ANTIGUA & BARBUDA HOTELS & TOURISM ASSOCIATION

The Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association (ABHTA) proudly hosted its inaugural People and Culture Retreat on June 25, 2025, bringing together Human Resource professionals and People Managers from across the tourism sector for a dynamic day of learning, discussion, and strategic collaboration.
 
Morning Session: Navigating the Collective Agreement and Labour Code, Moderated by Celia Roberts Morgan, the morning panel featured:

•     Chester Hughes, Deputy General Secretary, Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union
•     Lisa John Weste, Attorney-at-Law, Thomas, John & Weste
•     Hollis Francis, Attorney-at-Law, HEF Law

The session focused on the current Collective Agreement negotiations, touching on areas such as public holiday entitlements, meal allowances, and plans to launch a standard employee handbook for the industry in Q4 2025.

Participants also addressed operational challenges facing People Managers today, including probationary periods, harassment, marijuana usage, absenteeism, and the ongoing need for staff training.

Mr. Chester Hughes urged HR professionals to become deeply familiar with both the Collective Agreement and the Labour Code, noting that this knowledge is crucial to maintaining compliant, effective, and employee-centered operations.

Afternoon Session: Mental Wellness and Wellness as a Business Strategy, Moderated by Laurie Louard, the afternoon session featured presentations from:

•     Dr. Teri-Ann Joseph, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
•     Isha Joseph-Moore, Executive Head of People & Culture, Jumby Bay Island
•     Chester Hughes, ABWU
•     Harriet Warner, Counselor
•     Jamion Knight, International Psychotherapist and former United Nations Official

Tackling Absenteeism as a Sector Epidemic:
Isha Joseph-Moore and Chester Hughes revealed sobering statistics about absenteeism, based on data collected from just seven ABHTA member properties:

•     Sample size: 892 employees
•     Over 6,000 workdays lost
•     Financial impact: EC $1.4 million

They emphasized that absenteeism is not just a financial concern, but a workforce development issue. They called for a tripartite approach between Industry, Government, and the Education Sector to combat its root causes.

Mental Health at Work: The Student-to-Employee Transition
Harriet Warner, a school counselor, connected the mental and behavioral challenges experienced in the education system to future workforce performance. She shared actionable wellness ideas for employers, including:

•     Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP)
•     Normalize mental health discussions
•     Include family in workplace social life
•     Provide back-to-school gift certificates
•     Adjust shifts for parents of young children
•     Offer 5–10-minute mental health breaks
•     Conduct wellness check-ins in team huddles
•     Build mentorship programs for new staff
•     Encourage participation in workplace sports & wellness clubs
•     Create calming spaces for conversation

Medical Insights: The Cost of Mental Illness
Dr. Teri-Ann Joseph presented critical data on the global and local cost of untreated mental illness:

•     1 in 5 employees experience a mental health issue
•     Many hide their diagnosis out of fear of discrimination
•     Mental illness is understood poorly, heavily stigmatized, and deeply disabling

  Global cost of mental health issues:

•      $2.5 trillion in 2017, projected to rise to $6 trillion by 2030 (WHO)
•     Workplace stress and depression remain leading causes of lost productivity, increased sick leave, and early retirement

Creating Safe Spaces for Men: 
In a deeply empathetic presentation, Jamion Knight, an International Psychotherapist, addressed men’s mental health, stressing the need for safe spaces where men can express vulnerability. He encouraged employers to implement Psychological First Aid principles into corporate culture and offered frameworks for more supportive, emotionally aware workplaces.

Looking Ahead
The retreat was overwhelmingly well-received, with participants commending the honest dialogue and practical tools presented throughout the day. Attendees have called for similar events to be hosted more frequently.

The ABHTA is pleased to announce that a follow-up People and Culture Retreat is being planned for October 2025, continuing its commitment to “Investing in People, Powering the Future.”