Employment Hero & Clearhead partner for NZ small firms

Employment Hero has partnered with Clearhead to make mental health support affordable for 10,000 small businesses in New Zealand.

The collaboration intends to provide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services to smaller enterprises, addressing the rising incidences of stress and burnout experienced by Kiwi workers. According to Employment Hero's Wellness at Work report, 61% of employees reported experiencing burnout within the last three months, with financial stress and increasing living costs as significant factors. Notably, 70% of Gen Z workers reported high levels of stress and anxiety.

Ben Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of Employment Hero, stated, "Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, yet many don't have the budget to offer comprehensive mental health support. Our partnership with Clearhead is designed to bridge this gap, allowing more New Zealanders to access the help they need. This partnership is about making mental health resources not just accessible but affordable for small businesses and their employees."

Clearhead has previously extended its EAP services to medium and large enterprises across New Zealand and Australia, reaching over 160,000 employees. The new initiative with Employment Hero's Employment Unlimited Service will incorporate EAP access, providing mental health support as a fundamental element of their HR and payroll solution for small businesses without incurring additional costs.

Thompson adds, "Our Employment Unlimited Service offers small businesses a complete HR solution, removing the need for additional personnel or costly software. By integrating Clearhead's EAP into this package, we're able to provide smaller teams with the resources to support employee well-being without financial strain."

Clearhead's EAP platform is delivered digitally, ensuring employees can access mental health resources and counselling on demand. This digital model allows for personalised support, matching employees with the appropriate mental health professionals, while Employment Hero's network makes the provisioning cost-effective for small businesses.

Dr. Angela Lim, Founder and CEO of Clearhead, commented, "By teaming up with Employment Hero, we're bringing high-quality mental health resources within reach of small businesses that might otherwise struggle to afford them. It's about levelling the playing field so that all employees, regardless of their workplace size, have access to support. This partnership ensures that resources are accessible and that businesses can focus on what matters most - the well-being of their people."

The partnership signifies a new era of support for small businesses, enabling over 10,000 small enterprises to offer mental health assistance through integrated HR solutions offered by Employment Hero.

"Today's workforce faces unprecedented challenges, and it's essential for employers to provide mental health support that meets these demands. We're making this possible for over 10,000 businesses, and we believe this number will grow as the value of integrated HR solutions becomes clearer," Thompson remarks.

Employment Hero serves over 300,000 businesses globally, integrating payroll, HR, and employee benefits, now including EAP, into a single platform. The addition of Clearhead's EAP further strengthens Employment Hero's mission to provide comprehensive HR solutions that prioritise employee well-being across different business sizes.