Three not-for-profit organisations have joined forces to help promote healthier workplaces in New Zealand.
The recently launched Well Workplaces Coalition builds on the strengths and expertise of the Mental Health Foundation, Heart Foundation, and Relationship Services Whakawhanaungatanga to offer business organisations greater choice of programmes to support health and wellbeing at work.
Initiatives from the new coalition include “working well” resource kit covering such issues as stress impacts, anxiety and depression. It also offers programme to improve workplace relations and counter bullying; and the “heartbeat challenge” which encourages adoption of healthier diet, more exercise and smokefree environments.
There is now plenty of evidence that such programmes improve staff performance and productivity. They also reduce workplace stressors – an important consideration given such issues have more weighting in proposed changes to health and safety legislation.
