A Landmark Moment

It was a big day, back in January of 2019. That was the day that I signed a contract with Stillwater’s Sand Creek Group. We were about to embark on a journey that neither one of us had ever done, equipped only with our gut instincts that this was right.

It marked the beginning of what was to become a new day for the service industry in Minnesota. An EAP, or Employee Assistance Program, had now been established for small restaurants and bars. Employees and their families now had access to mental health and workplace wellness benefits. For less than $4 per month, per employee, help was now officially on the way.

Progress!

Almost 1,000 employees and 27 restaurants now have access to immediate, professional, confidential, and free therapy through the Sand. reek Group. A 24/7 crisis line is available in English and Spanish as well. Other areas addressed by the program are sobriety/rehab; financial, legal, and career counseling; conflict resolution, etc.

Early reports are showing the initiative to be very successful. Managers are reporting an overall relief among staff that a safety net is there to catch them if they fall. Leadership is learning to protect themselves from burnout and now has something to offer their staff to resolve problems that interfere with work.

Employees feel like their struggles matter. The partnership is working, and we’ve got the statistics to prove it! (Stay tuned to future newsletters, as we will reveal our findings formally at our annual review in January).

Confessions

I am driven by an intense need to make things better than I found them in the service industry. This work found me, and I’m thrilled that it did.

Being a trailblazer is both exciting and terrifying. There are so many unanswered questions! I don’t know where the sinkholes are, but I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t keep charging through on full blast.

I’m delighted to be on this journey with all of you, thank you for your support and strength. I couldn’t do it without you.