Because of the physical and mental exhaustion that employees feel, a wave of resignations is looming in New Zealand, one study suggests.

In fact, one in four employees across Aotearoa are considering quitting their job in the next 12 months. As such, companies may need to rethink how they manage their people and put more emphasis on employee well-being.

Most workers polled point to the workplace stress they had experienced just in the past quarter, EMA and nib's annual Workplace Wellbeing Survey showed.

The study was conducted among 1,200 workers. This is the second time that EMA and nib partnered to find out the sentiments of workers across the country.

The respondents said pressures in the workplace negatively impacted their physical, psychological, and emotional well-being. Meanwhile, the top effects of stress, the survey added, were exhaustion, anxiety, and difficulty in concentrating.

Asked about the factors that they were looking for in their future employers, the respondents said flexible working, career development, regular performance feedback, and well-being initiatives.

According to the study, most employees who had been feeling pressured were female or LGBTQ+ members, under 30, or those in middle management affected by the gap between strategy and operations.

EMA Chief Executive Brett O'Riley said one of the main causes of workplace pressure may be understaffing, which frequently results in poor work-life balance for employees, forcing them to work longer shifts.

Rob Hennin, CEO at nib, also said companies must take a proactive approach to employee well-being so that they can help staff stay healthy, productive, and engaged at work.

"Well-being is about physical, mental, and social health. It's important that workplaces put policies and initiatives in place that support employees," Hennin said, emphasising the need for work flexibility.