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Elements of Wellbeing

How can I create a positive environment that boosts job satisfaction?

What is workplace wellbeing and culture and why does it matter?

Wellbeing includes different parts of a person's life that affect their overall health and happiness. This means that things happening outside of work can greatly affect how employees feel and perform at work.

The following sections explore how these factors influence workplace wellbeing to help you consider practical tips and tricks for building a positive and healthy work culture. Each aspect of this is important as part of the whole. All are needed to support employee job satisfaction, productivity, and wellbeing.

What is workplace wellbeing?

Creating a positive workplace culture can set a business up for success. A positive culture not only attracts and retains skilled workers but also boosts productivity and job satisfaction. Workplace culture is the shared values, beliefs, and behaviours that shape how people interact and work together. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and motivated to contribute their best.

When building your workplace culture, see below some principles to keep in mind.

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  1. Inclusivity and respect: Create an environment where everyone can feel included and respected. Recognise and celebrate different backgrounds and perspectives.

  2. Communication: Encourage open and honest communication. Make it easy for team members to share ideas, feedback, and concerns.

  3. Shared values: Clearly define and communicate the core values that guide your business. Ensure these values are reflected in everyday actions and decisions.

  4. Employee wellbeing: Give importance to wellbeing factors from outside of the workplace: the physical and mental wellbeing of your team. Provide resources and support to help them do well both at work and in their personal lives.

  5. Recognition and reward: Acknowledge and appreciate the hard work and achievements of your employees. Celebrate successes, both big and small through activities such as morning teas, and employee of the month awards.

Tip!

 

Different people value different things in a workplace - make sure to have a conversation with team members about how to develop the culture in a way that suits them.

How do I build a positive workplace culture?

Building a positive workplace culture

 

Acting in good faith as an employer is outlined at Your Obligations as an Employer and on the Employment NZ website here. Beyond meeting these legal requirements, employers can take additional steps to create a positive workplace culture. By putting in effort to go above and beyond the legal requirements, you’ll have an environment where employees feel more valued and supported. This will help reduce the likelihood of them leaving for reasons within your control. The workforce demographic is changing fast, with younger generations preferring flexible learning and working environments, as well as having a say in their work processes. Here are some tips and tricks employers can implement to meet these evolving expectations.

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What are some practical steps I can take to support workplace wellbeing and culture?

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1. Workplace Wellbeing

  • Assess workplace culture: Start by asking your employees what they believe makes a good workplace culture. Understanding their perspectives can help you tailor initiatives that resonate with your team. Consider how elements of te ao Māori can enhance the workplace culture, see Māori Cultural Confidence for more information. 

  • Foster a positive environment: Create a workplace atmosphere that is supportive, respectful, and positive. Encourage teamwork and collaboration, and address any issues of conflict quickly and effectively.

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2. Mental Wellbeing

  • Put on your lifejacket first: Ensure you are looking after your own mental health, as leadership sets the tone for the entire organisation. 

  • Look out for others: Get to know how your staff view mental health, it may look different to different people. Encourage your staff to prioritise their mental health as well. Consider enrolling in a Mental Health First Aid course to better support your team. 

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3. Physical Wellbeing

  • Health and safety obligations: Ensure you are complying with Worksafe NZ’s website here for health and safety guidelines. There are also some food and fibre specific Worksafe information here. Searching their website to find industry or sector specific information which fits your business will provide the most helpful and accurate information on how to manage health and safety. 

  • Enhance physical wellbeing: Think about ways you can go above and beyond minimum health and safety requirements to prevent burnout or injury.

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4. Cultural Wellbeing

  • Celebrate cultural diversity: Get to know your employees' cultural backgrounds and encourage them to share aspects of their culture with colleagues. This creates a more inclusive environment with meaningful workplace interactions.

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5. Social Wellbeing

  • Strengthen social bonds: Host social events, such as an end of year work-do to help your team connect and unwind. 

  • Connect over hobbies: Encourage employees to join clubs or collectives to build camaraderie and a sense of community.

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What are some tools I can use to build a good workplace culture?

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See the communications and buddy system pages for steps on how to plan or implement best practices.

 

  1. Team Building Activities: Organise team-building activities to strengthen relationships and foster a sense of community. These can range from informal social gatherings to structured meetings.​

  2. Mentorship and Buddy Programmes: Introduce mentorship (see Mentorship and Coaching) or buddy systems to provide support and guidance for new and existing employees. This helps build a culture of continuous learning and development.

  3. Communication Platforms: Use formal and informal social channels to facilitate easy and open communication among team members.

  4. Wellbeing Initiatives: Offer resources such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), workshops on stress management, or create time for the team to do some stretching at the start of a shift for ten minutes.

  5. ​Survey and Feedback Tools: Use regular surveys and feedback tools to review employee satisfaction and collect insights on areas for improvement (more on this in the communication section).​​

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What does good workplace culture look like in reality?

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Building a strong workplace culture involves consistent, everyday actions. Here are some examples of what it may involve on a day to day basis.

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  1. Daily Check Ins: Start each shift with a brief team check-in to share updates, celebrate wins, and address any challenges. This keeps everyone connected and aligned.

  2. Open Door Policy: Encourage leaders to maintain an open-door policy, making it easy for employees to approach them with questions or concerns as they may arise.

  3. Regular Connection: Implement regular recognition programs, such as Employee of the Month, to highlight and reward outstanding contributions.

  4. Training and Development: Offer ongoing Training and Development opportunities to help employees grow their skills and advance their careers.

  5. ​Inclusive Practices: Ensure all team activities, meetings, and communications are inclusive, considering different needs and preferences.​​

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Support for Māori in the workplace

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​There are lots of ways you can support Māori employees. The Māori Cultural Confidence page has some practical tips and tricks such as understanding some te ao Māori concepts, being a values led workplace and how to incorporate some of these elements into your workplace.

Te Whare Tapa Wha

 

Te Whare Tapa Whā model, created by Sir Mason Durie, presents health and wellbeing as a wharenui or meeting house supported by four walls. Te Whare Tapa Whā which thinks about wellbeing from a physical (taha tinana), family and social (taha whānau), mental and emotional (taha hinengaro), spiritual (taha wairua) and land (whenua) perspective.

 

This is very similar to the different elements of workplace culture described in this chapter.  Achieving balance among these elements allows us to thrive, whereas an imbalance in one or more can affect our overall well being.

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To find out more about the parts of the wharenui, see the full resource Mental Health Foundation website here.

Another example of a Māori framework of wellbeing is the Te Wheke model of Māori Health by Dr Rose Pere. You can find more information about this model here.

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These are some tools that help to support your employees in showing up as their best selves.  Understanding what works best for your team is key to addressing well-being in the right way. Asking your employees questions to cover each aspect of their well-being, based on the Te Whare Tapa Whā framework, can look like this:

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  • Whenua / land, roots 

    • Do you feel connected to the people you work with? 

    • Is your work environment a safe place where you feel comfortable talking about your emotions?

  • Taha hinengaro / mental and emotion 

    • Do you feel like you have a positive work / life balance? 

    • How do you manage your stress, and how can we support you? 

  • Taha tinana / physical 

    • Are there any health concerns or issues we should know about?

    • Are you finding time for physical activities and exercise? How can we support you in this?

  • Taha whanau / family and social   

    • Are you feeling connected and supported by your loved ones?

    • Is your cultural background valued? How can we better support this? 

  • Taha wairua / spiritual 

    • Do you feel a sense of purpose and meaning while at work? 

    • Are there any cultural or spiritual practices that are important to you, and how can we support you in integrating these into your daily routine?

What is mental wellbeing?

Looking after yourself as an employer is really important. Our farmers and growers are the heart of this industry, which plays a big part in our country's economy and identity. But working in this industry isn't easy—there's social isolation, economic concerns, environmental challenges, and lots of hard work. These can all add up and take a toll. 

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Having access to mental health services in rural areas can be challenging. Although a high proportion of people report they are doing well mentally, rural communities in NZ still face worse mental health outcomes compared to the general population. In fact, the Ministry of Health reported in 2016 that suicide rates were about 17% higher in rural areas than in urban areas. [6]

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At some point, whether at work or in your personal life, you'll likely come across someone experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis, or you may experience one yourself. That's why it's important to make small, regular habits to care for your wellbeing. When you take care of yourself, you're also taking care of your business. Even with the long hours and external pressures, building personal resilience and looking after your wellbeing can help you handle the pressures of business better. After all, you're the most important part of your business.

Employers responsibility of care

As an employer, it's important to recognise that you have both ethical and legal obligations to care for your employees' mental health and wellbeing. Creating a supportive and safe working environment is not just a nice-to-have, it's essential. This means keeping an eye on your team’s workload, stress levels and any physical signs of stress. While you're not responsible for stress caused by factors outside of work, you do need to address any work-related issues that might be causing stress, such as high workloads, lack of safety measures, bullying, or a negative work culture.

 

Your responsibility extends to ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, which mandates that all workplaces must support mentally healthy work environments. By prioritising mental health, you'll not only meet your legal obligations but also foster a more engaged and productive workforce

Mental health first aid course: The Mental Health first aid course is a good tool for giving employers the skills, knowledge, and confidence to support people when they need it.

Gen Z / younger workers have higher rates of mental health issues

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Near­ly two-thirds (65%) of Gen Z / younger workers report­ed expe­ri­enc­ing at least one men­tal health prob­lem in the past two years, a higher rate than all old­er gen­er­a­tions, includ­ing mil­len­ni­als (51%), Gen X (29%) and Boomers (14%). Therefore acknowledging and supporting mental wellbeing is a large part of supporting younger workers to thrive at work. These higher rates are thought to be driven by:

  • increased use of social media and time on screens,

  • reduced connection to community,

  • impacts of Covid-19.

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When supporting a younger employee you can help by providing:

  • A buddy who can provide pastoral care,

  • Clear communication to ensure they understand what is expected of them,

  • See Mentorship and Coaching to support their learning and growth journey.

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 (Source: Oliver Wyman Forum Global Consumer Sentiment Survey, September 2020–present.)

Supporting mental health and wellbeing in the workplace

 

Creating a supportive environment for mental health is crucial in the food and fibre sector. Here are some signs to look out for and actions to consider taking if a team member is struggling with their mental health.

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What is physical wellbeing?

Physical wellbeing is an important part of overall employee health - it’s also critical to create a productive and positive workplace. Prioritising physical wellbeing helps prevent injuries and illnesses and also enhances overall job satisfaction and productivity.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, WorkSafe outlines clear guidelines and regulations to ensure the health and safety of all employees. Compliance with these standards is a legal requirement. See more in the links below, and the Health and Safety section of Your Obligations as an Employer.

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WorkSafe New Zealand link here

Hazard and Risk Management link here

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However, there are ways to support physical wellbeing above and beyond the minimum standards set out by WorkSafe standards, including:

  1. Regular breaks: Encourage employees to take regular breaks to stretch and move around (beyond their mandated two ten minute breaks per eight hour shift). This helps reduce fatigue and the risk of repetitive strain injuries.

  2. Variety of tasks in the workday: Encourage employees to have days made up of a range of diverse tasks. This can help break up mental fatigue and make work more interesting and engaging.

  3. Health monitoring: Implement regular health monitoring and assessments to detect and address potential health issues early. This could include vision checks, hearing tests, and general health screenings.

What is cultural wellbeing?

Diversity and inclusion are important in the workplace because they ensure that people of all different backgrounds feel welcome, valued and respected. Aotearoa New Zealand’s population is becoming increasingly diverse, and so is the food and fibre workforce. 

Cultural wellbeing is an important part of overall employee wellbeing. It involves appreciation and respect for diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and practices. This includes creating a workplace where individuals can participate in, celebrate, and share one's cultural practices, traditions, and values. 

 

Celebrating culture in a work setting involves acknowledging the different backgrounds that employees may come from. It means creating a space where employees don’t feel they need to hide aspects of their identity to fit into a “status-quo” - and feel comfortable chatting to co-workers about their ethnic and cultural backgrounds. When employees feel they can be themselves, it fosters a sense of belonging, enhances employee morale, and improves job satisfaction.

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Ways to encourage cultural expression include celebrating different cultural holidays or events that your employees celebrate (e.g. Matariki, Chinese New Year, Eid). Part of this involves asking employees what they want to celebrate and how, and then sharing this with other employees. Celebrations may be informal (e.g. with a ‘Happy Diwali’ message in the team chat, chocolate at morning tea to celebrate Easter), or formal (allowing employees to take time off on cultural holidays, i.e. using Christmas public holiday leave on another religious holiday - see more in Your Obligations as an Employer). 

See more advice, particularly related to Māori culture, in Māori Cultural Confidence.

What is social wellbeing?

Social wellbeing involves feeling connection and purpose. The role of an organisation in facilitating employees' social well-being can vary widely. For some organisations, this might mean fostering strong connections and a sense of community within the workplace, while for others, it might involve encouraging and supporting employees to build social networks and engage in activities outside of work. For others, this may involve flexible work arrangements so that employees can spend time with their kids or families.

A focus on supporting employees in social wellbeing is particularly important for isolated or rural businesses, as these can be quite hard to adjust to, and can be lonely. If an employee is new to an area, it is particularly important to give them a hand to become part of the local community.

Social activities to foster connection: hosting end of week social gatherings, pub quizzes, end of year functions, barbeques.

Clubs / collectives

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  • Internal - if you have more than 10 people, consider hosting clubs or collectives for employees to connect over things they have in common. This can be a group mainly for connection, community building and support, or for the purposes of organising activities, and typically are run by employees on a volunteer basis outside of work time. These groups may be centred around common hobbies, cultural backgrounds, working location, etc. Examples of this may be: Tramping club, Māori collective, Kapa Haka, Parents support club.

  • External - encourage (this may include funding) employees to participate in organisations, networks and programmes that support people in Aotearoa New Zealand's food and fibre industries through education, networking, advocacy, and leadership development. Membership in external groups is something all businesses can encourage for their employees - but this is particularly valuable if you are a small business and don’t have the ability to run your own clubs or collectives. Some organisations are described below:

Young Farmers (New Zealand Young Farmers - NZYF), Young Fish, Food and Fibre Youth Network, Future Foresters etc. 

These are national groups that bring together young people to provide networking, career development, and social opportunities.

Surfing for Farmers: A mental health initiative that encourages farmers to take a break from their work and participate in community surfing events to reduce stress and improve well-being.

Catchment Groups

Catchment groups help promote good on-farm practices, sustainable land management, and encourage positive environmental outcomes.

Dairy Women's Network: A network dedicated to supporting women in the dairy industry through education, networking, and leadership opportunities.

Rural Women NZ,

Women in Horticulture,

Women in Wine

Similar to the Dairy Women’s Network above, these networks empower and support women to thrive and lead in their respective fields.

Royal A&P Society

The RAS supports its members to promote rural excellence, sustainability and innovation. They run A&P Shows and annual events, and have six regions with their own leadership and planning, and a national executive elected by the members.

The importance of networks to young people

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Networks and collectives are particularly valuable to younger workers. These networks can help people find social connections, make friends, feel a part of a community and adjust to new stages of life / working. Furthermore, the access to resources, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration and innovation helps equip young professionals with knowledge, skills, and connections to navigate the food and fibre sector.

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