Blog. From Reactive to Proactive: Why More Hospitality Businesses are Investing in EAPs
July 31, 2025 | Author Guest Blogger
In the hospitality industry, crises can emerge quickly - whether it's a staff member facing financial hardship, burnout, addiction, or a personal trauma. As the UK benevolent charity for the hospitality sector, Hospitality Action is often called upon to step in when things have already reached breaking point.
We provide emergency grants, trauma support, mental health counselling and more to those who need urgent help. But one thing we’ve learned after years on the front line is this: many of these crises could have been prevented if the right support had been in place earlier.
Seeing the Warning Signs First-Hand
Hospitality Action has supported thousands of hospitality workers through some of the toughest moments of their lives. From sudden bereavement to long-term mental health struggles, we’re there when people need us most. But we also see patterns: staff absences that could have been avoided, stress-related illness left unspoken, and good people walking away from jobs they love because the pressure became too much.
These aren’t rare exceptions - they’re all too common in a sector known for long hours, high demands and emotional labour. That’s why more hospitality businesses are starting to act earlier, embedding proactive support systems into their operations before problems escalate. It’s not just compassionate; it’s practical.
The Business Case for Early Intervention
Proactive support like an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) helps employees access help before they reach crisis point - offering confidential counselling, legal and financial guidance, wellbeing content, and resources for line managers. When people feel supported early, the outcomes are better for them, and for the business.
According to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA UK), employers can expect an average return of £8 for every £1 invested in an EAP, thanks to reduced absenteeism, improved retention, and increased productivity. CIPD’s 2022 Health and Wellbeing at Work report found that hospitality employees take an average of 3.7 sick days per year. With the average cost of a single sick day estimated at £538, the costs mount up quickly - and they’re often preventable with timely support.
Hospitality Action’s own internal data supports this too. Among employees referred to counselling through our EAP, 82% reported improved work performance, and 73% saw
How to Break the Cycle: Mental Health Support as a Retention Tool
High turnover is often a symptom of poor wellbeing. In hospitality, the mental health crisis is well documented – with a staggering 76% of hospitality workers experiencing mental health challenges in their adult life (source: HA Mental Health Survey 2024) - a figure that continues to rise. A quarter of respondents indicated they experienced mental health challenges in the last year, with another fifth experiencing issues in the last 1–2 years. Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is designed to tackle the root causes of these challenges by providing sector-specific support that is accessible whenever your team needs it most.
Proven Impact on Retention and Morale - EAPs are widely recognised by UK employers for reducing sickness absence, improving productivity, and supporting staff with personal and workplace issues. Managers also gain resources, guidance, and support that enable them to identify and manage employee stress or workload issues - helping to prevent crises before they escalate.
Affordable, Industry-Specific Support - Starting at just £6.95 per employee annually, Hospitality Action’s EAP offers 24/7 counselling, financial advice, and crisis support tailored to the unique challenges of hospitality. For every £1 invested, businesses can see up to an £8 return through reduced turnover, absenteeism, and productivity gains.
Ready to see how our support can transform your business?
Try our ROI Calculator today! or explore our EAP packages here