Empowering Hospitality & Revolutionizing Wellness

By MENU Magazine

September 12, 2024

Main Course

Smart Serve Ontario partners with Not 9 to 5 and GreenShield to launch a groundbreaking mental health initiative that will provide free mental health services to over half a million industry professionals.

Richard Anderson, Executive Director, Smart Serve Ontario

The hospitality sector, serving nearly 22 million Canadians daily, has been under immense post-pandemic strain. With many establishments continuing to grapple with financial losses and debt, the mental well-being of hospitality workers remains at peak risk.

Smart Serve Ontario, the charitable organization that has provided province-wide beverage alcohol training and certification for everyone involved in the sale, service, and handling of alcohol has made a monumental stride forward. “Smart Serve Cares” is a collaboration with Not 9 to 5 and GreenShield, which aims to provide essential and complimentary mental health services to over 550,000 active Smart Serve certificate holders in Ontario. This monumental stride towards supporting the hospitality industry will help bring
desperately needed support and services within reach for thousands of people.

While Smart Serve Ontario has long supported the hospitality industry, following the pandemic, there was no denying that some of the deep-rooted challenges common in the industry had breached the surface. “We had heard about some of the challenges in the industry around depression and burnout,” Richard Anderson, Executive Director at Smart Serve Ontario recalls. “It wasn’t new, but we had a conversation at our Board level to figure out how Smart Serve could give back.”

Third-party focus groups were quickly commissioned, and the Smart Serve Ontario team awaited the results. “We assumed people in the industry would be interested in a points program or greater acknowledgement and recognition in their places of work, but no. We were told that the best thing we could do to help people in the industry was to provide mental health support. It was pretty resounding. We decided then and there to do our homework and find partners we could work with. The number one name mentioned in our focus groups was Not 9 to 5.”

Not 9 to 5 is a non-profit global leader in mental health advocacy and training for the hospitality and culinary industries. Since 2019, the organization has been offering specialized mental health support, spurred by an initial survey of hundreds of hospitality professionals wherein 90 per cent of respondents responded “yes” when asked if they experience mental health/substance use challenges. Since that early revelation (or validation), the non-profit has further evolved to offer workshops, webinars and now an online educational platform, CNECTed.

“There’s always been a need, and it’s not going away,” Hassel Aviles, Not 9 to 5 Co-founder and Executive Director confirms. “Unfortunately, it’s increasing. This campaign is so perfectly timed.”

In fact, Not 9 to 5’s research reveals a grim reality: 87 per cent of front-line food and beverage staff report burnout, and 77 per cent and 84 per cent grapple with depression and anxiety, respectively. Disordered eating was reported by 63 per cent of respondents. Despite these troubling statistics, only 38 per cent said they sought professional help, with an astonishing 62 per cent citing financial barriers as the primary reason they did (or could) not. “These numbers show how important it is that this campaign provides free access to this kind of support,” Hassel emphasizes. “This means that, a year from now, our survey numbers will probably look a lot different.”The unique, social nature of the hospitality industry is the stuff of lore; however, the environmental elements that define the workplace structure can converge into a perfect storm, directly contributing to heightened mental health challenges for its workers. “For those at the top of hierarchy, it can be easy to forget what it’s like for others,” says Hassel. “The data does an amazing job of identifying this problem. Managers and leaders are often not adequately equipped with the full skills and training for the job—they may not be able to identify when a person is struggling emotionally or with their mental health. If you don’t have specific workplace mental health education and training, you may miss those signs. Beyond that, we have unconventional hours, and we often have financial insecurity around tips and projecting our income from one month to the next. Financial health contributes directly to mental health. Workplaces that neglect mental health often become toxic workplaces. When you have unconventional hours, toxic workplaces, and inadequate breaks, the byproduct is going to be higher rates of mental health challenges.”

Both an advocate and mental health survivor herself, Hassel is proud of the quality of the Smart Serve Cares program, and particularly enthusiastic about the synergy between the three partners. “I have personal, lived experience and have used this virtual therapy platform, so, when Richard and I were considering who to work with on that aspect, GreenShield was such an exciting partnership to explore.”

GreenShield, Canada’s first payer-provider health and benefits organization, integrates insurance, benefits administration, and health services such as mental health, pharmacy, and telemedicine to simplify access to care and improve health outcomes. As a non-profit social enterprise, GreenShield reinvests its earnings to support equity-seeking communities through its GreenShield Cares initiative, aiming to generate $75 million in social impact investments and improve the lives of one million Canadians by 2025, with a focus on mental health, oral health, and essential medicines.

Through GreenShield’s online platform, Smart Serve Cares users can book virtual therapy sessions, participate in self-guided virtual cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), and access a comprehensive library of mental health resources. Therapy sessions are flexible, with the option to choose to book either three one-hour or six half-hour sessions. “I have not only used the platform myself, but I’ve also referred members of the Not 9 to 5 community to it—and I’ve only heard positive feedback,” Hassel shares. “The user experience is so different from other platforms and offers culturally sensitive, trauma-informed therapy. I think it empowers the user. The user gets to choose their registered therapist. That’s so important. Having a platform that puts you in the driver’s seat, where you can choose a therapist based on your needs and your identity is so important. The platform also allows users to spend 15 minutes with prospective therapists to determine whether they’re a fit. If they need to, they can meet with eight potential therapists for 15 minutes each, and it doesn’t count against their three hours of free therapy. It’s a much more equitable experience for the user.”

Smart Serve Cares works as an à la carte program of distinct resources users can access in a “choose your own adventure” fashion. Forcing or funneling users through a sequence of resources is an approach Hassel, as a person who has lived through mental health challenges, does not find effective. “I don’t want to be forced into anything. I want to choose for myself, what I need, when I need it, and how I need it. With Smart Serve Cares, you can go in and just look at the articles and leave or take a break and come back in a week or two. You can learn and access support as you need it, or not at all. I love virtual therapy—you can literally be at home in your pyjamas.

I have experienced those days when getting out of my room or my bed is just not an option, so being able to log on and choose whether to turn the camera on or not is helpful. I really love that this campaign offers more than one resource and more than one way to engage with it.”

Richard underscores that Smart Serve Ontario doesn’t want to simply hand out their course, and that there’s more to the relationship between the organization and the industry. “We need to connect with and understand the industry, and with a campaign like Smart Serve Cares, we can have an open conversation about mental health, which can help ensure the sector’s success. As we all know, there’s a massive skills shortage, which also contributes to the list of reasons people may not choose hospitality as a career.”

Smart Serve Cares offers enhanced skill building for hospitality leadership around mental health, to support workplace conversations, team and individual accommodation through a library of resources. Managers can input their Smart Serve Certification number and access GreenShield’s bank of articles on key aspects of mental health like burnout, depression, and substance abuse. In fall 2024, Smart Serve Cares users and managers will also be able to access Not 9 to 5’s online educational platform, CNECTed, a mental health certification program specifically designed for hospitality and restaurant professionals. This program focuses on equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to manage and improve mental health in the workplace, promoting a culture of mental wellness and support within the industry, including mental health literacy, self-care strategies, and how to create a psychologically safe work environment.

“So many times, when owners or managers hear about these programs, they think it’s for staff but not for themselves,” Hassel points out. “This is such an opportunity for the people with the most power, privilege and influence in the workplace to use this service because the best way they can set the tone in the workplace is through role modeling. If they really want their team to use this or any other service, they need to model the desired behaviour.”

The launch of “Smart Serve Cares” is not just a campaign but a half-million-dollar investment and call to action. By providing accessible mental health services, this powerful partnership is paving the way for a healthier, more supportive environment in the hospitality industry not only in Ontario, but across Canada. “There’s no question we wanted to respond quickly to mental health challenges,” Richard says. “It’s a major investment from Smart Serve and we’re really hoping we can all see a change in those numbers. Seeing Smart Serve Cares make a difference would be a really nice payback. If this program does nothing but encourage conversation and an openness about mental health, and how mental health is health, we’ll take it.”

Who is eligible?

All valid Smart Serve Certificate holders in Ontario.

How does it work?

Users choose their registered therapist and may schedule 15-minute interviews with a variety of registered therapists prior to selecting.

Confidential, online sessions are easy to schedule and take place over an encrypted virtual video or telephone platform.

What is included?

Three hours of FREE virtual mental health counselling through GreenShield’s Member Assistance Program (MAP), including dependents (if applicable), plus couples therapy (if applicable).

One year of access to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Digital CBT) provided by GreenShield Health, to help people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression achieve their wellness goals. Available in either self-led or coach-led formats.

Free access to Not 9 to 5 CNECTed workplace mental health certification coming this fall.

Access to the GreenShield Pharmacy, which offers personalized clinical services to help manage prescriptions, health, and pharmacy needs from the comfort of home, connect easily with a pharmacist and sign up for free medication delivery anywhere in Canada.

Unlimited access to online resources, articles and educational materials from health experts via GreenShield.