One thing that is abundantly clear when talking to Strategic Pay’s Dayna Hendry – she is passionate about the field of remuneration.
When she’s not facilitating ‘hands-on’ business team training with client organisations, Dayna Hendry is often ‘head-down’ analysing national and international remuneration data, specific industry trends, skill shortages and 
reward packages.
“These are changing times,” she says.
“Creativity is absolutely a key ingredient when responding to wage pressures now. So I make sure our clients are exceptionally well-informed and aware of the realities, expectations, and options available in the current environment, ” she says.
“I make sure our clients are exceptionally well-informed and aware of the realities, expectations, and options available in the current environment.”
Busy days and changing times
“There is a lot of uncertainty at present, especially with inflationary movements. People are regularly asking me, ‘are wage movements equivalent to inflation?’
“And then there is the political dimension, with the likes of increases to minimum wage levels – business people want advice and guidance on how to navigate these things.”
Staff shortages in many industries have exacerbated the pressure on employers. Dayna has been with Strategic Pay’s northern consulting team based in Tauranga for two years. She has lived in Tauranga since she was a teenager, with a brief career stint in Auckland, so while not born in the Bay, she definitely considers herself a ‘Bay local’.
She holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Human Resource Management.
Dayna spent five years in generalist human resources (HR) roles in local government and tertiary education before joining Strategic Pay.
Her extensive remuneration experience includes job evaluation, benchmarking and planning and implementation of organisational-wide remuneration solutions.
She believes her own experience as a generalist HR business partner for public sector organisations has been invaluable in providing a broad ‘economy-wide’ overview of the remuneration sector.
Public sector experience a bonus
“It’s been quite a shift moving to the specialist remuneration field from large public sector organisation roles – at Strategic Pay we’re leaner with a wide cross-section of client organisations,” she notes.
Strategic Pay is a specialist nationwide firm providing innovative solutions to organisations for their strategic remuneration, performance development and performance improvement needs. The 100 percent New Zealand-owned company has expertise in all key market sectors – private, public and not-for profit. They help improve organisations’ overall performance by ensuring employee effort, remuneration and rewards are closely aligned with business objectives.
The company works alongside businesses to provide compelling propositions that attract, retain and motivate the best people.
Remote working, particularly in the IT sector, is one example Dayna points to as evidence of a change in thinking for businesses.
“This represents a real change in culture for many mainstream businesses. I work remotely – I believe I’m a good example of how the ‘remote working revolution’ can be a real benefit to both workers and employers.
“Sure, remote working won’t work for every business and every employee, but it certainly can offer real benefits for the right ones.”
Although balancing her personal and professional life has its challenges – she has twelve-year-old twin daughters – Dayna is philosophical: “The advantages of my remote working situation mean I can perform better professionally and be a better Mum – that’s a win:win!”
In her spare time, you’ll find Dayna’s family wakeboarding in summer and skiing in winter – but you can be sure, creative remuneration ideas will never be far from her mind.
