More than a third (36.4 per cent) actively want more wellbeing support from their employer, and 56 per cent of Kiwi employees would make use of a wellbeing and support programme if it was available at their workplace.
The good news? More and more business owners are coming around to appreciate the significance of wellbeing.
We recently organised independent research on New Zealand business owners to gauge their sentiment about wellbeing in the workplace and 54.7 per cent said they have a responsibility to support it, while 52.2 per cent said all businesses should support mental wellness.
Wellbeing is something business owners are proactively considering for 2021, ranking third among their priorities behind only revenue growth and increasing profitability.
More than a third (35 per cent) say increasing the wellbeing of team members is one of the most important things a business should plan for in 2021, while 22 per cent of business owners intend to invest more than usual in staff wellbeing.
But aside from it being the right thing to do, there are tangible, economic benefits to business owners incorporating wellbeing into their 2021 plans.
Just under half (49.6 per cent) of Kiwi business owners believe in a direct link between the wellbeing of their team and the profitability of their business.
Furthermore, 63.8 per cent say people's work environment influences their personal wellbeing, with a renewed focus on fostering a culture focused on wellbeing, psychological safety and belonging.
The notion of a wellbeing-focused workplace being something for entitled millennials is being replaced by a shift in perspective.
These expectations don't derive from a sense of privilege, but a cultural shift in priorities and values - from a generation growing up seeing the stigma of mental health recede and a growth in pragmatic wellbeing practices.
In fact, only 5.1 per cent of small business owners now believe wellbeing is a fad, while just 2.4 per cent say there is no value to the business to grow staff wellbeing.
The challenge facing Kiwi small business owners is understanding how to implement wellbeing into their business. For example, 10.9 per cent of business owners say they would focus on wellbeing if their business was more profitable, while 5.3 per cent report having no idea how to support their team's wellbeing.
Focusing on wellbeing doesn't require revamping your whole way of doing business, and needn't involve a massive overhaul or cost a lot of time or money. It can be about finding simple ways to build a culture and change attitudes towards talking about wellbeing and asking for help.
Earlier this year we developed The Check In, giving small business leaders simple steps on how to introduce wellbeing into the workplace. It's designed to help them get to know their team, foster better connections, support others to look after themselves and make it okay to ask for help.
In addition, the Xero Assistance Programme gives more than 850,000 New Zealanders access to free and confidential mental health counselling and resources through Benestar, a world leader in mental health services.
It may seem like employee wellbeing isn't the most important thing for your business in 2021 but it needs to be a priority. We spend more time at work than anywhere else, so it's important for workplaces to be a space where people feel valued and supported.
If we can support our people to feel like this every day they come to work, they become more connected to the business, and their productivity and wellbeing ramps up. As we rebuild, we have the opportunity to reset and refocus on our people. This is our chance to foster a sense of belonging in our businesses and communities, and build a more productive economy as a result.
• Craig Hudson is managing director of Xero NZ and Pacific Islands.
