You’ll probably be aware by now of the existence of Blue Monday – the third Monday of January, the most depressing day of the year and when we all just want a duvet day.

So why should you care about Blue Monday? Well, research from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) found that ‘one in five hospitality workers suffer from work-related mental health issues’, and 84% of hospitality workers said that their increased stress was a direct result of their job.

The January blues affect everyone differently, so we’re here to give you a few things you can do to improve employee wellbeing at your business.

1. Communicate

Talking about mental health and employee wellbeing is always going to be the best way to not only reduce stigma around mental health, but also get your employees talking too. The hospitality industry can be demanding, so letting your staff know that you’re happy to talk about the tough stuff will have a really positive impact.

2. Upskill your employees

Keeping your employees learning and investing in their development is a great way to show them how much you value them. With eLearning provided by Food Alert’s partner iHasco, you can make sure all your employees are knowledgeable and empower them to make their own decisions and potentially take on more responsibility. Plus, we can carry out a Mental Health Awareness training course through iHasco, to provide your workers with tools and guidance for daily wellbeing management.

3. Take stock of your working conditions

Understandably and sometime unavoidably so, the hospitality industry involves long hours and antisocial shift patterns. This means your employees are more likely to feel tired or stressed, or miss out on spending time with family, friends or doing things for themselves. By creating a working environment where a work/life balance is encouraged, you’ll reduce stress on team members.

4. Implement proper mental wellbeing support

You may already have first aid training, but have you considered mental health first aid? This can equip managers with the knowledge they’ll need to identify people who might be struggling, and the tools to try and help. You could also appoint a mental health champion – someone who promotes staff engagement and communication.

More sources of support

There are several charities providing free mental health support that you can easily signpost to your employees. Mind and Samaritans both have free helplines, no matter who needs it or when they need it.

There’s a long way to go with mental health in the hospitality industry, but with the right support, training and conversations 2023 could be the year we begin to break the stigma.