those expectations risk falling behind. A slow, outdated, or hard-to-use site means frustrated visitors who will likely go to a competitor instead. A lack of relevant keywords or a slow-loading website can hurt your visibility, making it even harder for people to find you online.  If you haven’t checked in on your site’s performance lately, now’s the time to start. A well-optimised website can be the difference between thriving online and getting lost in the crowd.

Most people agree that optimising your business is a good idea and spend hours looking at optimising the supply chain, storage, overheads etc. However, they forget that people are one of the most critical elements in your business. By providing a caring, supportive workplace for employees you also drive the success of your business. Studies show happy workers are productive workers and, as an employer, it’s a no-brainer to provide a workplace where employees feel valued, and where they can flourish. Here are five key ways to build employee relationships, nurture your team, and create a great workplace for your employees: 1. Invest in your employees This doesn’t mean ‘casual Friday’s’ or a pizza night once a month. This is about offering your employees access to training programmes, workshops, conferences, and mentorship programmes. It’s about the professional growth of your employee and how you can enhance their skills and make them feel truly valued as team members. 2. Create a positive work environment Creating a positive work environment is about cultivating a workplace culture that feels positive and supportive of your employees. Be open and transparent with your employees, listen to their feedback and have a strong focus on employee wellbeing. This could include offering flexible working arrangements, benefits such as health insurance, and other perks. 3. Recognise and reward your employees When an employee goes above and beyond, make sure your recognise and reward them. This could by through a performance bonus, employee-of-the-month programmes or even extra time off in lieu. Feeling valued comes partially from feeling rewarded and can be an amazing motivator. 4. Give employees autonomy One of the key ways employees feel trust, is by being given autonomy. Being trusted to come up with their own solutions, processes, and ideas is key to making people feel as if they ‘own’ their role. This helps employees feel fully involved and also brings new ideas, solutions, processes, and efficiencies to the table. 5. Put wellbeing at the heart of your culture Life is stressful. And work-life can be stressful. A well though out wellbeing programme can help your employees manage stress and, in turn, benefits your business. A wellbeing programme is different for each business but some ideas could be checking in with team members, creating a ‘ask for help’ culture, flexible working arrangements including work-from-home days, and offering mental health support.  Making sure you’re a caring and supportive employer is vital to your business strategy. With a team who feel valued, nurtured, and encouraged, you’ll all be happier and more productive.

The end of the financial year is fast approaching, so if you’re balance date/end of financial year is 31 March, there are a few things you need to do to help us prepare your financials. Take a stocktake If your business sells products or has stock, you’ll need to do a stocktake on 31 March. If you’re a business that sells products, then you need to take a stocktake of your physical inventory. If you’re a farmer, then you need to take a physical livestock tally. Send in your EOY papers Compile a folder (digital or hard copy) with a copy of the following documents: Bank statement that shows the balance on 31 March 2025 for all your bank accounts and loans. Insurance invoices. ACC invoices. Loan statements for the year (if applicable). Any new loans or refinancing documents. Invoices for assets purchased and sold. GST workings and reports. Submit the online questionnaire You’ll also need to fill out and submit the online questionnaire. You should receive an email from us in April/May, with a link to fill out and submit the questionnaire. If you haven’t received an email with the link by the end of May, let us know.

Pātaua Outdoor Education & Recreation Trust (POERT) is a charitable trust offering a self-catering school camp facility outside the classroom, primarily to educational organisations and groups wanting to experience Northland’s east coast.

The Christmas season can create payroll challenges, but understanding the rules can help you stay compliant. Annual Leave: By law, employees are entitled to four weeks of paid leave per year. To avoid last-minute staffing problems, set clear deadlines for leave requests. Holiday Pay : Employees must be paid for public holidays that fall on their regular workdays. Keeping up-to-date employee records and rosters ensures accurate payment. Christmas Closures : Plan ahead for any business shutdowns. You must provide at least 14 days' notice before a closure. If an employee doesn’t have enough leave, they must be paid 8% of their gross earnings since their start date or their last leave entitlement, minus any leave paid in advance if agreed upon. Cashing Up Leave : If it’s part of the agreement or you choose to allow it, employees may cash up to one week of annual leave each year. However, you cannot pressure them into doing so. Casual Workers : Casual employees should receive an additional 8% on top of their earnings instead of accruing leave, and this must be clearly shown on their pay slips. With careful planning, you can keep payroll running smoothly, allowing both you and your team to enjoy a stress-free holiday season. Feel free to reach out if you need any assistance or clarification.

Managing staff involves more than just overseeing work; it also includes managing holidays and annual leave effectively. As an employer, it's your responsibility to maintain accurate, up-to-date records of your employees' time off.

Payroll mistakes can be expensive. They not only cost your business money, but can also lead to fines or penalties. While some errors are unavoidable, many can be easily prevented with a little attention to detail. Here’s a look at 10 common payroll mistakes and how to avoid them: 1. Misclassifying employees in the payroll system How you classify your employees in your payroll system directly impacts their tax rates and entitlements. If you get it wrong, you could end up deducting the wrong amounts or even owe your employees wages they should have been paid. For example, misclassifying an employee as exempt from overtime could mean paying them back pay for overtime they were entitled to. To avoid this, make sure each employee’s details are set up correctly in your payroll system. Double-check that their classification matches their employment contract and that it complies with any specific rules in your industry. Also, remember that contractors have different tax rules to regular employees, so be sure they’re categorised correctly. 2. Using incorrect tax rates One of the most common payroll errors is applying the wrong tax code or rate. Employees usually provide their tax details, but you should never just assume they’re correct. Mistakes can happen if tax codes aren’t updated, or if an employee forgets to notify you about a change. To reduce the risk of errors, make it part of your process to confirm tax codes when employees first start and periodically check that the information is up to date. 3. Missing payroll deadlines Payroll might seem like a simple task, but once you factor in hours worked, leave, overtime, and deductions, it can get complicated. Rushing to meet deadlines can lead to mistakes, and paying employees late can cause frustration and even legal issues. To stay on top of it, ensure all your employee details (like name, address, tax code, bank info, etc.) are entered correctly and well in advance. Having a clear process to track hours worked and using payroll software that automates payment, and payslip generation, can also make life much easier. 4. Miscalculating or failing to pay overtime Although there’s no official overtime legislation in New Zealand, many businesses agree to an overtime rate with their employees. If you’re paying overtime, it’s important to make sure your payroll system automatically calculates it based on the agreed rate. For example, if an employee works over a certain number of hours in a week, the system should apply an overtime rate to those extra hours to ensure they’re paid correctly. 5. Failing to keep payroll records for 7 years In New Zealand, businesses must keep payroll records for at least seven years. This includes details like how much you pay employees, the deductions you take out, and any contributions you make. Even if you’re a sole trader, keeping detailed records is a must. If the IRD audits your business, you’ll need to show exactly how much you’ve paid your employees, and how taxes were handled. If you don’t have complete records, you could face fines - up to $20,000 for multiple breaches over three months. By staying on top of these common payroll mistakes, you’ll save your business time, money, and potential headaches. A little planning and organisation can go a long way in ensuring you stay compliant, and keep your employees happy.

As we head into the Christmas rush and you start to employ staff for summer, it is important to make sure you’re treating your employees fairly and according to the law. This also applies to any seasonal staff you might take on at other times. Here are three tips to help you stay on the right side of the law. TIP 1: All employees must have a signed employment agreement before they start work. Regardless of how long you’re employing a staff member for, they MUST have a signed employment agreement before they start work. The contract must include certain clauses, including the type of employment (fixed-term, casual, or permanent), duties, pay, and other benefits, the place and hours of work, how problems can be resolved, etc. Make sure to give your new employees adequate time (3-5 days) to read, understand, and ask questions before they sign the contract. If you’re not sure what to include in an employment agreement, use templates from a New Zealand employment advisory service or an employment agreement builder to help you put together a legal employment contract. Federated Farmers also have an array of employment agreements which can be bought online. These agreements cover what you must do by law, and sets out common mistakes made by employers and how to avoid them. TIP 2: Make sure you’ve included the minimum employee rights. All employees have minimum rights set out in law. These minimum rights include: Minimum wage: Employees must be paid at least the minimum wage; the current adult minimum rate is $23.15 per hour. Public holidays: Unless written in the contract, employees don’t have to work on public holidays. If they work on a public holiday, they must be paid time and a half, plus if it is a normal workday for them, they also get an alternative day off. Health and safety: Employers must provide appropriate training and information for workers so that they can work safely. TIP 3: Make sure the hours your employees work are following the rules One of the common mistakes is that any set up or tidying up doesn’t need to be paid. All work activities must be paid for, regardless of their time. This includes before and/or after-hours tasks, such as team meetings, opening and closing the business, cleaning and tidying up, on-the-job training, and product familiarisation. You also can’t offer zero work hours and expect employees to be available ,without reasonable compensation. The work hours must include proper rest and meal breaks. For example, an employee who works an eight-hour shift gets two paid rest breaks and one unpaid meal break. If you need advice or support with creating a new employment agreement or with staff induction, let us know – we’re happy to help.