As colder, stormier weather rolls in across New Zealand, it often brings the winter blues and flus with it. Common winter symptoms like lower energy, more sick days, and bugs circulating the office can be anticipated, so it’s worth getting ahead of them.

Here are five tips to keep your team healthy and happy this winter.

1. Remind people of the basics

It sounds simple, but people do forget, especially after summer.

Clear, consistent reminders go a long way. Encourage your team to follow Health New Zealand’s guidelines, such as:

Staying home when they’re unwell
Washing and drying hands properly (at least 20 seconds for each), or using hand sanitiser
Keeping up to date with flu vaccinations

The flu vaccine is available from 1 April each year and is free for some groups in New Zealand.

You can support this with simple internal comms, posters or regular team reminders. It’s also a good time to reinforce general wellbeing habits like sleep, nutrition and hydration, as small actions make a big difference when illness hits.

If you don’t already have some winter wellbeing comms, don’t worry, we have some for you to use:

Winter Wellbeing Flyer – great for around-the-office reminders.
Winter Wellbeing Reminder Email – you can customise to suit.

2. Watch out for the “power through” trap

No one plans to get sick, and it’s never convenient. But it happens, and your culture needs to reflect that understanding.

A workplace where people feel they need to “push through” illness often leads to more burnout and the whole office getting sick. What feels productive at the time usually creates bigger disruption later.

Make it clear that taking sick leave is supported and expected when needed. Reinforce your policies in a straightforward, supportive way, and avoid rewarding behaviour that encourages people to work while unwell.

A healthy team culture is one where people feel comfortable prioritising their health.

3. Support flexibility and working from home

If your workplace allows it, flexibility can make a big difference during winter.

Encouraging employees to work from home when they’re mildly unwell helps limit the spread of illness, while still allowing them to work if they feel up to it. More importantly, it removes the pressure to come into the office when they shouldn’t.

A clear and trusted approach to flexible working helps protect the wider team.

4. Create a healthy office environment

Your physical environment plays a key role in keeping people well.

Focus on:

Keeping spaces warm and dry
Improving ventilation where possible
Providing hand sanitiser and cleaning supplies
Increasing cleaning of shared surfaces and encouraging employees to do the same

Simple additions, such as healthy snacks and warm drinks, can also support wellbeing during colder months.

5. Plan ahead (and learn from last year)

Winter illness is predictable, so treat it that way.

Look back at what worked (and what didn’t) last year, and plan:

Build up your bench by cross-training team members to cover key roles
Make sure systems and information are accessible so work can continue without key individuals. This also prevents sick staff from being bothered by others for menial things like passwords or task guidance.
Anticipate periods of lower capacity
Ensure employees are set up properly to work from home if needed

A bit of preparation can prevent a lot of disruption when illness inevitably hits, and it allows people who are off sick to actually rest.

Ultimate tip

If you take one final piece of advice away, it’s this: look after your people.

Supporting wellbeing doesn’t stop at winter, but it’s a good place to start.

Take care of your people year-round with Boost Benefits, designed to support your team so they can perform at their best.