Invercargill-based power company PowerNet knows the value of its people.  

As one of the finalists of the Blue River Dairy Workplace Wellbeing Award this year, PowerNet is committed to ensuring its staff feel valued and empowered and has taken significant steps to support that positive workplace wellbeing culture.  

While health and safety in the workplace is a primary focus area, it has also been particularly focused on supporting mental health in the workplace. 

Challenges that bring staff together are part of the culture at PowerNet.

Its work in suicide prevention and staff support have aligned it perfectly with a new framework based around protecting mental health in the workplace.  

Created by the Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum, this mental health framework provides a template for businesses and workplaces wanting to support their staff and encourage and enable staff to support colleagues as they travel on their mental health journeys.  

Four quadrants – Protect, Foster, Support, and Reclaim, involve workplaces identifying risks to mental health and wellbeing, developing the mental health and wellbeing capability of individuals and teams, providing access to appropriate workplace and clinical support, and restoring the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and teams. 

Challenges that bring staff together are part of the culture at PowerNet.

PowerNet General Manager Health, Safety, and Environment Rangi Solomon said for PowerNet, protecting its workforce, and fostering a culture that protects and develops the mental health and wellbeing capability of individuals and teams, was extremely important.  

A Psychological First Aid (PFA) programme adopted by the company that allows staff to support colleagues that may be struggling with their mental health has already achieved significant success. The PFA programme involves training a core group of people to work in a support role to help colleagues. The PFA welfare team are trained to recognise signs of mental distress, and are given the tools and resources to know how to support their colleagues, or navigate them to connect with the correct support services. The PFA programme has been extremely well received, Rangi said.  

PowerNet is also a primary sponsor of the St John Mental Health First Aid training, a programme that teaches people the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to someone experiencing mental health challenges.  

Sponsoring the St John scheme was a way of giving back to the community, and demonstrated the value PowerNet placed on supporting good mental health, Rangi said.  

Internally, staff are also supported through a variety of initiatives designed to promote workplace wellbeing, and foster strong workplace connections, he said.  

Initiatives such as friendly competitions, staff-get-togethers, and team building exercises all work together to create a strong and vibrant work environment, he said.  

“We know our people are our most valuable assets, and we want to ensure they are healthy in all aspects of their lives. We believe it is our role as employers to make sure that coming to work is a healthy, safe, and positive experience, because we know that by doing that, we are creating and supporting the best workforce we can. And at the end of the day we want assurance that our people have returned home to their whanau and loved ones safe, and healthy.” 

Article added: Monday 12 September 2022