Musculoskeletal injuries are one of the biggest health and safety challenges facing New Zealand’s health and disability workforce. That’s why we’re excited to share that the Move Well Initiative is now live, providing a free suite of practical resources designed to help organisations reduce injuries, improve wellbeing, and create healthier workplaces.
Download the Move Well resources here
What is Move Well?
Move Well is a collection of easy-to-use moving and handling resources developed specifically for the health and disability sector. The initiative aims to:
- Reduce musculoskeletal injuries
- Decrease time lost due to workplace injury
- Improve kaimahi wellbeing and job satisfaction
- Strengthen workplace health and safety practices
The resources are practical, accessible, and ready to use, making it easy for organisations of all sizes to support safer ways of working.
Why Move Well Matters
Musculoskeletal injuries have a significant impact on both workers and employers. WorkSafe estimates there were more than 26,000 lifting and carrying injuries in New Zealand’s health and disability sector in a single year.
Behind every injury is a support worker whose health and wellbeing may be affected, along with impacts on their whānau, colleagues, employers, and the people they support. These injuries also contribute to thousands of lost workdays across the sector each year.
Move Well was created to help address these challenges through a strong focus on injury prevention, workplace wellbeing, and safer moving and handling practices.
Three Key Areas of Focus
Awareness Drive
Move Well helps organisations understand the personal and organisational costs of musculoskeletal injuries. The resources build awareness and encourage meaningful conversations about workplace safety and injury prevention.
Focus on Leaders
Leaders play a critical role in creating safe workplaces. Move Well provides guidance for leaders at all levels, helping them understand their responsibilities in injury prevention, incident reporting, and supporting kaimahi following an injury.
Skills for Kaimahi
Move Well includes practical training that empowers kaimahi to take an active role in protecting their own wellbeing. The resources focus on injury prevention strategies, safe work practices, and building confidence in everyday tasks.
Built for the Health and Disability Sector
Whether you’re a support worker, team leader, manager, or health and safety champion, Move Well provides tools that can be implemented immediately to create safer working environments.
Developed with input from sector organisations and experts, the resources are designed to be relevant, practical, and easy to apply in real-world settings.
Free Resources Available Now
We’re proud to see Move Well launched and available across Aotearoa. These resources have the potential to make a real difference by improving safety, reducing injury risks, and strengthening workplace wellbeing.
We acknowledge the support of the Workforce Future Fund – Tahua Rāngaimahi Anamata for the funding and Inspire Group for development support, and the many organisations that contributed to the development of Move Well.
Download the Free Resources
Access the full suite of Move Well resources here
Together, we can create safer, healthier workplaces for the kaimahi who provide essential support to New Zealanders every day.
