2022 HeadFit Awards Winners Announced – Changing the Game for Workplace Mental Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Auckland – 30 November 2022) Workplaces from across Aotearoa came together tonight for the 2022 HeadFit Awards – a celebration of people, teams and organisations who are helping change how we talk about and address mental health at work.  Rugby League icon and mental health advocate Paul Whatuira hosted the ceremony, with 16 awards being presented and Kiwi jazz legends Nairobi Triotaking guests on a musical journey through the evening. The event included special remarks from Minister for Workplace Relations & Safety Hon Michael Wood, WorkSafe New Zealand GM, Health & Technical Services Catherine Epps and Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand CEO Shaun Robinson.

Fulton Hogan took home the HSE Global Large Workplace of the Year award and the coveted WorkSafe Supreme Award for the organisation’s outstanding leadership and effort in supporting staff mental wellbeing. The construction sector can be hard on people, with workers experiencing high levels of stress, mental health challenges and higher suicide rates compared to other industries.  Fulton Hogan is leading the way in facing into these issues, with the judges describing them as “a top performer in a challenging industry — a case study on the impact of strong engagement and doing the basics well”.

A key theme of the awards nominations was the power of staff with lived experience of neurodiversity and mental illness to make a difference in their workplaces. From Air New Zealand’s Chris Collins winning the Mental Health Foundation Lived Experience Leadership award, to Mitre 10’s Nicky Primrose taking home the All About People Specialist of the Year award – staff with lived experience of mental distress and mental illness are playing a crucial leadership role within workplaces.

Smaller workplaces are also stepping up and changing the game when it comes to mental health at work. Coffee Supreme took home the nib New Zealand Emerging Programme of the Year award, with an energetic and impactful programme for strengthening mental wellbeing a work – including measuring team leaders on the engagement and happiness of their staff. And Worldline NZ was awarded Spark Small Workplace of the Year for its remarkable mental health and wellbeing programme focusing on culture, connection, supporting leaders and meeting the individual worker needs.

Auckland Transport was recognised for its innovative and accessible mental health and wellbeing response – winning both the Xero Innovation & Technology Excellence award and My Everyday Wellbeing Public Sector Workplace of the Year. The judges were particularly impressed with AT’s holistic approach to engaging with staff across the workplace and their creative “Hauora carton of goodness” creative assets, which are helping surface mental health as an everyday topic for staff. AT also drew on local and international best practice guidelines to better support frontline staff experiencing aggressive or inappropriate customer behaviour.

BNZ was awarded the Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum Learning & Development Excellence for working address a significant under-appreciated driver for health and wellbeing: sleep. BNZ identified the issue of inadequate sleep directly from staff feedback, and developed a simple evidence-based programme to help staff build better sleeping habits. Staff who completed the programme reported enjoyed an hour more sleep on average.

Hato Hone St John was recognised as a finalist across four awards categories for their substantial work to support and strengthen staff mental wellbeing. Advanced Life Support Paramedic Mark Belchamber was recognised as Highly Commended for his lived experience leadership, and St John took out the Woo Wellbeing Diversity & Inclusion Excellence award for developing a ground-breaking framework and approach to supporting transgender and transitioning staff.

Colonel Clare Bennett from New Zealand Defence Force joins Kiwi mental health icon Sir John Kirwan in being awarded the HeadFit Legend Award for Lifetime Achievement for her outstanding contribution over many years to improving mental health at work. “Col Bennett has led the way in systematically improving the approach to mental health within the workplace,” says HeadFit Awards Convenor Grant Pritchard. “Her tireless work, leadership and insights over many years have significantly improved workplace mental health frameworks and processes in New Zealand.”

For the first time ever, judges awarded a Judges’ Special Commendation Award to business leader Michael Barnett for his leadership in supporting small business owners across Aotearoa to take a closer look at their own mental health, prioritise their wellbeing and be open to asking for help.

Other winners on the night included Heidi Walker from Flight Centre New Zealand, who was named Groov Leader of the Year; Air New Zealand, which won the Fulton Hogan Best Targeted Programme award; Northpower,which scooped up the Vitae Engagement & Communication Excellence award; and My Everyday Wellbeing, which was awarded Top Drawer Consultants Provider of the Year. The complete list of 2022 HeadFit Awards finalists and winners is below.

HeadFit Awards is New Zealand’s first national workplace mental health awards programme, developed by HeadFit Foundation with charity partner Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and supported by Principal Sponsor WorkSafe New Zealand. They were created to:

• raise awareness of the critical role workplaces can play to support the mental wellbeing of staff
• showcase the work of winners to encourage other workplaces to take action, and
• support the Mental Health Foundation as they work to improve mental health for all New Zealanders.

“A massive congratulations to our 2022 finalists and winners,” says HeadFit Awards Convenor Grant Pritchard. “We are so proud of their energy and effort in improving mental health within the workplace. Their work is impacting the lives of workers and their families in a profound and positive way. They are an inspiration to us all, and show that New Zealand is just getting started when it comes to improving mental health at work. We can’t wait to see the nominations rolling in for the 2023 awards.”

“These awards would not be possible without the generosity and support of Principal Sponsor WorkSafe, and sponsors and supporters All About People, Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum, Fulton Hogan, Groov, HSE Global, Mitre 10, My Everyday Wellbeing, nib New Zealand, Novotel Auckland Ellerslie, Spark, Top Drawer Consultants, Whittaker’s, Woo Wellbeing and Xero. The last year has been an incredibly challenging time in the wake of COVID, with global turmoil and a challenging economic climate. We acknowledge the generosity and kindness of our sponsors, who have stood with us in support of this important kaupapa.”

“We are thrilled to be supporting the 2022 HeadFit Awards and extend our congratulations all finalists and winners. Mental health is a significant challenge facing workers and organisations across New Zealand. Your creativity, courage and dedication are making a difference within your workplaces,” says WorkSafe Chief Executive Phil Parkes. “Through the awards, we can recognise and showcase best-practice examples of what’s working well.  We encourage all winners and finalists to continue your good work and keep sharing what’s working for you to inspire other workplaces.  There’s no quick-fix solution when it comes to mental health at work, but by listening, learning and sharing together, we can help create a future where thriving workers and mentally healthy work are the norm.”

The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand has been appointed as charity partner for the awards, with HeadFit Foundation directly supporting the Mental Health Foundation with fundraising through the awards. “The awards allows us to not only shine a light on workplaces that are leading in this space, but also to support the Mental Health Foundation,” says Pritchard. “It has been a tough season for them. We’re working to raise at up to $30,000 for Mental Health Foundation by matching donations on our dedicated fundraising page.”

Mental Health Foundation CEO Shaun Robinson adds “We’re stoked to be partnering with the HeadFit team for this year’s awards. As New Zealanders work through these tough economic times, staff mental health and wellbeing needs to be a key priority for workplaces. Mental Health Foundation is working hard to create practical tools and resources to help workplaces better support staff mental wellbeing and improve workplace culture, policies and practices. Congratulations every winner and finalist for making a positive difference in the world around you at work.”

ENDS.

The complete list of 2021 HeadFit Awards finalists and winners is below and at www.headfitawards.org/winners/. Low resolution photography is available here and can be freely used by media with attribution to photographer Dave Simpson.

Award winners are available for interview.

Individual Award Winners

Programme & Excellence Award Winners

Workplace Award Winners

About the awards
The HeadFit Awards is New Zealand’s first national workplace mental health awards programme. They were established to celebrate individuals, teams and workplaces who are leading in the area of workplace mental health and have three primary goals:

• raising awareness of the critical role workplaces can play to support positive mental health for staff
• showcasing the work of winners and finalists to inspire and support other workplaces
• supporting the Mental Health Foundation as they work to improve mental health for all New Zealanders

About HeadFit
HeadFit provides mental wellbeing training, development and consulting services to New Zealand workplaces. HeadFit was created to help workplaces take a fresh look at how they do mental health at work. Because if we can change how we do mental health at work, we can change the world.

About the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Mental Health Foundation is New Zealand’s leading mental health charity. It provides resources, information, advocacy and programmes aimed at helping to create a society that is free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health & wellbeing.

Media contacts

For more information and interviews please use the following contacts or the contact details at https://www.headfitawards.org/contact/:

• Grant Pritchard
  Director
  HeadFit Foundation
  Mobile: 021 343 121
• Mark Wilson
  Team Lead, Public Relations & Media Engagement
  Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
  Mobile: 021 998 949