Just 7% of hospitality employee respondents would feel comfortable talking to their employer about their mental health, according to research by Pizza Hut and Mental Health UK.
The research, which surveyed 500 UK hospitality employees, also found that more than half (56%) of respondents have received adverse treatment at work as a result of a mental health issue.
The research also found:
- 44% of respondents would not talk to anyone about their mental health, not even friends or family.
- 15% of respondents believe that mental health at work is the responsibility of the entire organisation.
- 24% of respondents feel that offering flexible working is the best way that employers in the hospitality industry can support employees’ mental health.
Kathryn Austin (pictured), director of HR and marketing at Pizza Hut Restaurants, said: “Research tells us that one in four people in this country are affected by mental health each year. When you consider the number of people working in hospitality and using hospitality services, this puts our industry in a unique position to impact people’s lives for the better. We know we have a responsibility to support and protect all the people who touch our business, whether that’s our employees or our guests.
“As a business we put people at the heart of everything we do and that’s why we are investing heavily in training and development. It’s not just about teaching our people the skills they need to do their jobs, but also giving them skills for life including behavioural, emotional and relationship skills.”
Emma Malcolm, associate director for fundraising and engagement at Rethink Mental Illness, added: “It is incredibly important to support your staff’s mental health in the workplace. As these findings highlight, mental health problems are extremely common, and yet people still shy away from talking openly about them with colleagues.
“We are delighted to be working with Pizza Hut Restaurants to help [it] lead the way in the hospitality industry and make it a priority to support the mental wellbeing of its employees through fundraising and training opportunities.”