‍Keeping the lights on takes great people

Connetics is one of New Zealand's leading electrical infrastructure contractors, delivering end-to-end solutions across energy networks, industrial and commercial projects, subdivisions, and renewable grid connections. With over 400 specialists nationwide and more than 30 years of experience, they bring engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance together as one connected team.

It's a sector with enormous momentum. As New Zealand accelerates its decarbonisation and transitions off fossil fuels, the demand for skilled people to build and maintain the networks that keep Aotearoa powered has never been greater.

As Mark Lewis, Head of People and Culture at Connetics, explains:

"People really matter at Connetics, and making sure that they are recognised for the great work they do every day is really important to us."

The problem with the old approach to employee benefits

Connetics had always provided benefits for their staff. But the tools they were using, corporate credit cards and expense claims, were creating friction on both sides.

For employees, it wasn't always clear what they had access to or how to use it. For the Connetics teams managing it internally, the administration load was significant.

"They create a lot of work for us at the back end, but also isn't easy for people at the front end in terms of knowing what they have and how they can access it."

With most of the workforce out in the field rather than at a desk, the business needed an employee benefits solution that was simple, visible, and mobile-friendly.

Why Connetics chose Extraordinary

Connetics needed an employee benefits platform that was clear, self-serve, and accessible from a phone. Extraordinary delivered exactly that.

"The great thing with Extraordinary is it's really clear to everyone what's available, they can use it themselves, and they can use it when they want on what they want."

The app-based experience made onboarding straightforward for a dispersed, field-based team. Employees received an email, downloaded the app, and had their digital card ready to use on their own phone.

"Most of our workforce is out in the field, and they all have a phone. The fact that we can supply them with an email to download an app, and then they can manage getting the digital card onto their own phone that they can use, made it really easy."

The impact: benefits employees actually feel

For Connetics, the value of Extraordinary goes beyond saving admin time. It's about making sure employees feel genuinely recognised and rewarded for the work they do every day.

"Getting a little bit of extra into their bank account means a lot to us, and we just want to do that in a really easy way."

The platform delivers three things Connetics had struggled to achieve with previous approaches: flexibility, ease of administration, and full visibility over employee benefits.

What Connetics would say to other employers

Mark is direct in his recommendation to other businesses looking to improve how they deliver employee benefits.

"I'm sure it's going to solve some challenges that other employers have around either flexibility, ease of administration, or visibility. And so if some of those challenges are going on for your company, I would look at Extraordinary as an option that could help you."

Mark Lewis, Head of People and Culture at Connetics

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