Workplaces play a critical role in promoting mental health and general wellbeing. With an estimated 25% of the workforce diagnosed with mental health issues, there is a need now more than ever for programmes to be put in place to reduce the stress of employees.
For this very reason, Xero have developed a new pilot programme called XAP or the Xero Assistance Programme, in order to provide mental health support to small kiwi businesses.
This pilot programme will be available free of charge through Xero’s global provider, Benestar, and initially offered to 5,000 small business owners, their employees and their families.
Users will have access to face-to-face, telephone and online counselling, as well as the Benehub and Benestar app.
Xero view it as an opportunity to step up and help small businesses who, unlike their larger corporate counterparts, do not have access to funded support and counselling that is usually made available in bigger workplaces.
This is the first step taken by Xero to try and help support the mental health of Kiwi small businesses. Keep an eye out for more details on this new initiative as it develops.