Addressing NZ’s ongoing mental health emergency

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The mental health of Kiwi workers has dropped for the second quarter in a row. How can employers help their people juggle an ever-growing list of anxieties and concerns?

THE MENTAL HEALTH of New Zealand employees has declined for the second consecutive period – a stark warning for employers to not let their focus on wellbeing slip. The TELUS Health Mental Health Index for September 2023 recorded a mental health score of 58.7 for Kiwi workers – a more than two-point fall since April of this year. Additionally, only 13% of workers have a low mental health risk, with the remaining 87% having a moderate or high mental health risk. To create the TELUS Mental Health Index, a response-scoring system was applied to turn individual responses into point values. The responses are scored on a scale of 0 to 100, in which higher point values mean better mental health and less mental health risk. The distribution of scores is defined according to the following: Distressed 0–49; Strained 50–79; Optimal 80–100.

TELUS Health is a global healthcare leader serving people in more than 160 countries, delivering both digital innovation and clinical services to improve total physical, mental and financial health and wellness across the full spectrum of primary and preventive care. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services both in-person and virtually, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionising the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied health care professionals, insurers, employers and people globally, progressing its vision of transforming health care and empowering people to live healthier lives.

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“Whether it’s due to the current cost of living crisis, what’s been happening externally around the world, or what’s happening to workers personally, the reality is that it’s been really tough”

Julie Cressey, TELUS Health

All subscores declined from April to September, with anxiety continuing to have the lowest mental health subscore for the third consecutive period. TELUS Health general manager New Zealand Julie Cressey says this ongoing decline is “tough to see”, and that there is a clear “undercurrent of anxiety” due to various factors. With this in mind, there’s no better time for employers to make sure their wellbeing strategies are up to scratch. “Whether it’s due to the current cost of living crisis, what’s been happening externally around the world, or what’s happening to workers personally, the reality is that it’s been really tough,” Cressey tells HRD.

As we’re facing ongoing cost of living pressures, this year’s Mental Health Index took a particularly deep dive into financial wellbeing. The results showed that the financial wellbeing of New Zealanders is “significantly strained” and yielded a significantly lower score (56.8) than mental health. Over a quarter of workers are concerned that they won’t be able to retire, and inflation and covering basic needs were the top two financial concerns. For employers, Cressey says financial education is the key thing to think about – and something TELUS Health's own employee assistance program (EAP) has been putting a lot of focus on. “We’ve been doing a lot more work in the financial education space this year,” Cressey says.

When dealing with struggling employees, an employee assistance program is often an employer’s first line of defence. An EAP offers fully funded access to a counselling and education program and is intended as a short-term solution for those who need help. TELUS Health’s own EAP looks at mental, physical, financial and social wellbeing, and it coaches leaders on how to respond to individuals who are struggling. It also teaches them to recognise the warning signs in themselves – something Cressey says is becoming increasingly important for HR leaders experiencing “compassion fatigue”. “HR is a role where leaders carry a heavy emotional burden,” Cressey explains. “They’re in roles where they have the confidence of so many people, but they can’t necessarily share that. It’s so beneficial for them to have someone to talk to, and to make sure they’ve got strategies in place to look after themselves.”

“We know how hard it can be to access [mental health] support through other avenues. Given the challenges that New Zealanders face on a daily basis, having somewhere to go that is funded by the organisation, where they can get confidential support, is critical”

JULIE CRESSEY, TELUS HEALTH

In recent months, some companies have chosen to have clinicians on site on a regular basis and to do regular wellness checks with their employees. This helps to pick up any areas of concern early, and those who need it can then be proactively moved onto the EAP. TELUS Health also offers financial coaching and support, and has access to nutritionists, career coaches and legal experts who can help with things like separations, custody issues or housing problems. Ultimately, employers have a responsibility to support the wellbeing of their employees. There isn’t a single employer who hasn’t had to deal with a struggling employee in recent years – and when you have an EAP provider in place, you can immediately pick up the phone and call them. “They’ll provide guidance and advice on something that is otherwise quite scary and hard to deal with,” Cressey says. “We know how hard it can be to access support through other avenues. Given the challenges that New Zealanders face on a daily basis, having somewhere to go that is funded by the organisation, where they can get confidential support, is critical.” To learn more about TELUS Health’s EAP and how it can benefit your organisation, click here.

Spotlight on financial wellbeing

A broader approach to wellbeing

Published 27 Nov 2023

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Mental health risk of New Zealand employees

41%

have a high risk

have a moderate risk

46%

have a low risk

13%

A broader approach to wellbeing

“Organisations have recognised that financial literacy is a hard thing, and it doesn’t matter what your salary is – some people just struggle to know how to manage money. They’ve realised that actually coaching their people and supporting them with financial literacy is really beneficial. “It’s a difficult conversation to have, and it can be embarrassing for people to admit that they’re struggling to manage their money,” she adds. “But the reality is that a lot of people are struggling in this space, and so it pays to address it.” Financial concerns are just one of the issues New Zealanders are facing post-COVID. Cressey notes that as much as it might seem that the pandemic is in the past, we’re still seeing many of its impacts playing out. From children who haven’t settled well back into school to difficulties in elder care, healthcare delays and economic uncertainty, we’re all juggling a multitude of anxieties.

Source: TELUS Health Mental Health Index, September 2023

Julie Cressey, TELUS Health

When it comes to work, it’s inevitable that these anxieties will impact performance and engagement. Cressey says the mentality of ‘leave your worst self at home and bring your best self to work’ simply isn’t realistic or sustainable, and so it’s important to have leaders who can recognise warning signs and implement a solid support strategy via external providers. “There needs to be more education around mental health for leaders,” she says. “I think leaders can get stuck in that space where they’re great at managing people, but they’re not necessarily armed with the information to recognise and refer individuals to a source of support. Early intervention is always best – the earlier you can recognise that someone is struggling and get them the support they need, the better.”

Financial wellbeing of New Zealand employees

don’t know or are unsure how much they’ll need in retirement savings

75%

Source: TELUS Health Mental Health Index, September 2023

are concerned they won’t be able to retire

26%

aren’t putting any earnings into savings

20%

say unlimited mental health coverage is most important in a benefits plan

17%

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