What is mental health?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health "is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community."
Hospitality can offer great opportunities for individuals to express themselves, work towards goals as a team and as individuals and connect with people. However, the demanding nature of the job, high pressure and sometimes unacceptable behaviours in the kitchen can make it hard to see the positives.
What Does Mental Health Look Like in the Hospitality Industry?
The WHO associates poor mental health to "rapid social change, stressful work conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyle, physical ill-health and human rights violations". So, what’s the state of mental health in hospitality?
Unilever Food Solutions conducted a global survey of its chefs in 2023, revealing that 60% believe work negatively affects mental wellbeing to some degree. A stressful environment, long shifts and the struggle to maintain work-life balance are all factors contributing to this statistic.
How do operators deal with the day-to-day stressors of a professional kitchen? Having enough breaks is essential for a balanced workday, and 58% of interviewees say they can have a break when needed. Outside of work, most chefs like relaxing by listening to music, watching TV/streaming, cooking and travelling.
On the other hand, unhealthy habits are quite widespread to cope with stress. 53% of surveyed chefs reported smoking, 46% drinking alcohol and a staggering 26% taking drugs, with illegal drugs mostly being mentioned in the United Kingdom , Switzerland, Australia, Germany and Mexico.
Other factors influencing operators’ wellbeing are:
- Generational imbalance: 58% declared they feel a clash between the old and new generations of hospitality workers.
- Harsh language: 1 in 3 of the surveyed have experienced verbal harassment in the workplace
- Physical health: 68% of those surveyed said that work has a negative impact on their bodies, with backache, sore legs and foot ache being the top-mentioned conditions.
What You Can Do to Promote Mental Health in Your Kitchen
- Value and reward your team’s work: Rewarding hard work, whether it’s with a pay rise or simply recognising an employee’s efforts can go a long way.
- Promote mindfulness in the workplace: Offer mental health awareness training and share mindfulness techniques that you can practice with your team before or after a shift. Check out our Mental Health Course.
- Foster constructive communication: 47% of surveyed chefs revealed that they experience aggressive communication at work. Promoting healthier and more positive communication will result in a happier and stronger team.
- Be open about mental health struggles: Establishing an environment where mental health discussions are normalised is essential. Lead by example by being open about mental health challenges, encouraging your team members to share their experiences, and providing resources for support. For example, you can implement a Health and Wellbeing Check-in to monitor your staff’s doing.
We’re in This Together
Even though hospitality is a challenging and fast-paced industry, poor mental health should never be part of the job description. Creating a positive kitchen that fosters staff wellbeing isn’t impossible, but it requires a joint effort to make it standard practice. If you need help on this journey, explore our free resources to shape the future of hospitality.
