The 20 best workplaces in New Zealand have been named for 2025, with realestate.co.nz, Hilton, Cisco and Specsavers topping the list.

As well as being in the top 20 list overall, Specsavers came second in the medium-to-large business category (100+ employees) in the workplace culture consultant Great Place To Work’s inaugural New Zealand awards.

New Zealand businesses are proving that the best workplaces are built around people, not fleeting perks, said Rebecca Moulynox, general manager of Great Place To Work ANZ. “This year’s awards show that culture is a company’s greatest strategic asset. When employees trust their leaders, feel proud of what they do and enjoy genuine camaraderie with colleagues, then performance follows,” she said. “These 20 organisations are leading the way in showing that a positive workplace culture drives both productivity and sustainable success, as well as innovation.”

The best workplaces are determined through confidential employee surveys and independent culture audits. Each organisation is also benchmarked against Great Place To Work’s global dataset, including 20 million employee voices worldwide, making the list part of a trusted international standard, Moulynox said.