Victoria University Longitudinal Study in partnership with HeyPenny

Victoria University of Wellington is running a major longitudinal study to understand how leader-led 1:1 check-in conversations can predict and improve employee wellbeing, engagement, and performance.

Instead of relying on traditional surveys alone for collecting employee insights, this study is testing whether the insights captured from 1:1 check-in conversations can provide greater insights into what’s helping people thrive and what’s getting in the way.

This research is grounded in the internationally recognised Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model, which explains how job demands (like workload and stress) drain wellbeing, while job resources (like support and recognition) drive engagement and performance.

This will be the first study of its kind in Aotearoa, and one of the first globally, to validate conversational data as a scientific measure of wellbeing and performance.

How the study works:

Each participating organisation takes part for six months:

1. Monthly check-ins. Leaders use HeyPenny within their existing 1:1s. No extra meetings.

2. Three short employee surveys. At the start, three months in, and at the end.

3. Outcome data. Organisations share agreed, de-identified measures such as turnover and absenteeism.