Every two years Southern Cross work with BusinessNZ to develop the Workplace Wellness Report, and Southern Cross are proud to announce the seventh edition is now live.
Â
The Workplace Wellness Report serves to shine a light on health and wellness issues in the workplace, and how businesses and organisations in New Zealand are supporting their people.
Â
Key highlights from the report are outlined below.Â
Â
The findings show that while absence rates and costs are increasing, organisations remain focused on supporting their people.
Â
In 2024, the average number of sick days per employee rose to 6.7, up from 5.5 in 2022. The annual cost of absence per employee is now $1,319, contributing to a national cost of $4.17 billion.
Â
Caring for dependents is now the second-highest driver of absence. Most organisations continue to encourage staff to stay home when unwell, with 90% of those surveyed actively supporting this approach.
Â
Remote work remains a standard part of the working week, with one to two days from home now common across many organisations. While flexible working is seen to improve satisfaction and retention, some businesses report challenges with collaboration and culture.
Â
Stress and anxiety levels are trending down, particularly in smaller organisations, though workload remains the leading cause. Most businesses now have at least one initiative in place to support mental wellbeing.
Â
Support for disabled workers is still developing, with larger organisations more likely to have policies and infrastructure in place. Flexible hours, EAPs, vaccinations and parental leave continue to be valued wellbeing supports.
You can download the full Workplace Wellness Report below.
