Mental health in hospitality

Mental health in hospitality

How the pandemic has brought workers to boiling point

This week in trade magazine Big Hospitality, our own MD Matthew Reed is one of many people talking about mental health in hospitality.

Hospitality was already a high-pressure industry - put under even more pressure by Covid-19 closures and uncertainties.

After getting through what was supposed to be the worst bit, workers from kitchens to industry bodies have been left burnt out.

The Burnt Chef Project - a non-profit organisation that challenges mental health stigma within the hospitality industry - reports that 8 out of 10 professionals in the sector have experienced at least one mental health issue during their career, and that in July 40% admitted to struggling with their mental health in the last year.

As awareness has improved, hospitality employers are increasingly looking to take care of stressed-out staff. At Equipsme, we’ve certainly seen a rise in interest in our plans from both small hospitality venues and larger chains - with take-up of our stress-support line something 1 in 3 of our companies choose to add to their packages.

The Big Hospitality article goes on to look at some of the experiences of hospitality workers, and how they’ve found help to manage their mental health at work. It’s an illuminating, behind-the-scenes look at a sector we all use, but don’t always appreciate – and it’s well worth a read.

Find it on the Big Hospitality website here.