mental health in hospitality: paul spencer on looking out for each other and ourselves.
Fast-paced. People-centric. Always on. Hospitality is an industry unlike any other – which is why we love it! But working in such an intense environment (to say nothing of unsociable hours and odd shift patterns that can play havoc with your eating, sleeping, and social life) can have a profound impact on your mental health. In fact, studies show 85% of hospitality professionals experience poor mental health.
This Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May 2024), we chatted to Paul Spencer – Chief Operating Officer at edyn – about the unique challenges working in hospitality poses for our mental health, including the steps businesses can take to care for employees’ mental health, along with ways we can look out for each other and ourselves.
what unique challenges does working in hospitality pose for our mental health?
No matter our role, in hospitality we’re here to create experiences that live with our guests for years, if not a lifetime – a proposal, birthday, first holiday, first-ever meal out with her (or his) parents, wedding… Crikey, the list goes on.
We show up, ready to go. That need to be ‘on’ all the time means you can start to bury your daily life challenges because you can’t afford to have them bleed into your shift. Every time we do that, we disassociate from our lives – hiding our ‘life admin’.
That can mean one day you just go ‘pop’.
what steps should businesses take to care for their employees’ mental health?
A business needs to make space for the team. Teach leaders how to help, look out for signs, and be better equipped to help their teams. It’s deeper than mental health first aid courses: it’s about taking actions that matter (not just words).
Firstly, do the basics well. This sounds mad… But hang in there, it’s worth it!
Create great job descriptions – Nothing is more stressful than doing a job that looks nothing like the one you interviewed for, because you have no way of measuring your own success or knowing when you’ve done a good job. For example, if your job description clearly says your job is to make your customers coffee, you know you did a good job at the end of the day when all the coffees are made.
Ask your team how they’re doing – At edyn we check the pulse of our teams twice a year, which results in tangible actions we transparently share in operations to show we listen. Ask and act.
Train your team to do the job you want – We’ve all had that ‘on-shift’ training, which is usually some poor person having to show you what to do without any structure or plan. Every time you do that you dilute your brand messaging and the chances of your team delivering on your expectations. Never nailing it… and knowing it – how stressful must that be?
Give a shit – Have fair, clear policies that support and help your humans; don’t make your policies confused and convoluted because you’re trying to be a smart ass! Write clearly; make complicated things seem easy to navigate – when was the last time you read your expenses policy and understood it?
Be understanding – If someone’s struggling, drop everything. I know without my team around me I’ll fail – and fail massively. They empower me, support me, correct me. And they know whatever it is, I’m there. Together we’ve lost loved ones, fathers, mothers, worked through divorces and separations, moved houses, had fights with our partners… you name it. Give your leaders space to care.
how can people prioritise their own mental health?
The problem with mental health is that, usually, its deterioration is slow – like an ebb. You don’t notice until life is imploding. So, here’s what I do:
Work out 3 or 4 times a week – And they’re always brutal! I’ve lost count of the times I’ve cried through a workout… And not because the effort is hard, but because pushing my body frees my mind – it’s like a release.
Eat fairly well – I avoid breakfast (unless I’m a tad hungover, then it’s all the breakfasts!) and try to eat by 7pm or 8pm so I have a 16-hour break from eating, allowing my body to recover and repair.
Take time for yourself – Each year I have a week (or two) away on my own; this year was a log cabin in the far north of Scotland with just my dog, Tilly, for lots of walking, thinking and writing
Meditate – But not necessarily how you might think… My meditation takes many shapes, like listening to music and being carried by it. I’m writing this while listening to ‘Go’ by Chase and Status – it’s wild music that calms my soul. I play PlayStation with my eldest son, Charlie, and have boys’ golf nights online through the PlayStation (because we all live in different countries), which is a time for the four of us to chat…. And I love a TV binge – I just smashed Baby Reindeer! Anything that lets you switch off and forget your daily worries is a form of meditation to me.
Go to therapy – I have an hour every Monday with Jonathan, where we talk about everything – a process I started years ago. I believe we look after our bodies by eating well and working out because we want to live well, grow old gracefully, and be there for our family as we age. The same applies to your mind: your mental health is a muscle, too – so work on it
how can individuals look out for the mental health of their colleagues?
Being a good human means looking for unusual behaviours from your teammates. For example, one sign to look out for is someone who becomes super stressed over the simplest thing – it means they’re at capacity; they can’t process anything more.
The longer you work with your team and the more you know about them, you might start to notice behavioural changes – things like:
Withdrawing from the group
Acting out of character
Being late for work (especially when they haven’t been before)
Loss of appetite
what do you wish people knew about mental health?
Everyone struggles. Everyone.
Are you experiencing mental health issues? Or trying to support someone who is? Mind has a guide to seeking help with your mental health, along with a directory of free mental health crisis helplines. Hospitality Action also offers Mental Health Awareness Training for managers and employees.