NEWS ROUNDUP
Work wellbeing index
N
ewly released data shows people in non-office jobs are far more dissatisfied than those in office-based roles and feel forgotten about when it comes to caring for their wellbeing. The Skills Consulting Group 2021 Work Wellbeing Index, a survey of nearly 1,500 New Zealand workers and 105 HR managers, showed that non-office workers, such as retail staff, drivers, nurses, tradespeople and teachers, have an overall wellbeing score of just 59 per cent, compared with 65 per cent for office workers. “This is really compelling data,” says Jane Kennelly, Skills Consulting Group GM of Wellbeing. “Traditionally, programmes have addressed wellbeing overall within an organisation. For workers who do shift work or people who are always mobile and working in different locations, such as tradies for example, the delivery channel needs to be much more flexible.” The Work Wellbeing Index is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Wellbeing scores across industries
It will be rolled out on an annual basis, providing an in-depth look at where Kiwi businesses are at across different regions and industries around Aotearoa. “Gathering this data will help businesses really understand where they’re at with wellbeing within their workplace and within their particular industry,” says Jane. “But it is even
more than that – by knowing what their people need as individuals, businesses can understand what is truly important to their people. And when employees are thriving, employers will enjoy the benefit of happier, more productive workers. That then flows on into a greater customer experience and, ultimately, business success. So it’s a win-win all round.”
Workplace injury prevention subsidies
S
mall- to medium-sized businesses in specified sectors may be eligible for a relevant workplace injury prevention subsidy. Workplace injury prevention subsidies are available to help small- to medium-sized businesses access services and other support known to improve workplace health and safety. The subsidies are on offer to sectors with high rates of work-related injury and death, namely manufacturing, agriculture and construction. 4
HUMAN RESOURCES
SPRING 2021
The three types of subsidies available are workforce capability development (eg, training courses), professional health and safety consulting advice, and capital investment that has health and safety outcomes (eg, people-moving equipment and crushprotection devices for quadbikes). Subsidies are generally sector-specific and are likely to be targeted at sectors where workers have a higher risk of injury. The subsidies that will be offered will change over time to
meet business, sector and workplace needs. The funding amounts for each subsidy vary, depending on business size, the solution subsidised and the sector the individuals are operating in. For more information, visit acc.co.nz
