Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JAPAN JUL 2020 54 Jennifer Martinez, President and CEO of Las Vegas-based Consult HR Partners. ラスベガスを拠点にするコンサルトHRパートナーズのジェニファー・マルティネス社長兼CEO “Companies who have demonstrated strong leadership where there is mutual trust between the manager and staff ... are the ones that will emerge from this the strongest.” – Jennifer Martinez 「強力なリーダーシップを発揮し、満 足度や積極的な相互作用の観点から 従業員を大事にして彼らを気遣ってき た企業は、これから最強となるでしょう」 ージェニファー・マルティネス month after Macau’s last active cases of COVID-19 were given the all clear, almost everyone has continued wearing masks – not only in casinos but whenever they leave their residence. It was recently revealed that 76 million face masks had been sold under the government’s facemask purchase scheme in the first four months since it was launched, equivalent to one mask per person, per day based on Macau’s population of 630,000. Compare that to Nevada, where the reluctance of many customers to wear face masks upon reopening ultimately led to governor Steve Sisolak issuing a directive in late June for masks to be worn in public settings, including casinos, following pressure from employee lobby groups. Assessing the realities of casinos reopening in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, veteran gaming consultant Dennis Conrad notes, “Both casino customers and casino employees will be afraid to return to the casino world for a significant period of time. This fear must be acknowledged and respected. “All of the casino employees that were under- appreciated or taken for granted before the COVID-19 pandemic must be cherished, embraced and made to feel valued and safe after the pandemic.” “Good practices would start with ensuring that employees feel safe and secure returning to work,” says Kalé, adding that customers will likely feel safe if employees do. “It does not make sense to open a casino if perceived health safety does not exist. “I see no disconnect between employee safety and customer comfort. For sure the entire ambience will be one of discomfort and anxiety that both customers and employees will have to grapple with. If employees feel comfortable under the new abnormal, that sense of comfort and security will be parlayed on to the customers.” Ultimately, it comes down to a perception of honesty from those at the top. As a key part of the global leisure, entertainment and hospitality industries, gaming has IN FOCUS