Wellbeing in Workplace Health & Safety

A woman wearing a lot of PPE gear.

What Is Workplace Health & Safety?

For many years, workplace health and safety only really focused on the safety aspect. The health bit was just lip service. Although we know more people die from work-related health harm (750 – 900 per annum, WorkSafe NZ) than work-related injuries (70 in 2024, WorkSafe NZ), it seemed that providing PPE and hoping people wear it was the way to go.

Over the past few years, the focus on safety has expanded to encompass both health and safety. One aspect of health that has gained significant attention within the workplace is mental wellbeing. As such, organisations should have wellbeing strategies in place to support their staff.

These will differ between organisations, depending on their culture, the type of work, their staff, and their ability to resource the strategy.

What are some simple strategies for wellbeing support in the workplace?

1. Allowing people time off when they are under extreme pressure

2. Reassessing their workload to allow them time to recover their equilibrium

3. Providing external support agencies

   
   

Many of our clients love their annual fishing trip, and others reward drivers who receive compliments. At Safewise, we do an annual yoga retreat. It’s just a day, but it allows us to relax, be open with each other, move our bodies and learn a little bit more about ourselves. Generally, it’s a good idea to ask the staff what they value.

Think about what you can do to support your staff’s wellbeing. You will be well rewarded for it. Estimates for the return on investment start at 2:1, but many organisations report a much higher return.

How can Safewise help?

We work with organisations who need more health and safety knowledge, or more time than they have in-house to manage it. For more information, check out our services, here.

Written by Tracey Murphy, the owner and director of Safewise Limited.