Z Energy boosts workplace wellbeing

For the last three years, nib New Zealand has been the proud sponsor of the Well-being Award at the NZ Energy Excellence Awards, celebrating workplace wellbeing across the energy sector.

Z Energy was the deserving winner of the award last year for its comprehensive, employee focused response to environmental factors that required their people to work from home indefinitely.

Not only did Z Energy meet this challenge head on, it used it as an opportunity to improve employee engagement by opening up a discussion about wellbeing in the workplace and taking action based on the needs expressed by employees.

The transition to working from home

Sometimes wellbeing starts with the basics. With employees required to work from home, sometimes at the kitchen table, Z Energy wanted to help upgrade their at-home workspaces. This helped to ensure that everyone was able to get their work done comfortably, easily connect with colleagues, and have access to their work files from home.

More than 500 Z Energy employees needed upgrades and were provided with the necessary equipment to make their at-home workspaces more user-friendly. This included computers, chairs, and headphones for those who needed them, alongside a monthly $100 subsidy to help all employees cover their increased power and food costs.

The role of communication

Technology can be used to help keep teams connected while working from home. For Z Energy, it helped to foster an open line of communication while everyone adjusted to the ‘new normal’.

Z Energy implemented regular all-staff meetings and daily updates to help keep employees in the loop and reduce their mental load by giving them accurate information to stay up to date. Concerned that anxiety might be an issue for its people, Z Energy made sure that employees had access to mental health check-in sessions to help them through the transition to working from home. 

It also took the time to consult with its teams on how they wanted to be supported and used this feedback to implement a number of new initiatives, including 10 days of special leave that could be taken whenever it was needed, online support tools, employee assistance programmes and wellbeing workshops.

Measuring success

As a result of these initiatives, Z Energy’s employee wellbeing eNPS score reached +74, which is in the top 5 per cent globally – clear proof that listening to employees and making changes to support their wellbeing needs can make a real difference to employee satisfaction and loyalty.

Nib will once again be the sponsor of the Well-Being Award at the 2023 New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards. Healthy employees mean a healthy business. Click here to learn more about nib's workplace wellbeing insights. 

To enter the Awards, click here to access the online entry forms.

Book tickets to attend the Awards ceremony here.