Telecommunications company One NZ is seeking voluntary redundancies due to, in part, increasing implementation of AI technology.

In an email leaked to chrislynchmedia.com  One NZ’s Chief ‘People’ Officer Jodie King sent an email to staff proposing voluntary redundancies, excluding the Retail and Care teams.

The move comes as the company seeks to balance operational costs with investment in new technologies.

King wrote “As many of you have heard all of our leadership say many times, we’re in an industry that is constantly changing, and we’ll continue to change with it. Change often brings opportunities, and for those who enjoy working in a fast-paced environment and being at the forefront of new technologies, it’s a great thing.”

The email said “You would also have heard our recent financial updates that we need to contain operational costs, so we can continue to invest in the technology and solutions our customers value the most – and continue growing One NZ’s market position for the long term.”

King said  “We understand this may be unsettling for some, but it also provides you with a chance to decide whether you are committed to working at One NZ – or for you to consider whether now is the right time to explore your career and future.”

“We are offering a strong redundancy package to support those people who opt to take voluntary redundancy.

“As you know, we are working to streamline our priorities, and we have Transforming One (T-One) underway as a major business-wide project that will change the shape of our organisation going forward which also includes utilising new AI tools to drive productivity benefits and enable us to serve our customers in different ways,” King said.

“Where possible, we want to minimise the impact of future changes on our people, and we hope that offering voluntary redundancy may enable us to make some changes with mutual benefit.”

The EOI process is open from 22 July to midday on 2 August. King indicated that not all expressions of interest would be accepted but encouraged anyone contemplating their future at One NZ to participate in the process.

“While we are unlikely to accept all expressions of interest, we want to hear from anyone who is contemplating their future here at One New Zealand.”

A One New Zealand spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com “One New Zealand has joined the many other organisations offering or considering voluntary redundancy schemes.

“In this tough economic environment, we’ve been reducing operational costs and implementing productivity tools such as AI technology to continue to provide our customers with great connectivity at sustainable prices.

We are offering a strong redundancy package for those who choose to take it, and are committed to supporting our team through this process.”