Do Workplace Wellbeing Progammes Work? The CentrePort Case Study
- Philly Powell
- Dec 3, 2025
- 8 min read
In this candid workplace wellbeing case study, I speak with Megan Elmiger (General Manager People, Safety & Marine) and Kathryn Akanoa (Executive Assistant) about CentrePort’s journey to Wellbeing Tick Accreditation.
They share the raw and real experience of moving from tokenistic wellbeing gestures to a genuinely connected, culture-shaping approach.
Megan and Kathryn open up about early cynicism, reducing stigma around mental health, the rise of wellbeing champions, and the unexpected ripple effects seen even in the most traditionally stoic teams.
Their stories reveal how authentic leadership, trust, and employee-driven initiatives have driven meaningful progress, showcasing the evolution, achievements, and quiet cultural transformation that has unfolded along the way.
About CentrePort
Tell us a bit about CentrePort. What’s your role, and what’s your team responsible for?
Megan: “CentrePort is a medium-sized port company in Wellington operating across shipping, logistics, and marine services. We have around 260 people, soon to be about 290 with a new shipping service in February next year, which we’re really excited about. We’re heading into recruiting mode – great for the economy, the regions, and the community.
We provide a range of services through teams in Port Operations, Marine Services, Corporate Services, Infrastructure, Health and Safety, and People. Some staff work 24/7 on roster, while others are office-based. Some spend their days in an office 8:30–5, while many work outdoors in all kinds of weather keeping goods and services flowing in and out of Wellington.”
What initially sparked your interest in workplace wellbeing?
Megan: “My interest grew from seeing the difference it makes when people feel genuinely cared for. I believe in authentic leadership and feel for people as humans, not just employees. Early in my military career I saw the positive and negative impacts of workplace cultures, which motivated me to build environments where people thrive – not just survive.”
Kathryn: “We spend a lot of time at work, so it’s about helping people enjoy their work and environment. I love the people side of my role, learning their stories, and exploring how we can make the workplace better for everyone as individuals.”
Initial Wellbeing Challenges
What were the biggest wellbeing challenges your team faced before working with Wellbeing First?
Megan: “When I stepped into CentrePort, the wellbeing initiatives were quite tokenistic. They existed, but didn’t really resonate with people. With such a diverse workforce – office-based versus operational teams outdoors – perceptions of wellbeing were very different. Most initiatives were generic and focused on office staff, which unintentionally reinforced an us vs them mindset. Communication was largely one-way, top-down, and didn’t involve people’s ideas or feedback, so it wasn’t fit for purpose.”
How were these challenges affecting your team or business outcomes?
Megan: “That approach made it hard to bring everyone together. Office staff could participate in activities during the day, but operational teams often couldn’t. It was challenging to create initiatives that everyone felt connected to, which impacted engagement and team cohesion.”
Can you share a story that illustrates these challenges?
Megan: “Even now, when we organise events and invite staff to bring their partners, it works well for some, but our Operations and Marine teams often miss out due to work commitments. While communication and initiatives have improved, we still have work to do to create a truly inclusive wellbeing culture that reaches everyone.”
Why CentrePort chose Wellbeing Tick
What were you hoping to achieve by working through the Wellbeing Tick Accreditation?
Megan: “Our main goal was to bring consistency and connection to our wellbeing approach. We wanted initiatives to reach and resonate with everyone – from people on the wharf or vessels to office and leadership teams. That connection up, down, and across the business wasn’t there, and we needed guidance to do better.”
Kathryn: “For me, having a framework and accreditation to work towards gives us goals and direction, which has been a big help.”
Megan: “Absolutely. The accreditation helped us see what we were doing well and where the gaps were. It’s focused our attention, brought the whole business together, and made everyone feel invested in the program.”
Were there outcomes beyond consistency and connection?
Megan: “At an executive level, it was about finding the balance between work and home. Asking the right questions and getting to know people better has stimulated conversations, built trust, and created a cohesive workforce. That trust is vital in a sometimes dangerous environment and contributes to our low attrition and people returning after time away.”
What have you found most valuable about the Wellbeing Tick Accreditation?
Megan: “The framework helps us measure where we are and where we can improve, turning token or ad hoc efforts into structured, measurable work that keeps people at the heart. Philly as an external provider gives us confidence that our efforts are aligned to our specific wellbeing challenges and have real impact.”
What stood out about the Wellbeing Tick approach compared to other solutions?
Kathryn: “The structure and holistic approach to wellbeing and psychosocial risk make a huge difference. It helps us see what we’re doing, what we’re not, and how to improve.”
Megan: “Philly is practical and adaptable. It’s not just a tick-box exercise – it’s helped us understand our people and how wellbeing fits into our daily port reality. Philly tailors the journey, makes it a partnership, and even makes it fun, which is rare when reporting to Boards or Executives.”
How has the business engaged with Wellbeing Tick?
Megan: “People are more willing to talk about wellbeing and how they’re really feeling. It’s moved from something for office staff to something for everyone. We’ve woven it into our employee value proposition, showing we genuinely care, which strengthens culture, engagement, and enjoyment at work.”
Impact & Outcomes
What positive changes have you noticed since working with Wellbeing First?
Megan: “We’re getting more feedback and seeing more two-way conversations. Peer supporters are contributing to robust discussions, and people are sharing their own ideas, like organising a Saturday tramp. Wellbeing is becoming everyone’s responsibility, not just the Wellbeing Team, which shows growing maturity.”
Can you give examples of impact?
Megan: “Some employees have been having tough personal times, but peers are using toolbox talks at the start of shifts to check in on each other. These daily conversations allow support to be offered meaningfully rather than ignoring issues. A few pockets of the business are really embracing these check-ins, which is really cool.”
Can you sense a reduction in stigma around mental health and wellbeing?
Kathryn: “Definitely. People can speak to Peer Supporters or leaders openly. Seeing approachable leaders, like Megan, makes a huge difference – she’s not the scary HR manager, and people feel comfortable talking to her.”
Megan: “We’re having more conversations, helped by internal comms. Dom interviews staff and shares stories on Our Port intranet, weaving in wellbeing content. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but we’re making progress.”
Kathryn: “One Wellbeing Champion shared why he’d been off for personal reasons and how he got help. It was great to see him being real, showing people can bring their true selves to work.”
Megan: “He also knows there’s a lot of support around him, which he genuinely appreciated.”
Do you feel like the work that you're doing in the wellbeing space is having a ripple effect on broader culture?
Megan: “Yeah, definitely. Because people are engaged with our bWell programme and inadvertently they're engaged with culture, conversations and engagement across the whole of the business. Our survey results also indicate that our employee’s perception of work-life balance has increased 16% in 2025 and nearly two thirds of employees feel that we’re making progress in developing a wellbeing culture and supporting their wellbeing since commencing the Wellbeing Tick journey.”
Advice for other Organisations
How has this experience changed the way your organisation thinks about wellbeing?
Megan: “We’re now weaving wellbeing into everything we do. It’s no longer an afterthought – it’s integral to business as usual. Wellbeing is considered across the whole business, not just our team, which is a massive change.”
What advice would you give other companies considering a similar approach?
Megan: “Start by understanding your people – surveys are a great start. Progress happens when wellbeing feels relevant and accessible to everyone, not just those already interested. The Wellbeing Tick process helps step back, reflect, and bring structure. Then crack on and maintain the momentum.”
What has been the most valuable part of working with us to date?
Megan: “The partnership itself. Philly understands that workplaces are complex, providing practical advice, flexibility, and encouragement. That’s made the experience meaningful and sustainable.”
Kathryn: “Philly has been a massive help, acting as a sounding board outside the business, giving guidance, ideas, and a steer in the right direction.”
CentrePort’s Strengths
CentrePort’s success in workplace wellbeing comes from a combination of strong leadership, engaged teams, and well-structured initiatives. According to Philly, these strengths – from momentum and committee engagement to robust frameworks and clear communications – have been key to embedding wellbeing across the organisation.
Momentum – Regular meetings and continued progress against actions led by project lead
United team – Well-resourced and strong capability with good representation across People and Comms teams, working to each other’s strengths
Wellbeing Committee – Highly engaged group of champions that are being set up for success through structured regular meetings and formal training
bWell Framework – Excellent holistic workplace wellbeing framework that has been designed with employee input and industry research that integrates with existing frameworks (bSafe)
Wellbeing Benefits – Wellbeing as a stand-alone pillar of EVP
Physical wellbeing initiatives – An appetite for physically related initiatives is being responded to and people are very engaged in these activities
Fatigue Management & Sleep – Well researched Policy taking shape and a variety of initiatives like the quiet room and referral program running
Communications – A huge benefit having Comms on the team to help communicate all of the initiatives and messaging
Wellbeing as a core pillar of CentrePort's Employee Value Proposition
Key takeaways from CentrePort’s Workplace Wellbeing Case Study
CentrePort’s journey shows how a thoughtful, values-driven approach to wellbeing can transform workplace culture. From reducing stigma to embedding employee-led initiatives, these key takeaways highlight the strategies and practices that have driven meaningful, sustainable impact:
1. Moving Beyond Tokenistic Wellbeing
Centreport shifted from surface-level wellbeing initiatives to a more authentic, connected approach that genuinely shapes culture. Early scepticism and cynicism were overcome through consistent leadership commitment and employee-driven initiatives.
2. Psychological Safety and Reducing Stigma
The organisation actively worked to reduce stigma around mental health, creating a safer environment for employees to speak up and seek support.
3. Employee-Driven Wellbeing Champions
Wellbeing champions were appointed across the business, helping to cascade initiatives and embed wellbeing into daily practices rather than relying solely on formal HR-led programs.
4. Leadership Role in Culture Change
Authentic leadership was critical. Leaders modelling vulnerability, trust, and care sparked wider engagement and encouraged teams to participate in wellbeing initiatives.
5. Ripple Effects Across Teams
Even traditionally stoic teams started engaging, showing that a values-driven approach can permeate the organisation and lead to subtle but impactful cultural transformation.
6. Measurable and Sustainable Impact
The approach went beyond feel-good activities, creating a foundation for long-term, sustainable wellbeing improvements that are embedded into Centreport’s culture.
Ready to transform your workplace’s wellbeing approach?
CentrePort’s journey shows that workplace wellbeing isn’t just a box to tick – it’s a strategic, values-driven approach that builds trust, engagement, and a thriving culture across the whole organisation.
If you’re ready to move beyond tokenistic initiatives and create a wellbeing strategy that truly connects with your people, book an introductory chat with Philly today to explore how Wellbeing Tick can improve your business culture, performance and productivity.
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