Mental Health Awareness Week: How the industry is making a difference

One in six people report experiencing a common mental health problem in any given week in the UK. One in four will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. One in 10 children experience mental illness. Read that again. Each sentence. Carefully.

A severely under-pressure NHS in the UK, a developing, but still deeply misunderstood public perception of mental health as well as the hidden impact of a global pandemic. On the surface, it is a depressingly thin chainmail for our communities to fight mental health problems.

One in 15 people attempt suicide. Look around your office. One in five people have suicidal thoughts. But crucially, this is not a weakness. This is not a shame, a burden, a whip to be beaten with.

You dislocate your shoulder, for example. The doctor tells you it’s a part of your body you must take care of. Physio, medicine, regular check-ups. You think nothing of it. Apply the same to the brain, the most important organ in the body. Much more important than a shoulder. A shoulder can’t think and dream and spur you on to achieve. Understanding the importance of mental health, on the same pedestal as physical, is of paramount importance.

A recent report showed 68% of the workforce think their employers are more aware of mental health issues now. Results show that on average 3.36 days were taken off due to mental health per employee in 2021, up from 3.19 in 2020. A positive upwards tick, a trend that shows we can be a compassionate society.

Of course, there is still a long way to go. HR departments tussle with the concept of cost and reliability. The innate concept that without a physical presentation of illness, how can one really be that ill? However, significant strides are being made. Across the gambling industry, firms are putting schemes and plans in place that would have been unheard of years ago.

In honour of Mental Health Awareness Week, EGR reached out to several major companies in the industry, and here, details the measures that are going some way to change the perception of mental health and support their employees.

Betsson Group

Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, Betsson dedicated the whole of April to focusing on employee health, concentrating each week on a specific category. The Stockholm-listed firm highlighted its main goal for its employees is “adopting healthy lifestyle habits”, with an emphasis every day on mental, nutritional and physical health.

The operator also hosts clubs for hobbies, has a hybrid-working model and offers to pay for support and therapy via the Richmond Foundation in Malta.

Gerd Bergh, head of employee experience, notes: “We know that physical health, nutrition and anything health-related supports our mental wellbeing.

“In line with this, Betsson also offers a yearly wellness allowance that Betssonites can use both for physical sport but also for mental health-related initiatives. We also offer online classes on a weekly basis: twice a week we have guided meditation sessions, and we also have a workout session once a week and yoga classes and body stretching exercises online.”

Betway

Betway has ramped up its employee wellbeing programmes during Mental Health Awareness Week as part of its commitment to using the month of May as a company-wide health and wellness month.

The operator is offering a three-hour tech-free window, allowing employees to disconnect and take time for themselves.

Puppy therapy, led by Paws at Work, has also been introduced, as well as coffee morning catchups, presentations and the launch of an internal intranet including information on improving mental health.

In addition, the firm has introduced free massages in the office, complimentary nutritionist consultations and a smoothie bar.

Throughout the year, Betway offers a free assistance programme, private health care, online fitness classes, social gatherings and sports clubs.

Alice Bilham-Ware, Betway head of internal communications, says: “Looking after our staff’s health and wellbeing is of utmost importance to us, and we’ve dedicated the whole of May as a health and wellness month.

“We’re actively promoting and organising initiatives to support key topics such as physical health, mental health, diet and nutrition and living a balanced life.”

Entain

Since 2020, Entain has continued to roll out its Employee Assistance Programme, which boasts a use rate of 8%.

The company has also delivered 11 global campaigns on a variety of wellbeing topics, achieving 130,000 views and interactions globally, a 35% increase in engagement from 2020.

Entain has offered wellbeing booster sessions twice a week, alternating between yoga and meditation, and has provided an interactive toolkit with resources to help employees adjust to returning to the workplace post-lockdown.

The company will also partner with Robertson Cooper to undertake a global wellbeing survey to understand the root causes of mental health risks at Entain and to inform future policy.

Key figures in the company have also trained as mental health first aiders to add further support, with more than 100 employees trained to act as the first point of contact for people with mental health issues.

Jo Bleasdale, Entain’s director of internal communications, says: “I became a mental health first aider as I believe that everyone has a right to be heard and that we all need to be placing equal importance on our mental health as we do our physical health.”

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, the company has launched an internal podcast with senior leaders on tips to build healthy relationships in the workplace.

Additionally, the operator will use webinars, assistance programmes and apps to support colleagues.

Outside of May, Entain will be looking to break stigmas by sharing employee stories around mental health, as well as give support for the cost-of-living crisis.

LeoVegas

Speaking to EGR¸ LeoVegas’ head of HR North Jenny Borgquist and head of HR South Stefania Curmi, explain the company’s measures.

A training scheme has been put in place for leaders to equip themselves with necessary skills, as well as constant engagement with staff to check in on their wellbeing.

Borgquist touches on stress and anxiety, as well as the international makeup of the workplace, which has been impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

She says: “Earlier this year, we hosted an event together with an external partner on the topic of ‘how to handle stress and anxiety in critical times’. We also offer additional internal courses in mental health awareness and managing anxiety.

“We are an international workplace and some of us have colleagues, former colleagues, or even family members in war-torn countries such as Ukraine. Handling stress and anxiety in times like these can be challenging, and we need to offer all the support we can.”

Similarly, LeoVegas also offers assistance programmes including counselling, wellbeing allowances and hybrid working.

Curmi notes: “We believe social interactions improve team spirit, innovation and wellbeing. It’s a part of our company culture. So, it’s natural that we encourage and fund social activities, such as after-work events across our offices. Last week, for instance, we launched a new games room in the Malta office and organised a tournament.”

Kambi

Kambi told EGR how it has always put an emphasis on a positive work/life balance, which it noted was vital in maintaining the high productivity levels required at the tech firm.

The group said it would be using Mental Health Awareness Week to make sure every employee understands what help is available to them. This includes counselling, listening services and learning tools to help manage wellbeing.

The supplier also hosts its own global awareness week in June, including webinars on sleep, health, financial wellbeing and ensuring employees are taking periods of rest throughout the day.

A Kambi spokesperson said: “It is great to see that employee wellbeing is gaining ever more emphasis throughout the industry, and we will be continually engaging with our 1,000-strong and growing global team to ensure that they have the right resources available to them, and that their wellbeing and long-term health are being supported most effectively.”

Lottoland

Chief people officer Leah Carnegie tells EGR the company is encouraging active involvement from its employees to engage in Mental Health Awareness Week, as well as engage with the firm’s internal key theme of loneliness.

She says: “Our staff are our business and it’s important we do everything we can to support them. During Mental Health Awareness Week, we will be reminding our people of the services available to them and encouraging them to take part in various activities to support this year’s theme – loneliness.”

The Gibraltar-based firm offers a team of fully trained mental health first aiders, access to external counselling sessions and further care services provided by AXA.

Carnegie adds: “At Lottoland we feel it is really important to support our people’s mental health.”

Mental health support is available at:

Samaritans – 116 123

Mind – 0300 123 3393

YoungMinds – text YM to 85258 for free, 24/7 support

NHS – 111

Shout – text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258