Before Hari moved to Aotearoa New Zealand, he guided visitors from around the world in his home mountains of Nepal.
Trekking through high-altitude ranges, his job was to bridge language barriers, keeping customers safe and delivering an outstanding service during their once-in-a-lifetime trekking adventure.
Fast-forward 12 years, Hari might have switched up his job and the mountains he’s surrounded by, but his skill set is just as important today as it was in the Khumbu Region.
Hari Sapkota is the Queenstown Operations Manager, responsible for a team of 80 colleagues who are just as diverse as the three million plus annual visitors to Queenstown. And just like Hari, most of these colleagues moved to Aotearoa seeking new opportunities.
When you leave behind your family, your culture and your native language, a job doesn’t just represent income. It represents security, inclusion, and the opportunity to develop skills for a thriving future.
Hari says Queenstown relies on international workers and he’s grateful OCS is committed to helping people be their best.
“This town relies on international workers to keep up with the demand,” he says.
“We’re lucky to have the capabilities built into the OCS culture to embrace diversity as an organisational strength – otherwise it would be challenging to operate in this environment.”
With over 130,000 individuals across our global operations, our diversity of languages, cultures, religions and beliefs is one of our greatest strengths.
But embracing this diversity isn’t just about filling roles; it’s about helping people find meaningful work. Whether that’s a stepping stone on their way to a trained profession or finding a new career pathway within facilities management – just like Hari.
In 2014, he arrived in Aotearoa on a study visa, completing a business entrepreneurship diploma before his wife joined him. He found his skill set suited facilities management, as it’s an industry with people at the heart.
“Creating a strong team is important – without that, we simply couldn’t do our work. When we communicate and support each other, we’re building trust and respect,” Hari says.
The Queenstown team is highly skilled, bringing different perspectives, knowledge and innovation into the workplace. This means cleaner more hygienic spaces and greater results for Queenstown business owners, visitors and locals alike.
“Right now, I have four colleagues in my team who are trained engineers and many more with a bachelor’s degree. While they settle into New Zealand, OCS is providing them with the security and skills they need to succeed,” says Hari.
While bridging the language barrier between Nepalese and English comes second nature to Hari, he’s conscious to ensure every language in his team is respected.
All communication is provided in writing in advance, allowing colleagues the time and opportunity to translate using technology. A buddy system pairs native speakers together and training is done in person, demonstrating tasks and responsibilities. Colleagues are also encouraged to bring a support person at the beginning to ease any uncertainty.
As a member of Building Service Contractors New Zealand (BSCNZ), OCS has also helped produce a series of de-escalation training videos offered in 15 languages. Funded by the Workforce Futures Fund, this series equips colleagues with the skills to safely engage with people in vulnerable situations. Another series focused on health and safety will be released in 2026.
Over the past 12 years in Aotearoa, Hari has been helping others feel at home, creating a community that embraces diversity.
In 2022, Hari became the founding president of the Queenstown Nepalese Society while at the same time, was appointed by the Government of Nepal as the 2022 – 2026 Tourism Goodwill Ambassador for Queenstown, New Zealand. With about 300 Nepalese residing in Queenstown, his advocacy work builds relationships, supports workforce engagement and celebrates Nepalese culture.
Hari also sits on the Whakatipu Welcoming Communities Advisory Group and contributed to the development of the Welcoming Plan 2024 – 2027. Acting as a blueprint for how newcomers are treated when they arrive and benchmarking what an inclusive community looks like, the initiative is led by Immigration New Zealand in partnership with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities and the Human Rights Commission.
“When we look after our people, the work becomes easier, the results get better and people can reach the opportunities they came to New Zealand for,” Hari says.
Hari’s proud of the life he and his wife have created for their two children in Queenstown. Now he’s looking out for opportunities for OCS, seeing potential in the rapid growth of the region.