AWARDS FINALIST: Northpower – A focus on workplace well-being

Northpower says its approach to wellness has evolved over the past five years, from ad-hoc and reactive physical health initiatives to a more comprehensive, holistic approach.

In 2020 it established a kaitiaki peer support network and the Wāhine Toa women's network to provide on-the-ground support across the business and to complement the service provided by Raise Mental Health, its external assistance provider.

Since 2021, the firm has worked harder at understanding psycho-social hazards in the workplace.

It has now implemented five critical controls for mental health: detailed position descriptions for every role, funded sessions with Raise for every staff member, opportunities to raise concerns about psycho-social hazards, mechanisms to detect exposure to these hazards, and ensuring an acceptable level of mental health literacy across the organisation. 

By 2023, the company had run its first group-wide engagement survey and mental health critical risk survey, providing a baseline for mental health literacy.

The results are measured, monitored, and reported to the safety steering committee, ensuring continuous improvement through the wellbeing strategy and plan. 

Kaitiaki Network

Northpower says its Kaitiaki Network now comprises 35 people across 14 depots. All are accredited mental health first-aiders.

The company says it trained four internal mental health instructors so it could roll out an ongoing training programme to continue building that capability within its staff.

Two groups have so far completed that training and the firm aims to train 48 to 80 mental health first-aiders each year.

Northpower says the kaitiaki are there as connectors rather than fixers. Their job is to listen and help make their colleagues access the resources they need, and to take a lead on events in their regions like Pink Shirt Day, Movember, and Mental Health Awareness Week.

Wāhine Toa network

The Wāhine Toa network was established in 2020, when women made up about 15 per cent of the firm’s staff. It has grown to more than 100 members and aims to enhance their mana through shared experiences and knowledge.

This network addresses the unique needs of the women in the organisation, including initiatives like creating a menopause-friendly work environment and increasing physical activity among members. 

As part of that latter goal, a large group competed in the Wild Kiwi multisport event in Whangārei in March.

Domestic violence responders

Last year, 20 staff from the network and the firm’s people and capability team completed training as domestic violence first responders.

Northpower says that is 10 times more than the firm’s policy outlines, and that they have already been used within the business across a range of situations.

The responders are equipped to connect anyone experiencing domestic violence with the right support and to create safety plans for the workplace.

Northpower says the organisation has a strong policy on domestic violence, but the new initiative underscores the company’s commitment to address domestic violence as a potential issue within the communities it serves. 

It says it intends to continue this initiative by maintaining a minimum number of trained responders across the business.

The Well-being award category is sponsored by nib.