The return-to-work question isn’t about location, it’s about connection

Canterbury’s best brands don’t just market, they relate

Ryan Recruitment’s managing director, Julie Gilmore, has noticed a shift within the Canterbury business community. 

Relationships as brand infrastructure 

When we talk about brand, we’re not talking about shiny logos, catchy taglines and content strategies. Of course, those things are important in creating visibility, recognition and credibility, but brand is much wider than marketing and design. It’s about reputation – what do people say about you when you’re not in the room? How does it feel to be working with you? And how do you show your values in action?
After 23 years in the local recruitment space, Julie knows a thing or two about reputation, and she believes that relationships are key in building both trust and a strong brand.
“This region runs more than most on relationships,” she says.“Opportunities expand through trust and that is earned by consistent service delivery and how respectfully and fairly you treat people.   
“In our business, it’s never transactional. Trust ultimately becomes your reputation and a brand with a strong reputation is the one people choose to recommend.
“For us, this is reflected in that many businesses choose to work with us exclusively, some of which we have supported for over 20 years,” she says.
“For example, we have candidates that return to us when they’re looking for their next work opportunity, based on their experience first-time round.”

“This region runs more than most on relationships”

The company you keep matters

Relationships, and by extension reputation, Julie is quick to point out, aren’t built alone. "Who you partner with is a reflection of you," she says. 
That’s why she’s thoughtful about who she works with, whether that’s team members, clients or suppliers. 
“Working with organisations that reflect our commitment to integrity is really important to us.  It builds trust when everyone operates to the same standards and it gives us confidence that the candidates we place are going into organisations where they’ll be well supported.”

The importance of visibility 

Julie is candid about the volatility of the past few years, explaining the recruitment market has been unpredictable and challenging.
“Just when you feel a corner turning, it shifts again,” Julie observes.
“But having a solid business infrastructure and a stable team has enabled us to not only weather the storms but thrive.”
Alongside this, they’ve undergone a major IT upgrade, refreshed their branding and relocated their office into Christchurch’s city centre.
And, as Julie points out, presence matters when it comes to building relationships.
“Being more visible and accessible has brought more clients and candidates physically through the door. That’s proof that in Christchurch, presence matters.”

“Just when you feel a corner turning, it shifts again,”

The takeaway for Canterbury business owners

Julie's experience is a useful reminder that trust in your brand isn't something you can engineer from the outside. In a market like Christchurch, it accumulates through consistent behaviour, values-led decisions and genuinely investing in relationships over time.

That means being deliberate about who you work with, keeping your standards high, and growing a team that reflects your values – all things that will ultimately strengthen your brand.

It also means staying visible. Whether that's a refreshed brand, a new office or simply being present in the right rooms, visibility keeps relationships warm and tells the market you’re present, engaged and connected with the community you serve.

In Canterbury, where reputation travels fast and word of mouth holds weight, the brands that thrive are the ones that put people first. 

Content By Islay Wharton, Director, Forme