Psychosocial risk assessment for New Zealand frontline workplaces
Short answer: WorkSafe New Zealand says businesses should identify psychosocial hazards with their workers, assess the risks, put controls in place and keep reviewing them. For teams who don't sit at a desk, WellbeingSolutions combines three things in one service: personalised SMS check-ins with no app to download, triage to your chosen professional support, and a confidential psychosocial risk assessment informed by ISO 45003 guidance. Staff need a mobile phone that can receive a text. They don't need an app, a login or a work email.
Why not another app?
Apps suit some people, but use tends to fall away fast:
- In a peer-reviewed study of 93 popular mental health apps, a median of 3.3% of users were still opening the app 30 days after installing it (Baumel et al., JMIR 2019).
- A systematic review led by New Zealand researchers found that completion or sustained use of real-world digital self-help programs and apps for depression, anxiety or low mood ranged from 0.5% to 28.6% of users (Fleming et al., JMIR 2018).
A text needs nothing to install, nothing to remember and no work email address. That matters for retail, hospitality, care, logistics and council teams on rosters and shifts.
How it works
- Check-ins by text. You write your own check-in and send it to a whole workforce, one site or one team.
- Instant reply and triage. When someone replies "No", they get a warm reply straight away and are flagged for support.
- Your professional support follows up. Your EAP or in-house support is notified and records a support action and follow-up. If a follow-up isn't updated in time, the business admin is alerted to reassign it, without seeing the person's details.
- The psychosocial risk assessment. A confidential assessment informed by ISO 45003 guidance. It takes 8 to 12 minutes, is sent by text, email or QR code, and doesn't ask for personal information.
- Leaders see anonymised trends, not names. Use the findings with your workers to prioritise controls, assign owners and review progress.
Where it fits with WorkSafe's guidance
WorkSafe's guidelines suggest asking workers about hazards through surveys, focus groups or existing workplace information, and say risk management is ongoing, not a one-off task. They also say general wellbeing support sits alongside managing psychosocial risks, not instead of it. Regular check-ins and a yearly assessment give you ongoing information to talk through with your workers. ISO 45003 is voluntary guidance. The assessment is a practical review, not a certificate or a legal sign-off.
Privacy by design
- Each business sets roles. Individual replies and history are visible to professional support, not to managers.
- A business admin can send check-ins but can't see replies.
- Data is hosted on AWS in the Asia Pacific (Sydney) region.
AI-4U support navigation
In New Zealand, AI-4U is an AI web chat that guides people to support. It's a navigation tool, not counselling, diagnosis or an emergency service.
Pricing
The psychosocial risk assessment is a yearly add-on from $2,995 a year for up to 100 staff, excl GST. See pricing
Free 2-week pilot: SMS check-ins and AI-4U, up to 10 staff. Start your free pilot
Questions we hear
What is a psychosocial risk assessment?
WorkSafe New Zealand describes it as determining how likely harm from a psychosocial hazard is and how serious it could be, with your workers and their representatives involved.
Do staff need to download an app?
No. Check-ins are sent by SMS and staff reply by text. The assessment is sent by text, email or QR code.
Do staff need a work email?
No. A mobile phone that can receive a text is enough.
Who sees individual replies?
Your chosen professional support, such as your EAP. Leaders see anonymised trends, not names.
Is the assessment based on a standard?
It's informed by ISO 45003 guidance. ISO 45003 is voluntary guidance, and the assessment isn't a certificate.
Can we try it before we buy?
Yes. NZ organisations can run a free 2-week pilot of SMS check-ins and AI-4U for up to 10 staff. The assessment isn't part of the pilot.
This page summarises public information and is not legal advice. Last checked 31 October 2026.