Promoting health and wellbeing in workplaces

Investing in the wellbeing of your employees isn’t just about creating a happier, healthier workplace. It’s also good for business.

Workplaces that adopt sustainable workplace wellbeing initiatives see:

  • Improved productivity, staff morale and job satisfaction; and
  • Reduced absenteeism, staff turnover and reduced risk of workplace injury.

What is a healthy workplace? from the Health Promotion Agency.

Workplace Advisors at Community and Public Health can support your workplace, including providing:

  • One-on-one professional advice and mentoring;
  • Local knowledge and positive relationships with key health services; and
  • Access to health promotion resources.

Workplace Advisors can assist on specific topics such as:

  • Breastfeeding,
  • Healthy eating,
  • Mental wellbeing,
  • Infection control,
  • Physical activity,
  • Safe drinking,
  • Smoking, and
  • Sun safety.

Ashburton organisations team up to improve employee wellbeing

Carly McDowell from NPHS Te Waipounamu with Victoria Sibley from ANZCO with their bronze WorkWell accreditation.NPHS Health Promotion Advisor Carly Mcdowell has helped local meat exporter ANZCO Foods, take the first step towards creating a healthier, happier and more productive workplace for its almost 1,100 employees across three Canterbury-based sites. The exporter has just achieved its bronze accreditation with WorkWell – a free workplace wellbeing initiative.

Carly worked since October 2022 with ANZCO Foods Canterbury’s WorkWell leader and Health & Safety Manager Victoria Sibley to help the business achieve bronze accreditation.

Carly says it was a real pleasure working with Victoria and the ANZCO Foods Canterbury team on the beginning of its wellbeing programme. She says ANZCO Foods leadership recognised that the programme not only benefits staff and the overall organisation, but has a positive impact on the community too, as one of mid-Canterbury’s largest employers. After a great start, she’s looking forward to helping the business achieve its next accreditation.

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For more information on healthy workplaces, contact:

CANTERBURY
Ann Vanschevensteen
Ph: +64 3 364 1777

MID CANTERBURY
Carly McDowell
Ph: +64 3 307 6902

SOUTH CANTERBURY
Katherine Miller
Ph: +64 3 687 2600

Support programmes for workplaces

Help your workplace better provide for people on bikes

Waka Kotahi | NZ Transport Agency has produced an online Workplace Cycling Guide – in partnership with the Sustainable Business Network.

This guide covers the why and how of getting your workplace onto bikes – whether your workplace is just starting out, or already provides well for staff members who commute by bike. The guide includes everything from the basics of providing good bike storage, to providing fleet bikes for your staff. The guide is complemented by plenty of resources and inspiration to get you started.

Waka Kotahi recommends using this guide if you are responsible for your organisation’s health and well-being programme, its sustainability (corporate social responsibility programme), or its travel demand management work.

Healthy Nibbles for Workplaces

These helpful one-page information sheets are produced a variety of topics.

Page last updated: 08/05/2025

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