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.
Documents – open in a new window
- New Zealand Workplace Diversity Survey – annual (Diversity Works).
- Productivity by the numbers 2023 report (NZ Productivity Commission).
- Navigating workload and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand (Umbrella 2023).
- Serving alcohol safely at workplace events (Te Whatu Ora 2022).
- Experiences of workplace bullying and harassment in Aotearoa New Zealand (Human Rights Commission 2022).
- Work-related wellbeing: What good looks like (WorkSafe 2022).
- Creating mentally healthy workplace environments for Māori (Mental Health Foundation 2021).
- Healthy Food and Drink Guidance for Organisations (Ministry of Health 2020).
- Five Ways to Wellbeing at Work Toolkit (Mental Health Foundation 2017).
Downloads – open in a new window
Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
- 5+ A Day at work.
- Healthy eating, active living.
- Breastfeeding an working.
- Stress and how to manage it (MHF).
Links – open in a new window
- Open Minds (Mental Health Foundation).
- Guidance on supporting breastfeeding mothers returning to work (Ministry of Health).
- Guidance on nutrition and physical activity for workplaces (Ministry of Health).
- Mates in Construction NZ – addressing mental wellbeing issues and suicide prevention in the building industry.
For more information on healthy workplaces, contact:
CANTERBURY
Ann Vanschevensteen
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
MID CANTERBURY
Carly McDowell
Ph: +64 3 307 6902
Support programmes for workplaces
- WorkWell.
- Ignite Aotearoa – formerly Wellplace.nz.
- First Steps – for small businesses.
- Healthy Families (Canterbury).
- Mates in Construction NZ.
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.
- Creative Corn Crackers and Chip Swaps [290KB].
- Label Lingo: Breakfast Cereals [193KB].
- Cutting Down on Sugar [310KB].