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Ainsley Benefield

Director, Hive - People & Culture | Conflict Resolution | Workplace Culture

Ainsley Benefield is the Founder and Director of Hive Consulting, a people and culture consultancy based in New Zealand.1 She founded Hive to pursue her passion for achieving positive working relationships through communication, feedback, and flexibility.1

Ainsley has a diverse background in employment law and HR:

  • Worked as an employment lawyer in Wellington, Dublin, and London1
  • Served as an in-house lawyer at a global company during a significant period of HR issues and transformation1
  • Balanced a remote role in London with a hands-on position at Humankind, an HR consultancy, before founding Hive1

Her expertise includes:

  • Pragmatic, people-focused approach to HR and people management issues1
  • Qualified mediator and specialist in independent reviews and investigations1
  • Particular passion for incorporating restorative approaches in workplace conflict resolution12

Ainsley is known for challenging the status quo in employment relations by bringing restorative practice into her work, aiming to create a better experience for those facing challenges at work.2 Her approach is described as more human-centered compared to traditional people practices.2

As of February 2025, Ainsley continues to lead Hive Consulting, which focuses on flexibility and communication in creating great workplaces.2 She is actively involved in growing her team and seeking pragmatic, flexible people and culture practitioners.1

Highlights

Jul 23 · linkedin

Looking for an Ōtautahi / Christchurch based people and culture practitioner!   We’re looking for someone else to join our team as an associate (contractor) based in Christchurch. Most of our Hive team are generalists working on the full range of people and culture issues, but a lot of our Canterbury based work is facilitating workshops, so someone with a passion for that would be great! That said, we’re always open to meeting new people and exploring whether we can make some form of collaboration work. Ideally this would work well for someone who is already contracting or working for themselves but with some extra capacity and/or is keen to work as part of a bigger team.   I’m a big believer in the greatness of connections that comes through our wider networks so please do pass on or connect me with anyone you think may be keen to find out more! I’m heading to Christchurch next Friday so Harriet (our Christchurch based team member) and I are able to meet up with anyone who is keen to have a chat!

Fiona Ireland Louise Amey Ashika Y. Melody Bonnett

May 21 · linkedin

Awesome day yesterday getting into our Deeper Signals with Gretchen Young!

It was fantastic to have all our team together in one place and spending our time thinking about our own working styles and dynamics since we spend so much time doing this with others! I also loved trying out a new tool - Deeper Signals felt like a really practical and user friendly way of thinking about your own style, how it map across the team and come across to others. The photo below being one of those times when I was on the opposite side of the room to most others - embracing our diversity 😜

For me it was a particularly lovely full circle moment - after many great hallway chats when Gretchen and I first worked together (too) many years ago, it was amazing to see her in action facilitating!

Fiona Ireland Harriet Riley Louise Amey Ashika Y. Melody Bonnett

Related Questions

What inspired Ainsley Benefield to start Hive Consulting?
How does Ainsley Benefield's background as an employment lawyer influence her approach to conflict resolution?
What are some notable projects or achievements Ainsley Benefield has led at Hive?
How does Ainsley Benefield incorporate restorative approaches in workplace conflict?
What makes Ainsley Benefield's approach to HR and people management unique?
Ainsley Benefield
Ainsley Benefield, photo 1
Ainsley Benefield, photo 2
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Location

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand