Wellbeing at Work: Moving Beyond Yoga and Fruit Bowls
For many New Zealand businesses, workplace wellbeing has become part of the conversation. Free fruit in the kitchen, wellness weeks, and yoga at lunchtime are well-intentioned initiatives. But let’s be honest—these alone won’t fix stress, burnout, or disengagement.
If you’re leading a business, the question is not “What perks can we offer?” but “How do we create a workplace where people can genuinely thrive?”
Why leaders should care about wellbeing
Wellbeing isn’t a “nice to have” — it directly impacts the bottom line.
Productivity & performance: People who feel supported are more focused, resilient, and deliver higher-quality work.
Retention & attraction: In a tight labour market, workplaces that look after their people are far more attractive to top talent.
Reputation & compliance: Under NZ’s Health and Safety at Work Act, you have a responsibility to protect mental as well as physical health — and increasingly, customers and clients want to work with values-driven organisations.
Where businesses often get it wrong
Common mistakes we see in NZ workplaces include:
Treating wellbeing as an “extra” rather than embedding it into the way the business runs.
Relying on one-size-fits-all perks that don’t reflect people’s real needs.
Overlooking leadership’s role — no wellness programme can succeed if workloads are unreasonable or managers lack empathy.
What works: leadership-driven wellbeing
As a business leader, here’s where your focus should be:
Set the tone from the top – Model healthy behaviours yourself: leave on time, take annual leave, and avoid after-hours emails. Your people will follow your lead.
Resource smartly – Ensure your teams have the right staffing levels and tools to deliver. Overload is one of the biggest drivers of burnout.
Equip your managers – Train leaders at all levels to check in on wellbeing, hold open conversations, and support their people in practical ways.
Enable flexibility – Explore how flexibility can work in your business, whether that’s remote options, adjusted hours, or more autonomy in how work gets done.
Create belonging – Recognise achievements, celebrate diversity, and foster connection so people feel valued for more than just their output.
Practical steps for leaders
Listen first: Use employee surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one kōrero to understand what’s really affecting wellbeing in your workplace.
Make it strategic: Build wellbeing into your business plan, not just HR’s remit.
Measure results: Track engagement, absenteeism, and turnover to see the impact of wellbeing initiatives on business outcomes.
Stay authentic: Employees will spot a “tick-box” approach a mile away. Focus on actions that reflect your company values.
Final thought & call to action
Workplace wellbeing isn’t about yoga mats or smoothie days. It’s about how you lead your business every day. By prioritising wellbeing in a genuine way, you don’t just meet your obligations — you build a stronger, more resilient organisation where your people, and your business, can thrive.
Your next step as a leader: Don’t start with a new initiative. Start with a conversation. Ask your team “What would really make work better for you?” — and then listen. The most powerful wellbeing strategy you can adopt is one that your people help shape.
And if you need support then please reach out to us at ColourHR, we’d love to help!