About Us

Strategic People Group

Competitive advantage is achieved through Organisations succeeding in three domains finance, products or markets, and human capital

1

Worldwide economic cycles tend to create conditions in which obtaining sufficient financing is either equally easy or equally difficult for most organisations of the same size.

2

In today's global economy, all organizations can sell to the same markets (e.g. through the Internet), and product development cycles are such that differences in product innovation are much smaller than in years past (as evident in similarities in smartphones across carriers).

3

Thus, it is the third domain-building and maintaining a workforce skilled and capable and working in a way consistent with the brand and strategy -that offers the most sustainable advantage available to most organisations.

According to Michael Hammer, an organisation's only strategic advantage is its ability to organise itself. At the heart of an organisation's ability to organise itself is the ability to define what people need to do differently to align with a new strategy or approach. Strategic People Group specialises in helping you define what needs to be done differently to to achieve your strategy, and putting in place the approaches to align activity with where your organisation is heading and what it needs to achieve.

SIMPLY

The work we do has its roots in positive psychology. The tools and techniques that have been developed from this research are simple to come to grips with and resonate strongly with managers and staff. Despite being simple, they are well researched and have substantial empirical backing showing impact on engagement, innovation, collaboration, happiness, resilience and individual wellbeing.

BETTER

Put simply, our focus is on making things better. Whether it be with individuals or with organisations. Our approach to working with individuals and organisations has demonstrable and positive impacts on the way things work - making people more effective in their leadership and organisations more innovative, customer focused, safer and productive. We relish the opportunity to see people and organisations develop to their full potential.

Our Professional Team

Andrea Gardner

    Director, Chartered Organisational Psychologist
Andrea is a seasoned organisational psychologist and human resources practitioner.  With just under 30 years’ experience in consulting, contracting and in-house positions, Andrea loves applying her skills and knowledge to address strategic and/or complicated workplace issues. She particularly enjoys working with managers to improve their team’s overall functioning and effectiveness, evaluating and improving systems and processes and working with individuals and groups to develop their improve their relationships. Andrea prides herself on her ability to use her analytical skills to derive sustainable solutions, rather than quick-fixes. An accomplished facilitator, trainer and coach, Andrea has worked with diverse groups of people in NZ and in far-flung international locations. She adapts her style to suit each industry but has a particular affinity for local and central government, healthcare, education and academia, manufacturing and professional services.  Andrea is engaging, creative and down to earth. Andrea’s areas of expertise are:
  • Organisational Culture/Engagement
  • Leadership Coaching and Development
  • Employment Investigations
  • Root Cause Analyses
  • Conflict Management
  • Psychometric Assessment
  • People and Culture Policy and Process
  • Change Management
  • Job Analysis and Competency Design
  • Recruitment and  Selection
  • Training and Facilitation
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, University of Canterbury
  • MSc. Applied Psychology
  • Chartered Psychologist (NZ)
  • Member New Zealand Psychological Society

    • John Eatwell

      Director, Chartered Organisational Psychologist John has 30 years experience, starting his career in consulting with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Management Consulting and Saville and Holdsworth New Zealand before joining Airways Corporation of New Zealand as an HR Manager. He is a founding member of Strategic People Group (2012). Areas of expertise:
      • Leadership development programmes for current and up and coming staff. He is passionate about leadership and its impact.
      • Building engagement and measuring consequences for the organisation
      • Creating real change in organisations in line with strategic direction.
      • High stakes selection system and assessment tool design
      • Helping businesses navigate employment relations issues
      John has been involved in consulting projects around the world, including Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Vanuatu, Venezuela, United States and the United Kingdom. John has a Masters Degree and Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from the University of Canterbury and is a Chartered Organisational Psychologist. He is a Life Fellow of the New Zealand Psychological Society, and Member of the Institute of Directors, and Institute of Organisational Psychology.

    Tara Longley

    Director | Registered Industrial & Organisational Psychologist

    With over 25 years of experience in Human Resources and Industrial Psychology, Tara Longley is a Registered Industrial and Organisational Psychologist and one of the Directors of Strategic People Group.

    Tara has extensive experience working with a wide range of organisations across both the public and private sectors, nationally and internationally. Her expertise lies in helping organisations enhance performance through evidence-based people practices and leadership development.

    Areas of Expertise:

    • Talent identification and management — including psychometric testing and succession planning
    • Leadership coaching and development
    • Employee engagement and culture reviews
    • Team development and facilitation
    • Conflict management and resolution
    • Employment relations and workplace investigations

    Tara holds a Master’s Degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from the University of Canterbury. She is a member of the New Zealand Association of Graduate Employers and of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand.