73% of hospitality workers suffer from poor mental health during Covid

Almost three-quarters (73%) of hospitality workers have suffered from poor mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent study by online training provider High Speed Training. Over a third (35%) of respondents primarily blamed their profession for their mental health issues. On top of these alarming figures, a recent survey conducted by Hospitality Action found that 60% of hospitality workers feel stressed about their future in the industry compared to 38% who feel positive. Tim Etherington-Judge, founder of Healthy Hospo, said: “As we come out of lockdown and begin our journey to a normally functioning society, the mental, and physical health of hospitality workers needs to be put front and centre. “Hospitality is not the service of food and drink, it’s hosting, making people feel welcome, and providing amazing guest experiences, this can only be achieved with staff who are healthy, happy and have good mental health.” He added: “We are also experiencing a staffing crisis in the industry as Covid and Brexit combine to create a chronic shortage of people seeking employment in hospitality. “Employers are going to have to compete hard to attract new staff into their businesses, and the industry, and providing great working environments, good mental health support, and better financial incentives are going to be key to that.” Sarah Taylor, hospitality industry expert at High Speed Training, said: “It’s extremely worrying that this new data shows how many employees in the hospitality industry have really struggled with their mental health during the pandemic, and that it continues to have a detrimental impact with the current staff shortages across the sector. “It’s vital that businesses and industry bodies do everything they can to provide, and cover the cost of training around mental health awareness, so there are dedicated team members for employees to turn to.” She added: “The first step is providing employees with someone to talk to, who can then provide support and guidance, and escalate issues when required. We have mental health awareness training courses suited to employees and managers.”