Universal Wellbeing Insights
Where research meets real-world impact.
Why Investing in Wellbeing Saves Money
and How Organisations Globally and in New Zealand Not Investing Are Paying the Price
Make it stand out
In a world where businesses and educational institutions face mounting costs, the obvious solution often seems to be: hire more staff, train more, get consultants, and recruit more.
But what if the smarter move is not simply adding heads, but better supporting and building capability in the ones you already have — so they can tackle the root causes of stress, disengagement and drop-out?
In this blog we show how organisations are losing money because of poor wellbeing (for employees and students alike), and how investing in a strong employee/staff + student wellbeing system can deliver real savings and better outcomes.
The Problem: Hidden Costs of Poor Wellbeing
For Organisations (Workforce)
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety alone cause about 12 billion lost working days per year, with an economic cost of around US$1 trillion annually. (Mental health at work)
According to a recent award-winning article, improving global employee wellbeing could unlock up to US$11.7 trillion in economic value worldwide. (Wellbeing and Mental Health
Engagement matters: in the Gallup “State of the Global Workplace” report, global employee engagement dropped to 21% in 2024, with the decline tied to lost productivity costing the global economy around US$438 billion. (Engagement Recedes for the First Time in Four Years)
The global workplace wellness market is enormous (estimated at US$57.9 billion in 2023) and growing, yet many programs aren’t delivering the outcomes they promise (or any tangible outcomes). (65+ Critical Workplace Wellness Statistics of 2025)
Costly outcomes: One study found employee burnout costs employers between 0.2-2.9 times the average cost of health insurance and 3.3-17.1 times the average cost of employee training. (Employee burnout can cost employers millions each year)
For Students / Education & Training Providers
Across higher-education, the link between poor mental health/wellbeing and attrition is clear: for example, students receiving treatment for mental health problems are significantly more likely to drop out (in an Australian study: an adjusted increase of 4.3 percentage points). (Student mental health and dropout from higher education: an analysis of Australian administrative data)
In a survey of current and prospective students worldwide, 35% said they had considered leaving their programme in the past six months; of those, 54% cited emotional stress, and 43% mental health/poor wellbeing as the reason. (Mental Health, Stress Top Reasons Students Consider Leaving)
These drop-outs aren’t just individual losses, low retention, they represent wasted organisational investment, lost productivity, and lower return on national training/education efforts. (Consequences of Student Mental Health Issues)
For New Zealand Organisations and Education Providers
While global data demonstrates the immense scale of the problem, the same issues are being experienced and measured, here in New Zealand. Government research and official statistics make it clear that poor wellbeing is costing the country billions each year through lost productivity, rising absenteeism, and disengagement.
Workplace Impacts
·Mental distress is widespread: The Ministry of Health’s 2021–23 data show that 34.8% of adults experienced mild or greater symptoms of anxiety and/or depression in the past two weeks, up from 25% in 2016/17. (Ministry of Health – 2023 Mental Health Insights)
Absences are increasing. Stats NZ reported a sharp rise in the number of employed people away from work because of sickness, illness, or injury. 44,200 people were off work for a full week in March 2022, a 67% increase from the year before. (Stats NZ – More people away from work due to sickness)
Lost working days and productivity: Southern Cross Health Insurance and Business NZ’s Workplace Wellness Report 2023 found employees took an average of 5.5 days off per year, adding up to around 10 million working days lost and costing businesses an estimated NZ$2.86 billion annually. (Southern Cross/Business NZ Workplace Wellness Report 2023)
Burnout is widespread: A 2023 WorkSafe NZ psychosocial survey revealed that 72.5% of healthcare workers reported physical exhaustion, 67.7% emotional exhaustion, and 57.9% ongoing stress. (WorkSafe NZ – A Psychosocial Survey of Healthcare Workers)
Long-term impact: The government’s He Ara Oranga inquiry reported that 50–80% of New Zealanders will experience mental distress or addiction challenges in their lifetime, a figure that underscores the scale of the issue across both workforce and education sectors. (He Ara Oranga – Inquiry into Mental Health & Addiction)
Education Impacts
The same pressures show up in the education system. While national student mental-health cost data are still limited, local evidence indicates growing concern over disengagement, stress, and non-completions:
The Ministry of Education’s data show that school attendance fell to 46% of students attending regularly in Term 2 2023, the lowest on record, signalling increasing disengagement and potential future economic cost. (Ministry of Education – Attendance and Engagement Reports)
While some progress has been made on school attendance, these trends mirror global data showing that wellbeing-related stress and mental-health concerns directly contribute to student drop-out and reduced completion rates.
What This Means for New Zealand
Poor wellbeing among employees and students isn’t just a social issue; it’s an economic one.
With millions of working days lost and over a third of adults reporting mental-health distress, the costs of reactive management, rehiring, retraining, or handling drop-outs far outweigh the investment required to create an integrated Universal Wellbeing system.
The evidence shows that supporting staff and students early, identifying the root causes of distress, and embedding effective wellbeing systems across organisations not only improves people’s lives, it also protects the bottom line.
The Solution: A Universal Wellbeing System Approach
The evidence is clear, both globally and in New Zealand, that poor wellbeing has real financial, organisational, and human costs. The question every organisation, school, and tertiary/higher education institution should now ask is:
Would you rather keep paying recurring costs for absenteeism, turnover, and non-completion, or make a single structured investment in proactive prevention and early support?
A Universal Wellbeing System Approach provides that solution.
What a UNIVERSAL WELLBEING System Is?
A Universal Wellbeing system is a structured, evidence-based, proactive and custom system designed to identify, assess, and support the holistic wellbeing needs of people before problems become crises.
It includes:
Regular evidence-based wellbeing assessments (Universal Wellbeing Evaluation) that uncovers the root causes behind stress, disengagement, or performance decline.
Targeted organisational actions: workload management, improved communication, flexible working or study arrangements, and access to tailored support resources.
Measurable outcomes, trend tracking, risk identification, and ensuring support and interventions are working and appearing in pre-set measurements, not just guesstimates.
By combining early wellbeing screening with real-time insight, a Universal Wellbeing System prevents the pattern of “identify a problem → replace a person → repeat.”
The financial logic is simple.
Lower Absenteeism: Even a one-day reduction in average absence per employee saves thousands across an organisation.
Reduced Turnover: Recruiting and onboarding new employees costs 50–200% of the role’s salary. Supporting existing staff is far cheaper.
Improved Retention: In education, wellbeing-focused systems improve student completion rates and return and retention rates which lift institutional funding.
Higher Engagement and Productivity: Engaged employees and students perform better, achieve more, and stay longer, reducing hidden losses from underperformance or withdrawal.
A single, one-time investment in a Universal Wellbeing system can prevent years of recurring loss.
A New Model for New Zealand and Beyond
The New Zealand Treasury’s Living Standards Framework recognises that wellbeing is a key measure of national prosperity, not just GDP. That same principle applies to every organisation: productivity and performance are the outcomes of human wellbeing, not a replacements for it.
Investing in an integrated Universal Wellbeing System, whether in the workplace, school, or tertiary environment, transforms how outcomes are achieved. It shifts the focus from “cost of care” to “return on prevention.”
Real Impact Across Sectors
Corporate and Government: Reduced sick leave, lower staff churn, and improved engagement lead directly to cost savings and better service delivery.
Education and Training: Increased student retention, improved academic outcomes, and achieve better graduate employability plus lift institutional performance rating.
Health and Social Sectors: Reduced burnout among frontline workers means better client outcomes, higher workplace satisfaction, and less organisational turnover.
Community and Not-for-profit: Improved wellbeing leads to higher volunteer retention and more sustainable service delivery.
The Takeaway
The data from WHO to Stats NZ, all point in one direction: poor well-being is expensive. The longer organisations wait to act, the more they lose.
A Universal Wellbeing system turns those recurring losses into lasting gains, enabling healthier people, stronger teams, and more resilient institutions, and organisations.
Now is the time to move from recognition to action.
If your organisation or institution is ready to implement a proven, evidence-based Universal wellbeing system that saves money and supports people, contact us to explore how the Universal Wellbeing System approaches and the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool can work for you.
Global Demand, Local Impact
How FREEDOM’s Universal Wellbeing Education Is Meeting
international Needs
Things are changing fast in the field of wellbeing. Across education, healthcare, and the workplace, one thing is clear: we can no longer afford to treat wellbeing as an afterthought and we need to stay current.
More leaders are asking new questions. What exactly is wellbeing? How do we support our people to avoid burnout? How do we prevent disengagement before it shows up in turnover and poor productivity or achievement data? How do we robustly measure wellbeing in a way that supports action and improvement?
These leaders are not just looking for answers. They’re looking for evidence-based resources and approaches that work.
That’s where FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute comes in.
We education and train the people who lead wellbeing.
FREEDOM is a research institute specialising in professional development that’s practical, professional, prevention-focused, and ready to apply.
Our work is grounded in over 16 years of wellbeing research and shaped by real-world experience across education, health, government, business and social services.
We offer a suite of programmes that prepare professionals to lead comprehensive wellbeing systems, that include strategies, embed evidence-based measurement, and build cultures that care — without losing sight of performance, productivity, or the pressures of everyday work.
If you’re reading this because you searched for wellbeing education or training, coaching certification, pastoral care or professional wellbeing credentials and accreditations, or how to measure wellbeing in your school or workplace — welcome. We’re already working with people like you.
On offer in 2026:
Introductory:
Professional:
Certificate in Pastoral Care & Universal Wellbeing Coordination
Certificate in Universal Wellbeing Management
Our programmes are designed for:
School Principals, leadership staff overseeing student and staff wellbeing
HR, workplace wellbeing, and business managers
Health, social sector, and community service professionals
Clinicians, academics and researchers
CEOs, Directors and Senior Company leaders
Each programme comes with resources, system frameworks, and supports that will empower you to drive results and make a measurable difference.
How our approach is different:
Most wellbeing training focuses on awareness. Ours focuses on positive measurable outcomes.
We offer evidence-based resources you can actually use — like the UWET, a proven evaluation Tool for comprehensively measuring holistic wellbeing levels.
We help organisations move from reactive support to proactive, prevention-first approaches.
Our programmes are designed to support and empower the achievement of positive long-term impacts to wellbeing levels.
We’ve worked with schools, government agencies, and NGOs across the country, and we’re continuing to grow internationally through sector partnerships and demand.
A new kind of visibility
We’ve structured this article to speak clearly to the real questions people are asking — the ones that AI platforms, search engines, and decision-makers are paying attention to.
So if this post helped answer something you were already searching for, that’s by design — not because we wrote for algorithms, but because we’re responding to what professionals actually need.
Your next step starts here
If you’re ready to lead wellbeing in your space — not just talk about it — we’re here to support you.
Or reach out to talk about what could work for you or your team:
We believe that prevention isn’t optional — it’s essential. Let’s build it together.
Holiday Workshop Highlights Educators’ Dedication to Staff and Student Wellbeing
While most classrooms were quiet over the April school holidays, a group of passionate educators chose to spend their break investing in something just as important — staff and student wellbeing.
Hosted in Hamilton by the Freedom Wellbeing Institute, our free school wellbeing workshop introduced teachers and school leaders to two research-based systems: the Universal Wellbeing Model (UWM) and the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET).
These frameworks — co-developed by the Freedom Wellbeing Institute and New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute (NZCDI) — are the result of 16 years of research. They are designed to help schools understand, measure, and improve wellbeing outcomes using a prevention-first, system-based approach.
Learning That Sticks
Educators gave up a day of their holidays to take part in this hands-on workshop, showing extraordinary commitment to improving wellbeing in their school communities.
“The dedication these educators showed is inspiring, they’re not just talking about wellbeing — they’re actively building it.
”
Participants engaged in live case studies, collaborative planning, and practical training on how to apply the UWM and UWET in their everyday work — from classroom practice to staff development and whole-school culture planning.
📸 Pictured: Our April school wellbeing workshop participants with Director Susan Stevenson (centre).
💬 Real Feedback. Real Results.
“I put into practice daily the things I took away from the two Universal Wellbeing programmes — and I’ve also been able to share them with staff and friends.”
This reflects the core vision of the Universal Wellbeing Model: empowering people and organisations with practical tools to take evidence-based action.
What’s Next?
If you're a teacher, school leader, or education provider passionate about wellbeing — don’t miss the Prevention Imperative: Universal Wellbeing Conference 2025, happening in Auckland on 11–12 September 2025.
This national wellbeing conference will bring together educators, executives, and sector leaders for:
Prevention Is the Future:
New Zealand’s leading prevention-first event is here. Discover how the Universal Wellbeing Conference 2025 in Auckland will shape the country’s future with evidence-based strategies, cross-sector collaboration, and 16 years of wellbeing research.
Why This Auckland Conference Will Define New Zealand’s Wellbeing Strategy in 2025
Let’s be honest.
New Zealand’s current approach to health and wellbeing is no longer sustainable.
Burnout is becoming normal. Mental and physical health waitlists are overflowing. Staff turnover is rising across schools, hospitals, and community services. The ripple effects of poor health and wellbeing are everywhere — and they’re costing us dearly.
But what if we could prevent or reduce this?
This September, a landmark event is set to redefine how we tackle wellbeing in New Zealand. It’s not about quick fixes — it’s about building a national prevention strategy that works.
Welcome to The Prevention Imperative: New Zealand Universal Wellbeing Conference 2025 — the country’s leading event on prevention-first, evidence-based wellbeing systems.
Why Prevention — And Why Now?
You’ve heard it before: “prevention is better than cure.” But in New Zealand, prevention is still underfunded, misunderstood, and often left out of key policies and performance strategies.
That’s a missed opportunity.
- The data is clear: Investing in prevention saves lives, protects mental and physical health, improves equity, and reduces long-term costs across healthcare, education, and communities.
- The business case is stronger than ever: Every $1 invested in wellbeing prevention can return up to $14 in reduced absenteeism, healthcare costs, and increased productivity.
- The public expects more: Communities are tired of reactive systems. They want tools, models, information and leadership that actually prevents harms before they begin.
This is why the 2025 conference matters — because we can’t afford not to act.
What Makes This Conference Different?
This isn’t a motivational talk fest. It’s a practical, systems-focused event designed to support professionals, decision-makers, and leaders to implement lasting change.
Be part of creating New Zealand’s first ever Prevention Universal Wellbeing Charter.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Dates: 11–12 September 2025
Hosted by: FREE Research & Educational Equity Trust
Sponsored by:
FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute &
NZ Curriculum Design Institute (NZCDI)
You’ll get:
- Real-life information about current and needed prevention activities shared by practitioners, clinicians, and leaders across diverse sectors
- Insights into how the Universal Wellbeing Model provides a comprehensive framework for improving national wellbeing
- Opportunity to learn about the Universal Wellbeing Model and Evaluation Tool to measure and monitor outcomes
- National Charter Launch: Contribute to shaping a cross-sector prevention strategy for New Zealand
- Speakers taking action through research implementation and innovative practice
Built on 16 Years of Research: The Universal Wellbeing Model (UWM)
At the heart of the conference is the Universal Wellbeing Model, a six-dimensional, evidence-based framework that emerged from 16 years of research across education, health, social services, and workforce systems.
- Includes Social, Physical, Intellectual, Ethnic & Cultural, Emotional, and Spiritual wellbeing
- Designed for use by individuals, families, organisations, communities, and government settings
- Supported by the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET) — a practical method for identifying strengths and harms to wellbeing
This is what New Zealand’s wellbeing sector has been waiting for: a tool that’s ready to use, scalable, and supports Universal Wellbeing Literacy.
Who Should Attend?
This conference is for people who want to be part of lasting, measurable change:
- Government & Policy Advisors — shape the future of our national wellbeing aspirations
- Health, Education, Business & Community Leaders — implement a prevention strategy in your organisation
- HR, People & Culture Managers — integrate wellbeing into systems with clarity and data
- Academics, Evaluators, and Researchers — looking for evidence-based tools to support impact
- Wellbeing Practitioners — working at the coal face of client-centric systems change
Be Part of the Paradigm Shift — Not Just a Spectator. Your Voice Matters.
This isn’t just an event to attend. It’s a platform to support prevention leaders.
You’ll walk away with:
- Insights and tools you can apply immediately
- Frameworks that support funding bids, organisational culture developments, and board reporting
- Language to push outdated views of wellbeing beyond “nice to have” and into evidence-informed strategy
- National-level connections across sectors
This is the kind of event that changes lives and organisations — and in the long run, provides higher, associative, and truly holistic thinking.
Ready to Lead the Next Chapter of Prevention Universal Wellbeing in NZ?
Early Bird Tickets Available Until 1 August 2025
Let’s build our prevention-first mindset in New Zealand — together.