Marriott Aruba focuses on improving mental health balance


Executives participate at “Women Let’s Talk” forum

ORANJESTAD, Aruba, October 17, 2021: Last week Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino invited employees in management positions to a forum titled “Women Let’s Talk”, focusing on mental health. Some 75 participants from the Marriott Resort complex attended the event, as well as colleagues from The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba and Costa Del Sol Development.

Marriott International is dedicating the month of October to this topic at all its properties. As the largest hotel complex on the island, Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is very aware of the challenges that can present in the area of mental health, and opted to focus on this theme, particularly among its female colleagues.

Ruthline Theysen, Complex Director Human Resources for Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Aruba Ocean Club and Aruba Surf Club, explained that the human resources team regularly organizes events for their employees. This special session, with the focus on women, is part of their annual program, this year with an emphasis on the sensitive topic of mental health, which they deal with as a company on a daily basis.

Marriott is among the few companies on Aruba that covers all expenses for private psychological therapy, for their employees and their families. This past year, there has been a considerable increase in requests for therapy sessions, possibly due to different challenges related to the pandemic.

Various speakers expressed that being women in executive positions has helped develop their creative abilities in achieving balance between their jobs, private lives and homes, including family, etc. Regardless of challenges that they all face, most have maintained their mental health well, and during the forum they presented various stories of success and tips on how to keep a good balance, as well as how to identify when it is time to request the help of a professional.

The goal with “Women Let’s Talk” was to inspire female leaders, to realize and affirm that they are able to achieve all their goals if they are able to maintain good mental health. The intention was to offer the participants sufficient guidance, information and success stories on how to manage stress in a healthy manner, especially since we continue moving forward at the center of a pandemic.

The presenters made an effort to offer guidance and inspiration to all participants, in how to be strong and resilience, in hard times under much stress. And with most participants being executives in the hotel industry, they focused much on the topic of maintaining a healthy balance between personal wellbeing and work. Often work causes great stress, due to many tasks that have to be completed in short periods of time, and when one leaves work there are still many matters of the home waiting to be attended to. The speakers did an amazing job in explaining how they keep these two areas stable.

The invited speakers:

Minister President of Aruba, Evelyn Wever-Croes, who held an eloquent speech on how the pandemic has and is being managed, aside from all her executive and personal responsibilities, being a wife, mother and grandmother. Minister of Finance and Culture, Xiomara Maduro explained some of the aspects that the pandemic brought along, and how these were worked on and worked out, putting her best foot forward. The third speaker was Ronella Croes, CEO of Aruba Tourism Authority, who shared her personal formula, and explained how she balances her professional career and personal life. She believes in the direct connection between physical health and mental health, that one should continue exercising and being active for the mind to continue functioning as it should.

The forum included three executives from Marriott International. Anneliesse Cooper, Senior Area Director HR – Caribbean Luxury Portfolio Latin America; and Antoinette van den Berg, an Aruban who holds a key position as VP Sales & Distribution, Operations – Caribbean & Latin America at Marriott International, who shared their success stories as well. Closing the forum was Louella Brezovar, also an Aruban, currently Hotel Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba. She shared various interesting tips based on her experience at work, and with managing mental health.

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino opened in 1995 with 411 rooms; adding three additional rooms in 2018. In 1999 Ocean Club opened with 311 rooms, and Surf Club in 2004 with 900 rooms. The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino employs some 1200 associates directly. The Aruba Marriott & Stellaris Casino complex is the largest in the Caribbean, in number of rooms, as well as number of employees. The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba opened in November 2013 with 302 rooms and has 550 employees in direct service.