Changing Attitudes Towards Mental Health in Hospitality
Episode 5 of "Talking Hospitality" dives into the changing attitudes towards mental health within the hospitality industry, highlighting the urgent need for a cultural shift. With guests Susan Grandfield, a mindset coach, and Dan Grandfield, a hospitality consultant, the discussion emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive work environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health challenges. The conversation reflects on how the pandemic has accelerated the conversation around mental health, urging employers to prioritize the well-being of their staff. Both Susan and Dan stress the significance of open communication and the need for organizations to foster a culture that allows employees to feel secure in expressing their struggles. As the episode unfolds, listeners are encouraged to consider the broader implications of mental health in hospitality and the responsibility leaders have to improve the workplace landscape.
The second in a three part mini-series focusing on the growing phenomenon of mental health illness within the hospitality sector.
This episode looks at some of the issues faced by employers and some potential advice and tips on how to tackle mental health in the workplace.
With special guest speakers mindset coach Susan Grandfield and Daniel Grandfield , Hospitality expert of 25 years.
If you are struggling, or know someone who is, please contact the following immediately:
Hospitality Action https://www.hospitalityaction.org.uk/get-help/
T: 0808 802 0282 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/
T: 116 123
For more information on the guest speakers:
Susan Grandfield: https://www.susangrandfield.com/
Daniel Grandfield https://www.bluecragsconsulting.com/
"Timothy, Put The Kettel On" co-hosted by:
Sarah Kettel https://www.sarahkettel.co.uk/
Timothy R Andrews https://www.facebook.com/TimothyRAndrews
Editing & Visuals by: Timothy R Andrews
Music: Brain Power by Mela, freemusicarchive.org & Pawel Sikorski
The ongoing conversation about mental health in hospitality takes center stage as the podcast tackles the industry's need for change in its culture towards mental well-being. Timothy, Sarah, Susan, and Dan discuss the implications of working in an environment where mental health struggles are often overlooked or stigmatized. Susan and Dan share personal anecdotes from their careers, emphasizing the importance of creating an atmosphere where employees feel safe to express their struggles and seek help. The episode also explores the potential long-term changes that the pandemic may bring to the hospitality sector, urging leaders to take proactive steps in addressing mental health as an integral part of their operations.
Listeners are treated to a rich dialogue about the impact of COVID-19 on employee attitudes and employer responsibilities. Sarah highlights that the pandemic has not only illuminated existing problems but has also catalyzed a greater willingness among individuals to speak out about their mental health needs. The discussion encourages employers to lead by example, fostering environments where mental health is prioritized and where staff can thrive. Dan underscores the necessity of robust support systems within organizations, including mental health resources and clear communication protocols, to ensure that employees feel valued and supported. This episode serves as a vital reminder of the need for a cultural shift in hospitality, aligning operational practices with the well-being of those who serve in the industry.
Takeaways:
- The podcast discusses the changing attitudes towards mental health in the hospitality industry, highlighting the need for open conversations.
- COVID-19 has accelerated the focus on mental health, revealing issues that were previously overlooked.
- Employers are now being held accountable for the well-being of their staff, emphasizing the importance of supportive environments.
- The culture of calling in sick due to mental health issues must change for better employee support.
- It's crucial for hospitality organizations to provide clear communication to help staff feel more at ease during transitions.
- Managers should engage with staff about their mental health and utilize available resources to provide support.
Transcript
Talking Hospitality: Welcome to our podcast, Talking Hospitality. I'm Sarah Kettel and this is Timothy R. Andrews.
Timothy R Andrews:Hello.
Sarah Kettel:Talking Hospitality is a podcast looking at issues within hospitality solutions and inspirational stories within the sector. The podcast is shared on all major platforms, iTunes, Google Play, SoundCloud, YouTube and will soon be available on Audible.
Episode 5 Changing attitudes towards Mental Health.
Timothy R Andrews:In Hospitality this is the second part of a three part mini series concentrating on mental health within the hospitality industry.
Sarah Kettel:We're all delighted to welcome Susan Grandfield, mindset Coach from www.susangrandfield.com and Dan Grandfield, Hospitality Consultant from BlueCragsonSulting.com
Susan Grandfield:I am a mindset coach which I've been doing for about 15 years or so. Prior to that I worked in the hospitality industry.
Dan Grandfield:I am a hospitality consultant, presently doing life coaching, career coaching, recruitment and project management.
Sarah Kettel:Our industry obviously has reputation for mental health issues. You know, obviously from addictions right through to depression and stress. Those things are changing.
You know, I've seen them changing since I've been working in the industry. Do you think now there will be an even bigger push to address some of those issues?
Susan Grandfield:For me, actually, this situation over the last few months in a lot of ways has shone a light on things that were already a problem, but also things that were already starting to change. And I think the attitudes around mental health were already changing and it's like it's almost accelerated the need for that now.
I don't think employers can avoid it. I just don't think you can do that now. So I really think there will be a big, a big push. People are more willing to speak out about it as well.
I just think the way that we are interacting with people now and just, you know, there's no way that we can go back to how things were in March of this year. We're looking at a new landscape and actually we've got a great opportunity to create a better landscape.
We can actually choose to make things better. I think more people are willing to make that change.
Dan Grandfield:Hospitality has to disconnect its relationship with the stiff upper lip and things like calling in sick when you're really not well, being frowned upon, those things that have, you know, even to recently I would go to work not fit for work because of the culture of you don't call in sick, you don't let the team down. Well, you're letting the team down by going in not well, aren't you?
And something like COVID 19 as a disease is really not something you should be going to work with. We shouldn't be going to work with influenza either, you know, and we have got.
Well, that's the culture I've experienced in the last 25 years, is if people call in sick more often, once or twice, then they're quite often tarred with a. You know, with a label or, you know, you can't. You can't rely on them. You can't. They so.
Well, have we actually investigated why they're calling in sick? And we sat down and had a conversation with them. Do they actually enjoy working here? Do they actually enjoy working in hospitality?
Are we providing the right environment for them, the tools they have to do the job? Do they work properly?
All those things that can cause people mental health problems, but also the need to call in sick because they just can't stand going to work as well as illness. And I think that's one of the most important things, that it's changing slowly, but still has got some big steps to get there.
Sarah Kettel:Yeah, I think that's a really important point, actually. Do you enjoy your job? People have been forced to take three months off and it's like, I want to go back to work. I can't stand this anymore.
Susan Grandfield:I think that has happened.
I think, you know, that the pause and the effect it's had on people, and I think for some people, they've realized actually their work is really important to them and those little niggly things actually not such a big deal anymore. So, yeah, I think a lot of people are realizing how important it is to get out.
My experience with hospitality is, for a lot of people, it is a vocation, it's almost a calling, where they get their energy from. So, yeah, so I think people do want to get back to work, but they've got that concern of actually, what environment am I going back to?
Timothy R Andrews:I think spotlight will be on employers right now over the next few months. You're already seeing quite quickly in the media reports of employers that are not treating their staff correctly.
I think this is actually a good thing because it means that we now need to raise our game in the hospitality industry. If we're not going to do it now, when are we going to do it?
Susan Grandfield:Absolutely.
The stereotype of hospitality is, you know, long hours, not great working conditions, you know, a boss that shouts at you, low pay, all of these things. There's an opportunity to change now. And as you say, Tim, if this situation hasn't given us the impetus, then what will?
So I think there'll be some employers that really come out on top that people become the employer of choice.
And it's the forward thinking organizations that go, we've got an opportunity to get the real, you know, the best in our industry to come and work for us. They'll get that. Absolutely. And it will then shine a light on the ones that aren't interesting to see what happens to them.
But it's going to be a very competitive marketplace, I would imagine, for a good while to come, actually getting customers to come in and choose you over someone else. So having great people working for you is going to be a way to get customers in as well, I would think.
Timothy R Andrews:But I think that also ties into the presentation of how you're dealing with the COVID situation as a customer. When I go into a restaurant or a bar or a pub, I look for what they're doing. I look, I can't help myself.
It's like, have they got the directions so that we know which way to go in? Have they got somebody meeting and greeting? Are they recording your information? Are there sanitation stations for me, where that was all hidden?
That must be at the front because that tells me something about the organization. That tells me they care, that they've given some thought. And they're likely also to be looking after their staff because their staff are all over it.
You know, I mean, somebody who's doing it well is dishoom. They're doing really well at the moment. I mean, they're packed out in London continuously. They have a very clear system. You have to book.
It's all very regulated. The staff couldn't wait to get back. When you speak to them, they're all delighted pubs. I went to Charles Dickens in St Catherine. Stop London.
Everything was so well done. They gave you the rules before you arrived, asked you if you agreed and then took you to your table. Those sort of things you want to go back to.
Whereas I've been to another pub. You're not sure which way you're supposed to go. You kind of. The table was dirty when I arrived. I'm not, I'm not never going to go back.
So I think that's also where we need to turn things on its head a little bit. Where we might have hidden it before. This is part of the show. Let's make it part of the experience. It kind of normalizes it then.
Yeah, I think if it's normal, then that's a standard by which we're judged. Of course. Actually, Sarah and I have talked about this on a previous podcast.
Hospitality businesses, most of them are very, very Clean businesses, there's a reason why they've got hygiene ratings. You know, this Covid thing is just an extra little step that we have to take.
It's not like suddenly we've got to change every cleaning procedure that we've ever known. It's not. It's an extra bit. So why don't we show how much we care by doing things properly?
Susan Grandfield:Visibly doing that then helps to ease the discomfort and the pressure on employees. So you're doing it for your customers? Yes, but actually by doing that, then, you know, if I'm.
If I'm a, you know, an employee and I walk into the organization and it's really clear what customers do and it's really clear what I do, and then I can immediately relax a little bit. And that's. That's the thing. You know, this whole situation has.
We've all been on alert, we've all had our threat system raised and it's not gone down for quite a long time.
And actually for some people, when it started to go down, you know, actually when we got used to lockdown, it's raised again because we're now in this strange transition period. So the more that people.
I think you're right, Tim, that the clarity of what's expected, how we do things, just makes it easier for everyone and means everyone can just relax a bit more.
Dan Grandfield:If we think about hospitality and how it's been for thousands of years is welcoming people, looking after them, making sure they're comfortable. So those are the foundations of it and explaining what it is that you do at the same time.
So the best hospitality businesses in the world, whereas a Michelin star restaurant, five star hotel, or welcome you in, explain to you exactly what's going to happen or what might happen, depending on what you choose, all we're doing is that with some additional information. So if you've got a business that's already great at hospitality, surely the transition is going to be smooth.
If you don't find this a smooth transition or you're not unable to do this, and perhaps the basis of the hospitality of the organization should be looked at as well.
Timothy R Andrews:I remember when I worked for private members club, we basically were told to think a bit like you're welcoming somebody into your own home. And that's always stayed with me.
Dan Grandfield:Did they have to take the shoes off of the porch as well?
Sarah Kettel:They weren't coming to mind. I'd be like, get your own drink.
And so, Dan, from a managerial point of view, if, say, a manager saw that one of their Staff was struggling, where can they turn to? What help can they get? Either for the member of staff or even for themselves, where can they go?
Dan Grandfield:Most large organizations will have some form of helpline for confidential conversations, but of course, the manager, first of all, if they're aware of something and they are adept, they have a good relationship with that member of staff, which they should do, they should be able to have a conversation with them, sit them down and find out how they're feeling.
If they're slightly concerned about that, they may be aware of another member of staff that that person is close to and just, you know, a casual inquiry as to is such and such okay. You know, things like that, being aware. Also, if you should go back to the.
In hotels, you have health and safety committees where you talk about the environment, you talk about cleanliness, you talk about issues and things like that as well. And mental health should come into the agenda on those.
And a proper strategy should be put in place to help those that are encountering stress and wellbeing should form part of the company's structure. It shouldn't be an added extra that we just have in a policy in a folder. It should be living and breathing. There are charities as well.
Hospitality Action is very good and has helped members of staff that I've known in the past, kind of pastorally and financially as well, I believe. So there are some good charities out there. A lot of big companies will have those helplines, like an internal Samaritans.
But I think it's better if you can create an environment where it's okay to not be okay.
And a member of staff will happily or can, for a start, be assured of confidentiality, will be happy to come and speak to whoever it might be about that. And it doesn't get banded around and people don't know about it.
And from personal experience, one of the most important things is when everyone does know that someone's off with an issue with mental health, the return to work needs to be managed very carefully. And you need to ensure that everyone's attitude towards that member of staff is good.
There's not some suspicion that they're just having, you know, and that has to be done very diplomatically and very carefully. But managing the return can be make or break for that individual about whether they continue to work for that organization or in our industry.
Sarah Kettel:And we've got to have each other's back, haven't we, at the moment as well? I think more than ever, when we turn up to work, we've really just got to be a little bit more aware of everyone else around us.
Susan Grandfield:Thank you both very much for joining us.
Sarah Kettel:Thank you.
Timothy R Andrews:Thank you, thank you.
Susan Grandfield:Bye bye.
Timothy R Andrews:Bye bye.
Sarah Kettel: ns. You can call them free on: Timothy R Andrews: so call Hospitality Action on: Sarah Kettel:You are not alone. Thank you for listening. Please share, subscribe and like.
We look forward to you joining us in the next episode of Talking Hospitality on available on iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play and YouTube. Talking Hospitality
