According to recent survey from Statistics NZ, most small to large businesses in New Zealand were engaged in technology and in training their staff in 2014.

Nearly 90% of employees in New Zealand work in businesses that have six or more employees. The Business Operations Survey samples businesses of that size, which make up 10% of businesses in New Zealand.

The findings from the survey found that most businesses surveyed use the internet and a broadband connection. "Nearly 50% of businesses use the internet to sell goods and services, but for most businesses, these sales make up less than 10% of their total sales," business performance manager Jason Attewell says.

Of businesses using the internet, just under one-quarter used a fibre-optic connection for ultra-fast broadband in 2014. The larger the business, the more likely they were to be using fibre.

In 2014, 84% of businesses provided training to their staff – down from 89% the previous year.

The top three areas of training in 2014 were in health and safety, customer service/sales skills, and computer skills.

Tourism sales and investment in expansion increased slightly since 2013. In 2014, 29% of businesses were investing in expansion, while 24% were involved in export sales.

“This reflects a longer-term trend. The number of businesses with export sales has gone up more than 50% since 2010, and those investing in expansion have also gone up over the same period. While the survey doesn't ask for dollar amounts, the results show a strong trend in these participation rates across industries,” Attewell says.

The Business Operations Survey provides a rich source of data about business behaviour, capacity, and performance across industries. The information collected can show changes in business characteristics over time, and provide a snapshot of business activity.