J.P. Girard and Sara Marchese - The Gaming Industry: A Strategic Plan for Mitigating Gambling-Related Harm & Enhancing Employee and Workplace Wellness
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J.P. Girard and Sara Marchese - The Gaming Industry: A Strategic Plan for Mitigating Gambling-Related Harm & Enhancing Employee and Workplace Wellness Presented at the New Horizons in Responsible Gambling Conference in Vancouver, February 2-4, 2015
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J.P. Girard and Sara Marchese - The Gaming Industry: A Strategic Plan for Mitigating Gambling-Related Harm & Enhancing Employee and Workplace Wellness
- 3. Mr. JP Girard and Ms. Sara Marchese Partner, Prairie Region, Morneau Shepell Team Lead, Clinical Manager, Morneau Shepell
- 5. The Gaming Industry: A Strategic Plan for Mitigating Gambling- related Harm & Enhancing Employee and Workplace Wellness New Horizons Conference , Vancouver, BC February 2, 2015 Presented by: JP Girard, Partner, Prairie Region, Morneau Shepell Sara Marchese, Team Lead – Clinical Manager, Professional Services, Morneau Shepell
- 6. Morneau Shepell6 Confidential – Not for Distribution Facilitators JP Girard Partner, Prairie Region, Morneau Shepell • Background in Health and Benefits Consulting, • Certificate in Global Benefits Management • Worked as a Benefits Manager for Fairmont Hotels, Krieger & Associates, as well as Casino Nova Scotia. • Experience with Morneau Shepell includes VP, International and Atlantic, Regional Director, Business Development for the Atlantic region, and Manager, Eastern and Global ESS teams. Sara Marchese Team Lead – Clinical Manager, Professional Services, Morneau Shepell • Over 20 years’ experience providing clinical support • Oversees Morneau Shepell’s responsible gambling initiatives and services across Canada • Develops and implements customized addiction– related and clinical protocols for Canadian and US Domestic clients
- 7. Morneau Shepell7 Confidential – Not for Distribution Agenda 1 2 3 Gaming industry: Employee Support and Breadth of Services Gambling-related and Mental Health Risks for Gaming Industry Employees Gaming Industry: EFAP Clientele Mental Health Trends 4 Recommendations for a Progressive Mental Health Strategy
- 8. Gaming Industry: Breadth of Services and Employee Support Solutions
- 9. Morneau Shepell9 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry Expertise • Best in class, tailor-made Employee and Family Assistance Programming • Gaming industry clients include with various provincial governments/bodies across Canada such as casinos, race tracks, lottery and gaming corporations and commissions
- 10. Morneau Shepell10 Confidential – Not for Distribution Employee & Family Assistance Programs Workplace Training Targeted Health Programs Employee Support Solutions
- 11. Morneau Shepell11 Confidential – Not for Distribution Excellence, Innovation & Success Highest Quality & Largest Network Industry Leading Innovation Mental Health Excellence
- 12. Gambling-Related Harm and Mental Health Risks for Gaming Employees
- 13. Morneau Shepell13 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry Employees: At Risk? Gaming Industry Employee Mental Health Trends Overall Health of the Workforce Impact on the Public they Serve
- 14. Morneau Shepell14 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry Employees: A Review of Recent Research Gaming Industry Employees Correlational or Causal relationship between being an employee in gaming industry and problem gambling? Higher risk of mental health issues and problem gambling behaviours? Are individuals at risk for problem gambling attracted to working within the gaming industry? Responsible gambling training initiatives = mitigated risk?
- 15. Morneau Shepell15 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry Employees: A Review of Recent Research Continued… Problem Gambler Patrons Casino and Gaming Industry Employees
- 16. Morneau Shepell16 Confidential – Not for Distribution Organizational initiatives to promote well-being Personal and Workplace Factors Prevalence of mental health and/or addiction-related concerns Initiatives aimed at mitigating gambling-related harm amongst the public Gaming employees and the variables at play in their choices and attitudes Gaming Industry Employees: A Review of Recent Research Continued…
- 17. Morneau Shepell17 Confidential – Not for Distribution Personal and Workplace Factors Impacting Mental Fitness of Gaming Employees Evidence of prevalence of mental health and/or addiction- related concerns for gaming employees and dependents Gaming Industry Employees: A Review of Recent Research Continued…
- 18. Morneau Shepell18 Confidential – Not for Distribution Organizational Initiatives to Promote Well-being of Gaming Employees and Their Families Enhancing the role of EAPs in identifying and addressing mental health issues Increasing health promotion and education through channels other than company EAPs Creating smoke-free working areas Identifying workplace risk and protective factors for gambling problems amongst gambling venue employees
- 19. Gaming Industry: EFAP Clientele Mental Health Trends YOU Intellectual Physical Social / Cultural EnvironmentalOccupational Spiritual Emotional
- 20. Morneau Shepell20 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Study sample included: • Individual employees and dependents from 60 different Gaming industry partners • 9763 individual evaluated by gender and age group
- 21. Morneau Shepell21 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Continued… Mental Health Trends for Gaming Industry Employees’ and Dependents’ Presenting Issues and Counselling Accesses Presenting Issue Category National Norms 2013 Total Cases for Gaming Industry 2013 Total Cases for Gaming Industry 2014 (YTD Ending Sept 30, 2014) Addiction Related 3.71% 5.17% 4.33% Couple/Relationship 24.08% 26.68% 23.08% Family 13.04% 13.65% 13.27% Personal/Emotional 45.33% 44.10% 47.07% Work-Related 13.83% 10.40% 12.26%
- 22. Morneau Shepell22 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Continued… 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Counselling Services for Gaming Industry National Norms 2013 Total Cases for Gaming Industry 2013 Total Cases for Gaming Industry 2014 (YTD Ending Sept 30, 14)
- 23. Morneau Shepell23 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Continued… 0.0% 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0% 2.5% 3.0% Addiction Other Alcohol Drug Gambling Other's Addiction Smoking Addiction Related for Gambling Industry National Norms 2013 Total Cases for Addiction 2013 % Total Cases for Addiction 2014 YTD %
- 24. Morneau Shepell24 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Continued… 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% Couple/Relationship for Gambling Industry National Norms - Couple/Relationship 2013 Total Cases for Couple/Relationship 2013 Total Cases for Couple/Relationship 2014
- 25. Morneau Shepell25 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Continued… Mental Health Trends for Gaming Industry Employees and Dependents Presenting Issues and Counselling Accesses Presenting Issue Category National Norms 2013 Total Cases for Gaming Industry 2013 Total Cases for Gaming Industry 2014 (YTD Ending Sept 30, 14) Personal/Emotional 45.33% 44.10% 47.07% Abuse 0.79% 0.81% 0.98% Anger Issues 1.33% 1.79% 1.78% Anxiety 6.33% 5.70% 5.90% Depression 5.99% 5.51% 5.17% Grief 2.60% 2.82% 2.62% Life Stages 2.67% 2.91% 2.37% Mental Health Condition 1.23% 1.28% 1.29% Other 2.51% 2.51% 1.71% Post Trauma 1.39% 1.25% 1.85% Self Esteem 0.89% 0.63% 0.49% Social Isolation 0.09% 0.09% 0.17% Stress 18.85% 18.16% 22.07% Suicidal Risk 0.64% 0.63% 0.66%
- 26. Morneau Shepell26 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Continued… Mental Health Trends for Gaming Industry Employees and Dependents Modalities of Choice Service Type Modality Type Number of Accesses in 2013 and 2014 YTD Percent of Total Accesses in 2013 and 2014 YTD Consultation 997 14.82% First Chat 50 0.74% Coach Chat 340 5.05% Health and Wellness Resources 754 11.21% Online Tools 560 8.33% Video Counselling 36 0.53% Telecounselling 1038 15.43% In Person Counselling 2780 41.33% Grand Total 6725
- 27. Morneau Shepell27 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends Mental Health Trends for Gaming Industry Employees and Dependents Goal Attainment Goal Attainment Number of EFAP Cases Percentage of Overall EFAP Cases Goal Attained 2746 66.23% Goal Partially Attained 1087 26.22% Not Attained 245 5.91% Not Applicable 68 1.64% Grand Total 4146 100%
- 28. Morneau Shepell28 Confidential – Not for Distribution Gaming Industry: EFAP Mental Health Trends vs. Research Trends ALCOHOL DRUG OTHERS’ ADDICTION GAMBLING ADDICTION - OTHER ADDICTION ISSUES
- 29. A Progressive Mental Health Strategy
- 30. Morneau Shepell30 Confidential – Not for Distribution Sources of the Problem Life Issues Stress/Emotional Relationships Legal/ Financial AddictionsHealth Issues Heart Health Nutrition Sleeping Depression Work Issues Environmental Interpersonal Job-Related Lateness Withdrawal Mood Swings Emotional outbursts Troubled employee in the workplace Workplace symptoms are only the “tip of the iceberg”
- 31. Morneau Shepell31 Confidential – Not for Distribution EMPLOYEES • People Leader Orientation and Training • People Leader Support Tools • Traumatic Event Support • Manager Tool Kits • My EAP app • Accessible support 24/7/365 LEADERSHIP TEAM EMPLOYEES • Employee Orientation • Self-Directed Tools • Self-Directed Learning • My EAP app • Accessible support 24/7/365 FAMILY MEMBERS • Self-Directed Tools • Self-Directed Learning • My EAP app • Accessible support 24/7/365 LEADERSHIP TEAM FAMILY MEMBERS Communication Strategy: Our Best Practices Approach
- 32. Morneau Shepell32 Confidential – Not for Distribution Communication Strategy: Our Best Practices Approach Continued… Confidentiality, Communication & Awareness Help for those that have trouble asking…
- 33. Morneau Shepell33 Confidential – Not for Distribution Excellence, Innovation & Success ACCOUNTABILITY RESPONSIVENESS DELIVERY EXPERTISE
- 34. Morneau Shepell34 Confidential – Not for Distribution Essential components of a successful EFAP program Our partnership, our expertise, our tools. Your culture, goals and needs. Comprehensive Organizational Needs Assessment and Consultation Implementation Plan Development Plan Execution – ongoing education and awareness campaigns Regular EFAP Review – program maintenance and enhancements
- 35. Morneau Shepell35 Confidential – Not for Distribution Recommendations for a Focus on Mental Health in the Workplace within the Gaming Industry Topic-specific workshops for employees and leaders at all levels to enhance awareness of and appropriate action in response to concerns about mental health issues associated with addictions and how to seek help Specialized, robust RG training for employees and families mediated by subject matter experts in RG Specialized addiction assessments for employees in the gaming industry Family support to manage workplace variables which impact employees and therefore their families for those within the gaming industry
- 36. Morneau Shepell36 Confidential – Not for Distribution Moving Forward Within the Gaming Industry Consider the workforce • Demographics • Cultural Diversity • A Community Member Consider corporate and personal values • Inclusion • Engagement • Excellence Consider the legacy • Amongst gaming industry employees • Within employees’ familial and social networks • Within the public arena
- 37. Thank you JP Girard Partner, Prairie Region, Morneau Shepell jpgirard@morneaushepell.com 403-776-3646 x 3646 Sara Marchese Team Lead – Clinical Manager, Professional Services, Morneau Shepell smarchese@shepellfgi.com 416-807-0182
- 38. Morneau Shepell38 Confidential – Not for Distribution References Dangerfield, L 2002, Job Satisfaction, Substance Use and Gambling Behaviour of Northern Albertan Casino Employees, A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Lethbridge. Guttentag, D., Harrigan, K., and Smith, S, Gambling by Ontario casino employees: gambling behaviours, problem gambling and impacts of the employment Hing, N & Breen, H 2005, Gambling amongst gaming venue employees: counsellors’ perspectives on risk and protective factors in the workplace', Gambling Research, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 25-46 Hing N & Gainsbury S 2011, Risky business: Gambling problems amongst gaming venue employees in Queensland, Australia, Journal of Gambling Issues, Issue 25, June 2011.)
- 39. Morneau Shepell39 Confidential – Not for Distribution References Continued… Hing, N., & Gainsbury, S. (2013). Workplace Influences on Gambling Problems Amongst Gaming Venue Employees. Journal of Business Research, 66(9), 1667-1673. Wong ILK, & Lam PS, Work stress and problem gambling among Chinese casino employees in Macau, Asian Journal of Gambling Issues and Public Health 2013, 3:7 Quigley L1, Yakovenko I, Hodgins DC, Dobson KS, El-Guebaly N, Casey DM, Currie SR, Smith GJ, Williams RJ, Schopflocher DP. Comorbid Problem Gambling and Major Depression in a Community Sample. J Gambl Stud. 2014 Aug 12. Shaffer H., Vander Bilt, J. & Hall, M. (1999). Gambling, Drinking, Smoking and Other Health Risk Activities Amongst Casino Employees, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 36, 365-378.) .
- 40. Morneau Shepell40 Confidential – Not for Distribution References Continued… St. Michael's Hospital. "Links made between problem gambling and substance abuse, and lack of treatment options." ScienceDaily, 4 September 2013 Veder, B. Tian, A. Beaudoin, K. Bettencourt, L. Dunmarra, K. Fasciano, Y. Marinos, J. Monette, G. Jankowski, H. Online EFAP offerings: Re-examining user access patterns and demographics. Morneau Shepell. Research Report. 2013. The Return on Investement for Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Morneau Shepell Research Group Publication. 2014.
- 41. To provide session feedback: • Open New Horizons app • Select Agenda tile • Select this session • Select Take Survey at bottom of screen If you are unable to download app, please raise your hand for a paper version
Hinweis der Redaktion
- Speaker:
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: (See slide above)
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: Morneau Shepell has undertaken to establish ourselves within the RG community and has dedicated increasing resources and attention to our RG programming over the past 20 years. Simultaneously, we have partnered with numerous agencies and bodies who are actively involved in the gaming industry to strengthen the people supporting the success of each of the individual businesses with whom we work.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: We have been working with provinces within Canada for almost 20 years in support of their constituencies to ensure they have the programming to provide responsible gambling programs to promote social responsibility. We have successfully partnered with Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries Casino Corporation (NSPLCC) , New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) to establish and operate Responsible Gambling Resource Centres located in 3 provinces in Canada Since 2007 our involvement in self‐exclusion services has been widely recognized not only in Quebec, but throughout Canada. Through the self-exclusion program, players may request to be denied access to Québec's casinos and gaming halls for a predetermined period ranging from three months to five years. The program is confidential, bilingual and free of charge. Once registered, players may not withdraw from the program We have answered over 3,780 requests for players in the self‐exclusion program, either for initial or final meetings and have made several hundred monitored monthly follow-ups. In addition to our unique contracts with various provincial gaming and lottery bodies, we have also partnered with over 60 individual corporations in the same industry to provide Employee and Family Assistance Programming (EFAP) to their employees and dependents, as well as providing Workplace Training to meet the systemic needs of these organizations as they arise. These EFAP partnerships coupled with those targeted to supporting socially responsible behaviours has allowed Morneau Shepell to develop the necessary infrastructure and expertise to support strategic goals and expansion in multiple core areas within the gaming industry. Summary No other provider in Canada can match our depth of experience related to health and wellness issues, including responsible gambling: We offer unique clinical insight into gambling addictions based on our deep experience in the gaming industry and our counselling expertise; We are the only provider to maintain a dedicated in-house Research Group, enabling us to apply the most current research data and findings to our programs; AND We offer a strong and resource-rich infrastructure to support any program administration requirements.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: Our Employee Support Solutions EFAP: Domestic, Global, Trauma Workplace Training: Mental Health Training, Workplace Training, Mediation/coaching/investigations Targeted Health Programs: ECHO, WSP, SAP 50+ year history of client service Global EAP & Wellness provider since 1990s $420M+ revenues (2012) – publicly traded (TSX) 8,000+ affiliates in multidisciplinary network 147 actuaries 3,200 employees Health & Productivity Morneau Shepell is the leading Canadian organization for ensuring your employees are at work and productive. With regards to both mental and physical health, we can help you design and manage programs to address the complete absence management spectrum from prevention, to early intervention and through effective return-to-work. Our health assessment and coaching programs engage employees in managing their health and prevent issues from occurring; our resiliency and early detection services, one-on-one counseling and coaching help employees stay at work; and our case management services for both occupational and non-occupational absences help get your employees back to work in an efficient and productive manner. Our Workplace Training programs assist in the development of people leaders across the globe so that they can confidently steer their employees and their organizations through the challenges and changes ahead, while optimizing productivity and growth. Administrative Solutions (Canada only) We are the largest integrated provider of pension and benefits administration services in Canada, with over 3M plan members serviced from our technology. Our innovative self-service and decision support tools allow plan sponsors and their members to maximize both engagement and efficiency. Retirement Solutions As one of Canada’s largest consulting firms, we help plan sponsors manage all aspects of their Retirement and Savings programs. As part of our approach, we leverage risk management tools and techniques that consider assets and liabilities together in order to reduce program volatility. We are also able to help plan members better prepare for their retirement years through our robust suite of retirement planning services. Morneau Shepell provides internationally recognized and award-winning solutions! June 26, 2012 Morneau Shepell has been honored with ‘Innovation of the Year’ for the My EAP mobile device application, which is offered through the company’s Shepell·fgi brand. The award, delivered at Employee Assistance European Forum’s (EAEF) annual conference in Athens, Greece in June 2012 honoured organizations and people for innovative products or services in employee assistance program (EAP) delivery or practice. May 17 2013 The Innovative Practices Award is presented to Council on Accreditation (COA) accredited and in-process organizations that demonstrate the effective application of new and forward-looking practices to improve service delivery. The award provides an opportunity for organizations to share and be acknowledged for successfully and uniquely meeting the needs of a population and/or implementing distinctive methods for improving organizational capacity. Shepell•fgi’s My EAP (winner), while Morneau Shepell’s First Chat received an honorable mention Morneau Shepell helps organizations help their people, because engaged people are the driving force of business. November 14, 2013 The Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD) honored 17 organizations for their outstanding training programs and products at the 2013 CSTD Conference and Trade Show. “As the professional association serving the learning and development community, CSTD recognizes organizations that have developed innovative learning and training solutions for the workplace”, said Isabel Feher-Watters, acting President of CSTD. “These award winners have aligned their programming to the standards in the industry and have demonstrated value, originality and a positive experience for the learner.” Morneau Shepell is committed to providing best in class services to our clients across the world and is honored to have been recognized by these organizations in the past 3 years.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: Within our Employee Support Solutions line of business, Morneau Shepell has… The most staff counsellors across Canada to provide services in comparison to other providers – the most staff counsellors, the most Masters level clinicians AND the most Ph.Ds – by a factor of 5! An unparalled ability to match employee need to the right clinician at the time of a request for service based on comprehensive profiles of our providers areas of expertise and availability, and More than 85% of our appointments for those seeking services with a counsellor or provider are booked during the course of the clients’ first call to our Care Access Centre allowing for a more seemless and less anxiety-provoking experience on behalf of the client Industry Leading Innovation 7 innovations in a span of 18 months Winners of the Employee Assistance European Forum’s first “Innovation of the Year” award As you can see, Morneau Shepell has been very busy in the last few years establishing ourselves as an industry leader in digital behaviour change programs, while making learning about and accessing services through various means easier than ever! Sara and I have been very fortunate to be part of some of the tremendous innovations within the EFAP product and we proud of the pace of innovation with which our organization responds to client needs. And that is the key. We invest in innovation, but at the core of that investment is a desire to ensure our clients’ needs are being met. Many of these innovations have been driven by challenges expressed by our clients, and we have listened and looked for solutions with our client partners. Mental Health Excellence Morneau Shepell has a wide array of expertise given that we manage 80,000 mental health cases per year We are often asked to be a National media and corporate partner in response and our honored to do so The outcome of all of this – Mental Health expertise in the workplace - Morneau Shepell’s expertise in the area of mental health has allowed us to partner with many organizations across Canada and around the world – large and small – to help these organizations spearhead change internally and externally, and de-stigmatize mental health issues/concerns.
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: I wanted to share with you some of the research to date in relation to the relative risk factors at play for employees in the gaming industry, including some of our own internal aggregate data collected from gaming employees affiliated with some of the gaming industry clients we serve. Understanding and meeting the needs of the public and those who access gaming facilities hinges on having a robust, well trained and well prepared workforce.
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: There has been limited research studies to date focused on the experiences of employees working within the gaming industry and the impact of the unique environments in which they work on their overall mental health, including gambling-related harms Small number of studies have been undertaken within individual provinces in Canada as well as abroad (e.g., USA, Australia) over the past 12 to 14 years Yet for the group of academics, practitioners and gaming industry stakeholders gathered this week at the New Horizons’ conference, an awareness of those variables that may impact not only the mental health of the gaming industry consumers and patrons who utilize the services this industry providers, but that of the employees who serve and interact with them, should be of paramount importance The attitudes and behaviors of gaming industry employees – whether they work in table games, hospitality, security or administration – can have a significant impact on both the overall morale and well-being of the workforce which they are a part of as well as of course on the gaming/casino patrons they serve, some of whom may be at risk or displaying symptoms of pathological gambling. If we are training employees in the gaming industry to support the public in practicing responsible gambling, as well as seeking help upon recognizing the signs of problem gambling, then addressing any issues w/in the gaming workforce which might hinder this is of critical importance to the success of RG and the credibility of the establishments which offer gaming to the public.
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: There have been various hypotheses posited by those who are actively involved in research endeavors related to gaming industry employees and the possible risks of mental health issues entailed for this population. A brief summary of some of these hypotheses include the following questions around which the research has been shaped: Is there a higher risk of mental health issues, including problem gambling behaviours, amongst gaming industry employees? Is there a correlational or causal relationship between being actively employed within the gaming industry and developing or sustaining problem gambling behaviours? Are individuals who are at risk of problem gambling attracted to working within the gaming industry? Do responsible gambling training initiatives undertaken by gambling establishments mitigate the risk of problem gambling amongst gaming industry employees? The outcome of research based on these questions has often lead to new inquiries, including how to respond to what the research has concluded to date about this unique population and their continuous exposure to both possible environmental enticements to gamble themselves AND to individuals and families struggling with problem gambling. A workforce which is made up of members of the public who perhaps preferentially seek employment in the gaming industry because of their prior involvement in gambling or who may be at risk for developing problem gambling behaviours once a part of the industry has serious implications for the effectiveness of these employees to do their jobs well and support the overall strategic goals of their employer
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: Many of the mandates underlying the importance of proving or disproving these hypotheses can be found amongst the following: Casino and gaming industry employees have regular contact with many problem gamblers and as such “their attitudes towards problem gambling and problem gamblers may be indicative of how receptive they are to both intervening with this population and training designed to heighten their awareness of problem gambling” (Dangerfield, L 2002, Job Satisfaction, Substance Use and Gambling Behaviour of Northern Albertan Casino Employees, A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of Lethbridge)
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: Findings which have been the product of the research done to date pertaining to gaming employees and the antecedent and concomitant variables at play in their choices and attitudes can be grouped in the following categories: Personal and Workplace Factors impacting mental fitness of gaming employees Evidence of prevalence of mental health and/or addiction-related concerns for gaming employees and dependents Considerations for organizational initiatives to promote well-being of gaming employees and their families, and enhance effectiveness of RG initiatives aimed at mitigating gambling-related harm amongst the public
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: Personal and Workplace Factors Impacting Mental Fitness of Gaming Employees – Higher prevalence of smoking, alcohol problems, and depression than the general adult population. ”…casino employees have a higher prevalence of past-year level 3 (pathological) gambling behavior than the general adult population, but a lower prevalence of past-year level 2 (problem) gambling than the general adult population. In addition, casino employees have higher prevalence of smoking, alcohol problems, and depression than the general adult population. Furthermore, these risk behaviors tend to cluster.” (Shaffer H., Vander Bilt, J. & Hall, M. (1999). ‘Gambling, Drinking, Smoking and Other Health Risk Activities Amongst Casino Employees’, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 36, 365-378.) “Staff who work in gaming venues appear an at-risk group for developing gambling problems, drawing on the experience and professional opinions of most gambling counsellors in Queensland”…”this risk for some staff stems from a variety of factors relating to working in a gambling environment”….”numerous workplace factors also protect some staff by deterring them from gambling, by minimising harmful behaviours and by improving informed consent.” (Hing, N & Breen, H 2005, 'Gambling amongst gaming venue employees: counsellors’ perspectives on risk and protective factors in the workplace', Gambling Research, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 25-46.) There are workplace risk factors which are associated with a gambling environment. In a study conducted by Hing and Gainsbury, it was found that there was a positive relationship between five workplace risk factors and CPGI scores for gaming venue employees in Queensland, Australia. Risk factors are: (1) Workplace motivators to gamble; (2) Encouraging influence of workplace colleagues; (3) Workplace triggers to gamble; (4) Limited social opportunities; and (5) Familiarity and interest in gambling. Inverse relationship between two protective workplace factors and higher CPGI scores. Protective risk factors are: (1) Knowledge of responsible gambling; and (2) Discouraging influence of work colleagues. (Hing, N., & Gainsbury, S. (2013). Workplace Influences on Gambling Problems Amongst Gaming Venue Employees. Journal of Business Research, 66(9), 1667-1673.) High Levels of psychological stress. Previous research results (e.g. Hing and Breen 2005; Wu and Wong 2008), this study confirms that many casino gaming employees experienced high levels of stress. They reported physical and psychological symptoms of impaired health (Hing and Breen 2005; Keith et al. 2001).” (Wong ILK, & Lam PS, Work stress and problem gambling among Chinese casino employees in Macau, Asian Journal of Gambling Issues and Public Health 2013, 3:7 Evidence of prevalence of mental health and/or addiction-related concerns for gaming employees and dependents – Northern Albertan casino employees have higher rates of smoking, alcohol use, illicit drug use, medication use, gambling, and problem gambling than the general Albertan workforce. (Dangerfield, L 2002) Casino employees’ rates of depression and alcohol problems far surpassed the prevalence rates of the general American adult population. (Shaffer et al. 1999) “Employees exceed the average for gambling participation, regular gambling, and usual gambling duration for every type of gambling for which comparisons could be made. Problem gambling rates amongst staff were 9.6 times higher than for the Queensland population. (Hing & Gainsbury,2011) Although not specific to gaming venue employees…”anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent of people with substance abuse problems also have significant gambling problem, yet few programs are targeted at them and most social service agencies don't have funds to treat them…” (St. Michael's Hospital., 2013. ) “…Prevalence moderate-risk and problem gambling was significantly higher in casino employees than the general population, particularly for those who reported an increase in gambling since commencing employment..” (Guttentag et al, 2010) Reference Notes Only: 1. Additional Info: ALCOHOL: Almost 54% of casino employees consume more than three alcoholic beverages on a typical drinking day, while only 34% of Alberta’s 2002 workforce reported to consume the same amount. Similarly, 14.5% of casino employees reported to drink between five and six alcoholic beverages on a typical drinking day, while less than half that percentage (7%) of the Albertan workforce professed to consume the same amount. Finally, a mere 2% of the Albertan workforce drinks 10 or more alcoholic beverages on a typical drinking day while over four times that number (8.2%) of casino employees consume the same amount Table 10 shows that 5.5% of casino employees reported that a relative, friend, doctor, or other health care worker has suggested they cut down their alcohol consumption in the past year. This is more than double the rate of 2.2% in the general Alberta workforce. DRUGS: Illicit drug use is more prevalent among casino employees than it is in the general Albertan workforce with 28.8% of casino employees reporting to have used illicit drugs in the past year compared to only 10% of the AADAC Employee Survey respondents (see Table 12). Although marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, it does not appear as prevalent among casino employees as it is in the Albertan working population at large. However, LSD/PCP, cocaine/crack, amphetamines or other stimulants, heroin or other street opiates, and other street drugs were all found to be more prevalent among casino employees than the Albertan workforce with prevalence ratios between the two groups ranging roughly between two to one and three to one. GAMBLING: As can be seen, roughly 25% of casino employees were deemed to be either moderate or severe problem gamblers, a prevalence rate several times higher than the general populace or the Alberta workforce. 2. Additional Info: Nearly 10% of casino employees reported a major depressive episode in the past year compared to only 3.7% of adult Americans. Similarly, 11.5% of casino employees were identified as having alcohol problems, whereas only 7.4% of the general adult American population were classified in this group. 3. Employees exceed the average for gambling participation, regular gambling, and usual gambling duration for every type of gambling for which comparisons could be made. Problem gambling rates amongst staff were 9.6 times higher than for the Queensland population. Problem and moderate-risk gamblers were typically males who worked around gambling facilities and assisted patrons with gambling. A substantial proportion of problem and moderate-risk gamblers report increasing their gambling since commencing work.” (Hing N & Gainsbury S 2011, ‘Risky business: Gambling problems amongst gaming venue employees in Queensland, Australia’, Journal of Gambling Issues, Issue 25, June 2011.) 4. Although not specific to gaming venue employees, St. Micheal’s Hospital conducted a study which found that anywhere from 10-20% of people with a substance abuse problem also had problems with gambling. St. Michael's Hospital. "Links made between problem gambling and substance abuse, and lack of treatment options." ScienceDaily, 4 September 2013. ) 5. …Prevalence moderate-risk and problem gambling was significantly higher in casino employees than the general population, particularly for those who reported an increase in gambling since commencing employment..” Additional Info: Despite their high problem gambling rates, over twice as many employees claimed their gambling had decreased since commencing employment (28.4%) as claimed it had increased (12.2%), and the majority (59.4%) reported no change at all. Employees who had worked in the gambling industry before working in an Ontario casino exhibited significantly higher rates of moderate risk and problem gambling than their co-workers. (Guttentag, D., Harrigan, K., and Smith, S, Gambling by Ontario casino employees: gambling behaviours, problem gambling and impacts of the employment. 2010)
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: Some of the research to date has suggested many possible solutions to address in a more systemic way the mental health risks and realities just noted; specifically, that… 1. “…casino management should consider (1) improving problem gambling screening for employees who visit EAPs, even if employees present other problems (e.g., alcohol problems) as their primary concern, (2) increasing employees' awareness of EAPs, (3) increasing health promotion and education through channels other than company EAPs, and (4) creating smoke-free working areas.” (Shaffer H., Vander Bilt, J. & Hall, M. (1999). ‘Gambling, Drinking, Smoking and Other Health Risk Activities Amongst Casino Employees’, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 36, 365-378.) Additionally, other studies have suggested… Quigley et al: “…need to address comorbid depression in assessment and treatment of problem gambling and for continued research on how problem gambling is related to frequently co-occurring disorders such as depression.” (Quigley L1, Yakovenko I, Hodgins DC, Dobson KS, El-Guebaly N, Casey DM, Currie SR, Smith GJ, Williams RJ, Schopflocher DP. Comorbid Problem Gambling and Major Depression in a Community Sample. J Gambl Stud. 2014 Aug 12.) Hing and Gainsbury: “…identification of workplace risk and protective factors for gambling problems amongst gambling venue employees, as presented in this paper, may prompt healthier workplace practices and effective prevention measures.” (Hing, N., & Gainsbury, S. (2013). Workplace Influences on Gambling Problems Amongst Gaming Venue Employees. Journal of Business Research, 66(9), 1667-1673.)
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: We now wanted to present to you how an analysis of some of the data mined in house at Morneau Shepell from gaming employees and dependents who accessed EFAP services to see how this compares/contrasts to what recent research is showing – specifically in relation to one of the key questions which has driven research endeavors in relation to this population; that is “Is there a higher risk of mental health issues, including problem gambling behaviours, amongst gaming industry employees?”
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: For the purposes of this report, individual employees and dependents from 60 different national corporations/bodies within the gaming industry in Canada who have partnered with Morneau Shepell to provide EFAP services to their employees and dependents were sampled. The sample consisted of a different number of organizations in 2013 vs. 2014, with 66 vs. 64 different organizations sampled respectively. Individual employees and dependents who accessed at least one EFAP service were included, whether Mainstream Counselling/Clinical, Worklife , Health Management (e.g. Disability Management), or Workplace Support (e.g. mandated employer-driven referrals) for a total: 9763 individual accesses. Within the sample, females represented approx. 64% (6237) vs. 36% males (3511) Similarly, the largest group of accesses were for those aged 40-49, followed by those aged 30-39 - Age Bands: Under 18 (65/0.66%), 18-29(984/10.1%) , 30-39 (2943/30.14%), 40-49 (3570/36.56%), 50+ (2128/21.80%), Age Unknown (73/0.75%).
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: Amongst those accessing the support of a counsellor, self-reports as to the presenting issues demonstrates that 5.17% and 4.33% of all counselling accesses in 2013 and 2014 respectively were for Addiction Related Issues. This is above the National Norm for 2013 at 3.71%. 26.68% and 23.08% of all counselling accesses in 2013 and 2014 respectively were for Couple/Relationship Issues. This is just above and just below National Form of 24.08% for 2013 and 2014 respectively. Those accessing counselling in 2013 and 2014 for Family Issues hovered just above National Norm of 13.04% for 2013. 44.10% and 47.07% of all counselling accesses in 2013 and 2014 were for Personal/Emotional Issues, such as Anxiety, Depression, Grief, etc… 2013 figures are below National Norm in 2013 of 45.33%, although 2014 accesses are just above. Accesses for Work-related Issues in both 2013 and 2014 were below National Norm in 2013.
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: We begin by focusing on the presenting issues presented by gaming employees and dependents who sought out access to EFAP services in 2013 and 2014 YTD. Presenting issues refer to outcome of the initial assessment undertaken when first being connected with an individual who is seeking assistance through EFAP – it is based both on their self-report of what they perceive their problem to be as well as the clinical judgement of Care Access Centre representative who is responding to their request for help and assisting in the booking process. As you can see from this slide, in comparison to the 2013 National Norm for each of these presenting issues… A larger number of individuals reported seeking out help in response to Addiction-Related, Couple/Relationship and Family issues in 2013 A larger number of individuals reported seeking out help in response to Addiction-Related issues only in 2014 YTD
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: When we break each of these larger presenting issue categories into more descriptive sub-issues, for those sub-presenting issues included under the larger category of Addiction-Related, it can be seen that… Those accessing the support of counselling in both 2013 and 2014 YTD for Addiction Other, Alcohol, Drug, Gambling, and Other's Addiction consistently exceeded the National Norms available for 2013 – except for “drug” which did not exceed the National Norm amongst 2014 accesses YTD. Those accessing clinical support for smoking in both 2013 and 2014 did not exceed the National Norm. The greatest variance was evidenced for accesses for Alcohol in 2013 vs. National Norm with a variance of 0.93% - almost full percentage point more – representing approximately 62 more individuals, followed by accesses for Drug-related issues in 2013 vs. National Norm with a variance of .32% (=21 more individuals) The variance between the 2013 National Norm and those accessing for gambling-related issues in 2013 was 0.12% and in 2014 was 0.04%
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: When looking at the details available in relation to the sub-presenting issues included under the larger category of Couple and Relationship Issues, it can be seen that… Those accessing clinical support in 2013 for the following issues exceeded the National Norms: Communication/Conflict Resolution, Relationship - General, Relationship Breakdown and Separation and Divorce. Those accessing clinical support in 2014 for Relationship – General were the only group to exceed the 2013 National Norms The largest variance between the actual accesses and the 2013 National Norms was for Relationship Breakdown accesses in 2013 with a variance of 1.16% (=78 more individuals), followed by Relationship – General accesses in 2014 with a variance of 1.03% (=69% more individuals)
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: When looking at the details available in relation to the sub-presenting issues included under the larger category of Personal/Emotional Issues, it can be seen that… A larger percentage of employees/dependents reported concerns related to Abuse, Anger, Anxiety, Grief, Life Stages, Mental Health Conditions, Post Trauma, and Stress in 2013 vs. the 2013 National Norm A larger percentage of employees/dependents reported concerns related to Abuse, Anger, Anxiety, Grief, Mental Health Conditions, Post Trauma, Social Isolation, Stress and Suicidal Risk in 2014 YTD vs. 2013 National Norms. The largest variance between actual accesses and the 2013 National Norms is for Stress 2014 accesses at 3.22 variance, followed by Anger Issues 2013 accesses at 0.46% variance
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: The chart above is a snapshot of some of the innovations in the delivery methods available to those seeking support for mental and/or physical health issues. These modalities vary include accessing help via various means such as telephonic, video, in person, and live chat, as well as stand alone assessment information delivered digitally or in hard copy format. The above chart shows us that together in 2013 and 2014 YTD, the most popular means of accessing the assistance of EFAP continued to be via traditional means such as in person counselling. However, there was a strong following for modalities represented amongst telephonic, digital and self-support bibliotherapy.
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: In looking at the problems gaming employees and dependents who accessed the support of EFAP in 2013 and 2014 YTD faced, and the modalities they choose to attempt to locate information and emotional support to resolve or mitigate these issues, it is also important to critically assess the overall success of their attempts to feel better about themselves and their lives. As the chart above shows, combining the overwhelming number of people who reported that they attained their identified goals at case closure with those who indicated they made some partial headway in the right direction…a staggering 92% of EFAP clients endorsed that these attempts proved useful in moving them in the direction of health and well-being. It is important to note in relation to the above chart, that goal attainment for this particular purpose was only available for those EFAP clients who accessed an interactive form of assistance, such as in person, telephonic, video counselling or ongoing goal-directed live chat.
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: If you recall, the research cited previously in this presentation was centered partly on the question as to whether gaming employees are at higher risk for developing and/or sustaining problems in gambling. Internal data from both gaming employees and dependents shows us that in fact problems ‘Addiction’ in various forms does appear to be highly prevalent for the population of employees and dependents within the community of individuals where at least one member of the family works within the gaming industry – AND that problem gambling is amongst the constellation of addiction issues which are above the national norms for Morneau Shepell’s larger coporate client body in in 2013. Although not above in the earlier slides given that data pool available at the time of the data analysis – between Jan 1 and Sept 30 2014 - I have confirmed that problem gambling as a presenting issue DID in fact as well exceed the national norm in 2014. Even apart from gambling, other issues of addiction appear highly prevalent and beyond national norms – in all cases for both 2013 and 2014 YTD with the exception of smoking. This is a telling finding as this suggests that clearly research to better understand the development, maintenance and resolution of problem gambling and addiction issues overall, is central to employee and workplace mental health within the gaming industry
- Speaker: Sara
- Speaker: Sara Speaker Notes: By the time employees are evidencing noticeable changes in their behaviour and/or attitudes in the workplace, whether due to addiction-related, couple/relationship, personal/emotional problem, etc… what those around them in the workplace are witnessing is just the tip of the iceberg. What lies beneath may be chronic, seemingly intransigent, and causing a whole host of difficulties outside of the workplace.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: The approach to mental health we have long advocated for is based on communication – communication with employees, communication with family members who are eligible to access our services, and communication with people leaders throughout the organization to make them aware of our program offerings and how to facilitate access for those in need.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: 2011 Conf Board report: 44% of employees reported experiencing a mental health issue 54% fear if management was aware that there would be negative impacts AND Statistics Canada (2013c) Percentage of users who go online to look for medical and health-related information grew from 64% in 2010 to 67% in 2012. Compared with its previous standing as the seventh most popular online activity in 2010, survey results reported that searching for medical and health-related information tied with social media access as the fifth most popular online activity in Canada in 2012. Morneau Shepell offers a wide array of mechanisms to communicate directly with our clients and give them the information they need to make informed decisions about the services that best meet their needs – anytime, anywhere, any way! In a research study published in Fall 2014 by Morneau Shepell on comparative access of digital vs. traditional means of accessing EFAP support, it was shown that online access points are favoured by younger users (the 18 to 39 age group), while users aged 40 years and older prefer to connect telephonically when requesting services. The study re-affirmed that the highest overall rate of EFAP access was amongst users aged 30 to 49, a common and historically prevalent finding and one reflected in the gaming industry sampled in this report which indicated that approx. 67% of all accesses were for those aged 30-49 years of age. It is believed that the dramatic increase in smartphone and other mobile device usage as well as individuals’ growing comfort with accessing information and support online, particularly in the arenas of mental and physical health, appears to carry over into the realm of EFAP and this is a trend we expect to see increase moving forward. Female users, consistently the highest percentage of EFAP users across all service channels, continue to make up the largest proportion of both traditional and online access groups. This is reflected in the breakdown of the number of female clients accessing EFAP within the gaming industry in our sample: approximately 64% female accesses vs. 36% male accesses.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: The key to a collaborative partnership is really in the approach that we ask our entire team to model. Our teams are accountable to the clients they serve – whether that is an intake representative at the Care Access Centre, or an Account Manager working with an EFAP corporate stakeholder, our teams are accountable to ensure client satisfaction. Responsiveness is key – from clinical delivery to trauma requests to workplace training, it is critical that our client’s feel the impact of a responsive team, allowing them to move toward solutions to the challenges they are facing. Excellence in delivery is also critical. It is so important that our corporate clients are confident that the delivery of our services is consistent, is comprehensive and matches client needs. And finally, our clients know that we will bring the highest level of expertise to their organization.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: Critical to a successful EFAP program is remembering that this program is for members of the gaming industry/community, not ours. By that I mean that the EFAP program needs to fit within the culture, workforce, and values present in this industry. This begins with a comprehensive needs assessment and this needs assessment frames the implementation plan development, examining methods and timing of communication. Our focus is to leverage your existing communication channels to build confidence in the EAP benefit, ensuring all stakeholders and potential clients of the EFAP benefit are educated as to it’s features, benefits, and most important the multiple avenues of access to EFAP support.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: There are so many ways to address the elements of risk at play for employees in the gaming industry, and the impact on those around them of resultant issues impacting their personal lives. Morneau Shepell espouses an integrative approach that supports multiple communication and referral channels for active support – whether it be manager and employee training, referrals into EFAP from disability management providers, and outreach to family to future promote services which are available. According to a major study in Canada of ROI on Employee and Family Assistance Programs, published in Fall 2014, (1) organizations on the higher end of the EFAP usage continuum tended to have higher ROIs than those on the lower end of the continuum, and (2) organizations with the lowest EFAP usage rates (where the number of cases in the year was equivalent to 5 per cent of the employee population or less) had average ROIs of less than 8:1. Those with the highest usage rates had average ROIs exceeding 10:1 in terms of the amount of loss productivity and time at work saved vs. the financial investment in affording employees this important benefit. Further, we believe that those in the gaming industry who actively promote and provide services, including, but not limited to EFAP and comprehensive workplace training around mental health issues, are more likely to reduce stigmatization associated with seeking help, encouraging those who are at risk and those who are most significantly impaired to reach out for assistance before the problems they face worsen.
- Speaker: JP Speaker Notes: We wanted to be part of an ongoing conversation with you today about the tremendous opportunities which lie within the gaming industry to not only effect positive change in the lives of those who participate in gaming BUT also in the lives of those who have dedicated themselves to working within the gaming industry itself. Do not underestimate the tremendous gains that can be made by investing in employees within the gaming industry, both to understand and address the workplace factors which impinge on their overall health and well-being – invest now and the impact of the changes that ensue will be far reaching and contribute to the success of the gaming industry as both a valued economic and community partner across Canada.
- Speaker: JP On behalf of Sara and myself, we would like to take a moment to thank you for the opportunity to present to you today. We look forward to learning more about your thoughts and experiences as it relates to the topic of employee mental health within the gaming industry as we know there is much to learn and many untapped opportunities for further examination on this topic. We look forward to your questions and comments, and encourage you to approach us individually after the conference or contact us at any time.