Healthy, happy, and engaged employees are essential for the success of any hospitality business. While this may not appear on your balance sheet, it undoubtedly affects your bottom line.
For years, mental health was a taboo topic, especially in the workplace. Fortunately, there has been a significant shift in recent years. Today, most people recognise that mental health is a crucial component of overall wellbeing, alongside physical and emotional health.
Regulations and policies have evolved to reflect a deeper understanding of workplace mental health, emphasising the need for environments that are both mentally and physically safe.
The result of fostering mentally healthy workplaces is a win-win situation: employees who feel supported are more productive and positively impact customer service. Let’s explore this further.
The importance of mental wellbeing for your hospitality business
- Healthy, happy employees are more engaged with their work and their team: employees who prioritise their mental health tend to be more connected, motivated, and creative.
- Lower absenteeism and increased retention: focusing on mental wellbeing in the workplace can result in reduced absenteeism and decreased employee turnover.
- Enhanced customer engagement and experience: mentally healthy employees are more likely to engage positively with customers, improving overall guest experiences.
Some simple actions you can take to in your workplace to achieve results:
- Ensure you have mental health resources available for staff: provide online resources and printed fliers in an accessible location such as the staff room notice board; offer all staff access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services; have designated mental health days; and provide Mental Health First Aid Training for some key staff members.
- Frequent check-ins and supportive communication: create a workplace culture where managers and team leaders consistently check in with employees regarding their mental health. These conversations don’t require a formal meeting – make a habit of asking your team members how they are, and take the time to really listen to their response.
- Explore our HOSPO Health mindfulness resources to support both yourself and your team. This website gives you access to a video series of guided mindfulness practices, along with information on the benefits of mindfulness and tips on getting started.
- Implement stress reduction activities: organise yoga classes, group walks, or regular team outings to help alleviate stress and foster connections.
If staff wellbeing is an area that’s new to you, now is a great time to have a look around this website. We have an extensive range of resources for you and your team to access, and there is no cost involved. You’ll find videos and fact sheets on mentally healthy workplaces; information on building resilience; the benefits of happiness and gratitude in your business; hints on injury prevention specifically for our industry; how to identify psychological safety; and much more.
Stay tuned for the next edition of Hospitality Review, where we’ll explore social wellbeing – what it is, and why it’s important to your staff and your business. In the meantime you can view the wellbeing framework at www.hospohealth.com.au/wellbeing-framework
* This article was written for and published in Hospitality Review magazine, October/November 2024.