Blog. Understaffed, Overworked, and Overstretched: Hospitality’s 2025 Wellbeing Crisis
October 02, 2025 | Author Jeremy Gibson
The reality of working in hospitality in 2025 is stark. For thousands of people across hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafés, each shift is a balancing act - managing relentless customer expectations, keeping pace with rising costs, and often carrying the workload of more than one person. The latest Hospitality Action Mental Health Survey lays bare a wellbeing crisis that employers can no longer afford to ignore.
The Personal Pressure Behind the Numbers
Every data point reflects real people carrying invisible burdens:
- 57% of hospitality professionals say understaffing is their main workplace challenge - a staggering increase of 21% compared to last year. For many, this means longer hours, skipped breaks, and the stress of never quite keeping up.
- 52% struggle with excessive workloads, whether it’s stretching a two-person team to cover a busy dinner service or juggling kitchen prep with front-of-house duties. The constant pressure leaves employees physically and emotionally depleted.
- 35% raise pay as a core concern, with the cost-of-living crisis biting harder each month. Worries about finances aren’t left at home - they follow workers into every shift, impacting mood and attention.
- Work/life balance concerns now affect 50% of respondents - with nearly half feeling unable to separate the demands of work from their personal lives.
The Impact on Performance, Presenteeism, and Absence
It should come as no surprise that these pressures directly affect how employees show up at work:
- Presenteeism - turning up but mentally or physically unable to perform - is on the rise, as exhausted teams push through busy periods despite mounting stress and fatigue.
- Absence rates climb when workloads, burnout, and unaddressed mental health struggles finally catch up. For many, taking time off becomes the only option for recovery, creating even more gaps for teams to fill.
- Morale and team spirit suffer, with overworked colleagues less able to support each other, celebrate success, or bounce back from setbacks.
Behind each rota gap or short-staffed shift is not just a scheduling challenge - but an individual who is stretched too far.
Calculate Your EAP Savings.
See how much you could save by reducing absenteeism and turnover.
The Human Cost: Burnout and Mental Health
Among respondents who reported having poor work/life balance, 47% (including owners and managers) say burnout is simply ‘part of the job’ - a figure that climbs to 62% among junior staff. Of those who view burnout as normal, 61% have experienced poor mental health in the last year. In fact, 75% of all survey participants have struggled with their mental health at some point in their adult life.
These figures reflect a sobering truth: without change - poor wellbeing and high stress will continue to erode the foundations of hospitality’s best teams.
Why Prioritising Wellbeing Is Now Business-Critical
Employers who treat wellbeing as a core business strategy - not just a nice-to-have, are seeing tangible improvements in performance, attendance, and loyalty. Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme demonstrates measurable impact:
- 82% of employees referred to EAP counselling reported improved work performance
- 73% saw a positive change in work attendance
- Absence rates dropped by 57% after intervention (from 44% to 19%)
Beyond individual improvement, EAPs enable managers to support their teams proactively, reduce turnover, and build a culture where employees can thrive - even during difficult times.
The Way Forward: Invest in Your People
Hospitality’s 2025 wellbeing crisis isn’t just about numbers - it’s about real lives. Addressing under-resourcing, workloads, and pay isn’t easy, but prioritising robust wellbeing support is a vital step every employer can take. Embedding practical, confidential support such as an EAP sends a clear message: your people matter, and their health is business-critical to your success.