Hospitality Managers’ Mental Health Suffers Under Wellbeing Burden

Almost two-thirds (65%) of hospitality managers who experienced a mental health issue in their adult life say it was triggered by their work, according to the latest Taking the Temperature survey from UK charity Hospitality Action.

The charity’s annual mental health and wellbeing survey conducted this summer in association with Agilysys, reveals that managers are increasingly expected to support the wellbeing of their teams, yet many are doing so without formal training whilst facing significant pressures of their own.

Whilst 40% of hospitality professionals were asked to support a colleague experiencing a mental health challenge in the past year, this figure rose to 61% amongst the managers answering, underlining the pivotal role managers play as the first line of support in the workplace.

Yet many managers feel ill-equipped for this growing responsibility. Almost half of respondents (47%) want more management training to help leaders recognise and respond to mental health and wellbeing concerns. With more than eight in ten managers (83%) saying that taking the time to listen is the primary support they provide, equipping leaders with the confidence, skills and practical tools to have these conversations has never been more important.

Managers are also facing mounting pressures themselves. They identified that maintaining a healthy work-life balance and protecting their own mental wellbeing are the two biggest challenges they face over the next 12 months. High workloads, rising expectations and consistently working beyond contracted hours were all significantly more likely to be cited as key challenges by managers than other hospitality professionals.

Despite these findings, the survey also points to encouraging progress across the sector in several key areas. Around two-thirds of respondents say they have a good work-life balance and believe their workplace has created an environment where they can openly discuss mental health. In addition, over half (54%) feel their wellbeing is supported by their organisation.

Speaking on the findings, Mark Lewis, Chief Executive of Hospitality Action, said:

“Hospitality managers are increasingly expected to be all things to all people – mentors, problem-solvers and the first people colleagues turn to when they’re struggling. Yet many are carrying that responsibility whilst battling their own pressures which can be at the expense of their wellbeing.

“The hospitality industry has made real progress in breaking down the stigma around mental health, but these findings clearly show there is more to do. Managers should not be expected to shoulder this responsibility alone. Those supporting others need to be supported themselves, and creating mentally healthy workplaces requires embedded commitment from every level of an organisation. Only then can we ensure we’re protecting the wellbeing of entire teams and creating a more resilient industry.”

To review the key survey findings report, click here.