Finding work/life balance in a demanding industry
To mark Mental Health Awareness Month, Dave Pilson, VP of total rewards at DraftKings, highlights the ways employers can prioritise the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing of their staff
When the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned in 2018, it marked the birth of a new industry: legalised sports betting in the US. The sports betting industry is still in its infancy today, facing new challenges and navigating newly passed legislation. It’s an exciting time to be in an emerging industry, where things are moving fast and abruptly changing course.
With the evolving and exciting nature of this industry, it’s easy to get carried away in the work. I think most people can relate to this, as this post-pandemic era has made it easier to work from anywhere whenever. So, how can employers help employees rediscover work-life balance?
At DraftKings, we have teamed up with some incredible partners to ensure our employees have the tools they need to find the balance between their work and personal lives.
When determining resources to offer, employers should focus on three key areas: emotional, physical and financial wellbeing.
Emotional health
Lyra Health is a mobile app offered to our employees that blends the best providers and advanced technology to provide quality care. It provides instant access to individualised care, from self-guided programmes to mental health coaching and talking therapy, enabling employees to get quality care quickly to address stress, anxiety and depression.
We also partner with the Calm app to equip our employees with a library of mental health content. Calm creates unique audio content that strengthens mental fitness and tackles some of the biggest modern mental health challenges: stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression.
While this offering is built into our employee benefits programme, anyone can download the app and give it a try. It’s not a replacement for professional mental health assistance, but it is a short-term solution that can have a long-term impact.
Physical health
Working a 9-5 desk job that often stretches outside of work hours can make exercise fall to the bottom of the to-do list. Not to mention that as we get older, we begin to notice physical limitations that can prevent us from participating in intense workouts and sports.
We’ve teamed up with the Portland Yoga Collective to provide accessible movement for all, offering virtual classes to our employees. The collective offers more than 18 classes each week featuring vinyasa yoga, restorative yoga, yin yoga and more, allowing for a variety of workout styles and scheduling flexibility.
Financial health
Finances are a big point of stress for many. In addition to physical and emotional support, we want our population to be equipped with the resources they need to achieve their financial goals. We offer the Origin Financial Wellness benefit globally. Employees are matched with local financial planners who can help them understand how to make the most of their compensation and benefits, prepare for big life events and plan for retirement. They also have a variety of online resources which allow employees to take their financial health into their own hands.
When the wellbeing needs of employees are met, there is a domino effect. Employers who prioritise meeting the mental health needs of their employees experience lower rates of turnover and burnout. Employees produce higher quality work, are more productive and overall are more satisfied with their role in the company.
Dave Pilson is the vice-president of total rewards for DraftKings where his team is responsible for the design, implementation and administration of compensation, employee benefits and equity. Total rewards is a passion for Pilson since he is a firm believer of pay equality, and is in a position to influence compensation decisions to ensure fair and consistent compensation practices.