FSR May 2022

MENTAL HEALTH

tions surrounding mental well-being was a necessary first step. “There’s still this idea that therapists are going to sit there and analyze every thing you say … and we’re going to figure it all out,” she says. “But ultimately the process is about finding balance.” Bonanno Concepts’ head somme lier and wine director Lee Wilson is one employee who has already taken advan tage of the new mental wellness services. Wilson has worked in the restaurant business for more than two decades and says stress and restaurant work go hand-in-hand. He moved from Boston to Denver six months before the pandemic began. The timing of the move coupled with anxiety brought on by COVID led to Wilson feeling rundown. Having attended therapy prior to moving, Wilson says he was thrilled when the Bonannos brought Flores onboard. Realizing he was struggling with anxiety and feelings of isolation, even after returning to work, he quickly signed up for a session. “Frank and Jaqueline really helped me get to where I needed to be,” Wilson says. “It felt like it was a personal move just for me, even though I know it wasn’t. It felt so great because it was a move that showed they really did care about their employees.” Wilson adds that one of the main things he and Flores work on is achiev ing a healthy work-life balance. It isn’t an easy process, but he says having some one he can turn to has made a noticeable difference. He says his mental health has absolutely improved. “Becoming more aware of what it takes to have and maintain balance is really, I think, the most crucial aspect,” he says. Wilson is far from the only employee who has taken advantage of the free mental health sessions. He’s definitely noticed a broader shift at work. “To see the overall temperament and mental health and attitudes of every body in the restaurant being happier … it makes life easier,” he says. “And that’s really what it’s all about. We just want to be happy.”

JOE BONANNO

“WE KNEW OTHER INDUSTRIES AND COMPANIES HAD MENTAL WELLNESS COUNSELORS OR MENTAL THERAPY AVAILABLE FOR THEIR PEOPLE, AND WE WANTED TO CHANGE OUR INDUSTRY. WE WANT OUR INDUSTRY TO BE THOUGHT OF IN THAT SAME WAY.” JOE BONANNO, BONANNO HOSPITALITY

costs for its employees. All these benefits “legitimize the res taurant business and make it seem like it’s really a career,” Bonanno says. Employees can access Flores’ services through several channels. Seminars, group therapy sessions, and daily check ins are all part of her responsibilities as wellness director. She also meets indi vidually with workers and, if needed, will steer staff in the direction of a more per manent therapist who can better attend to their specific needs. Flores says one of the initial chal lenges when she was brought onboard was dealing with the stigma that’s attached to the topic of mental health. She says clarifying some misconcep

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FSRMAGAZINE.COM

MAY 2022