Research continues to emerge showing alarming statistics on rates of mental health issues in hospitality – a problem costing Australian businesses and the economy $60 billion annually.
In light of findings that suicide took the lives of eight Australians every day in 2018, Australia’s leading suicide prevention charity R U OK? found 80 per cent of hospitality workers agree mental health issues are challenging the industry.
Thursday, 10 October was World Mental Health Day, and entities including industry stalwart Unilever have banded forces in the #FairKitchens initiative to help hospitality businesses and staff build a more positive kitchen culture.
Through its own research, FairKitchens found that around the world 74 per cent of chefs report feeling sleep deprived to the point of exhaustion. One in four have suffered physical abuse, and over half feel pushed to breaking point.
Kitchens are increasingly a very high stress environment, often requiring late nights and unsociable hours. This can easily cause problems with work-life balance and personal relationships, and sleep deprivation, and depression, and even misuse of substances in an attempt to keep up the pace.
Foodservice has increasingly become an essential part of a hotel’s repertoire, putting proportionate strain on kitchen staff and facilities. The relatively recent trend of food delivery services has only furthered the pressure.
“A professional kitchen can be a pressure-cooker of factors that can negatively impact mental health,” says John Alexander, Corporate Executive Chef at Hog’s Breath Café.
“With the increase of divorce, separation, depression and stress in the industry it is more important than ever to bring teams together. Kitchens are like families as we spend so much time together.
“I think #FairKitchens speaks clearly to what the industry needs. It’s not prescriptive or too much to handle, it’s empowering and provides access to online resources, helping move people on a challenging issue in the best way.
The FairKitchens program aims to inspire positive actions by creating supportive cultures and environments, using tools and resources that help business owners operate ‘fair’ kitchens, which they note will be stronger kitchens.
“Whether it’s front or back of house, everyone has a part to play in looking out for those they work alongside … chances are one of your work family needs to talk,” suggests R U OK? CEO Katherine Newton.
“We can all have our eyes and ears open to notice the signs that someone may be struggling, consider the right space and time to genuinely ask someone, ‘Are you OK?’, and learn how to navigate a conversation if that person says, ‘No, I’m not’.”
With international research showing over 50 per cent of hospitality general workers experiencing mental health concerns, and mental illness costing the economy $60 billion each year, #FairKitchens is hoping to normalise having conversations on what is a very important topic.
