Fighting stigma in the workplace
Xero chief executive urges Kiwi firms to do more for their staff’s mental health after battling his own demons
Atop Kiwi boss says businesses need to do a much better job of looking after workers’ mental health. Xero New Zealand chief executive Craig Hudson has battled his own mental health issues and saw it as his duty to reduce some of the stigma.
Hudson said there had been times earlier in his career when he’d “contemplated not coming home” and thought his family would be better off without him. He’d also been told in a previous job “to not bring your baggage to work”.
“For me, that’s ridiculous. The statistics here in New Zealand are ridiculous, not only from a suicide perspective but also from a mental health perspective. We [need to] realise we’ve got a collective responsibility to look after each other in a work environment,” Hudson said.
Being a younger executive, Hudson said he had an ability to break the mould.
“You have to be quite brave to tackle something like this and raise it in a position of leadership where traditionally the stigma around mental health is [that it’s] a weakness and could be potentially career limiting and if you talk you’re going to get judged,” he said.
Xero is today launching a new “wellbeing leave” policy, under which its staff can access personal leave for their wellbeing and mental health. Hudson, who leads a team of more than 1000 people at the accounting software firm in this country, said the policy would go some way to making people realise “it’s okay to not be okay”.
“Mental health is exactly the same as having a cold [and the policy means] you’re able to take time to look after yourself,” he said.
Hudson said it’s important for companies to address mental health as performance can be affected when they are struggling. “[Mental health] also has an impact on overall bottom line performance as well, because your ability to be able to bring your truer self to work when you’re struggling is impacted,” Hudson said. “Without your people you don’t have a business.” And while it might be Mental Health Awareness Week this week, Hudson said the matter needs ongoing attention. “It shouldn’t just be a one day thing, it should be an ongoing engagement across all employees around the country,” he said.