Blog. Coping, Crashing, or Supported? Rethinking Wellbeing in Hospitality

February 12, 2026 | Author Jeremy Gibson

Burnout has become a familiar part of working life for many people in hospitality – not an exception, but something they expect to live with.

Hospitality Action’s last “Taking the Temperature” survey shows that understaffing, excessive workloads and poor work/life balance are now some of the most common pressures hospitality people face.

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Burnout is now universal, not exceptional

Hospitality Action’s 2025 Taking the Temperature survey, completed by over 500 hospitality professionals across roles and seniority levels, shows just how embedded burnout has become in day to day working life. Under resourcing and understaffing are now the leading wellbeing challenge, cited by 57% of respondents – a 21% jump in just one year – followed by high expectations and excessive workloads (52%) and difficulty maintaining a healthy work/life balance (50%).

Three quarters of those surveyed have experienced poor mental health at some point in their adult life, and almost half describe burnout as simply 'part of the job', rising to 62% among junior staff. Of those who feel burnout is normal, 61% have struggled with their mental health in the last 12 months, underlining that this is not a series of isolated incidents but a persistent backdrop to working in hospitality.

Coping strategies can’t do the heavy lifting alone

The survey also reveals that people are not ignoring the pressure; they are doing what they can to cope. Many respondents highlight that when work/life balance feels manageable – helped by flexible shifts, sticking to contracted hours and a fair workload – their overall wellbeing improves. Yet 41% say they do not have a good work/life balance, with excessive workload, routinely working beyond contracted hours and a culture where burnout is seen as normal all driving strain.

Against this backdrop, three quarters report experiencing mental health challenges in adult life, and nearly half name mental health, financial stress and work challenges among their top concerns. Individual tactics like rest, time with family or switching off when possible remain important, but when burnout is structurally embedded and considered an accepted part of the job for so many, personal coping strategies alone cannot counter the cumulative impact on health – or on the long term sustainability of hospitality businesses.

From coping to structured support

This is where employers can make a real difference by putting clear, reliable support in place alongside those everyday coping habits. Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme offers 24/7 instant access to qualified and accredited counsellors via phone, WhatsApp, SMS and live chat, using a single session model to assess what each person needs and either resolve, refer, signpost or escalate as appropriate.

Across the three tiers – Wellbeing Foundations, Wellbeing Plus and Total Wellbeing – employees can access counselling, iCBT, referrals to ancillary services (including legal information, financial wellbeing advice and hardship grants), a digital wellbeing platform and app, shopping discounts and, from Wellbeing Plus upwards, Virtual GP and Advanced Nurse Practitioner support. That turns ‘we care about your wellbeing’ from a slogan into something people can actually use for day-to-day support.

A circular response: support your team, support the sector

Burnout is not just a personal issue; it drives absence, turnover and lost experience across a sector that already struggles to recruit and retain staff. When a team member reaches breaking point, the load shifts to the colleagues alongside them, which in turn increases their risk of burning out – a cycle many operators will recognise.

A structured, charity backed support model helps to break that cycle. Giving employees somewhere safe, confidential and professional to turn when they are struggling can reduce the likelihood that issues escalate into long term sickness, resignations or sudden exits. At the same time, choosing an EAP delivered by Hospitality Action helps fund the wider work the charity does for hospitality workers in crisis, so the support you put in place for your team contributes to a stronger sector overall.

Practical steps for employers

For hospitality leaders looking at these burnout figures and wondering what to do next, a few practical steps can help:

Review what support your people can currently access when they are struggling – is there a clear, confidential route, day and night, or does it depend on who happens to be on shift?
If you already have an EAP, ask yourself whether it really fits your team’s needs. Generic schemes can be harder to access and may not be attuned to the realities of hospitality life. Our hospitality specific EAP has been built using our unique data and insights as the industry’s benevolent charity - so the support, clinical pathways and resources reflect what hospitality people tell us they are facing every day.

Equip managers to listen, notice changes and signpost to support, rather than trying to ‘fix’ everything themselves. Training managers to use and promote an EAP can make a real difference to take up and outcomes.
Communicate your support regularly and in plain language – on rotas, in pre service briefings, on staff noticeboards and in WhatsApp groups – so people know it’s there before they reach crisis point.
Pay particular attention to pressure points like December /Easter/August and major events, planning rota patterns, breaks and cover with your team’s wellbeing in mind as well as service needs.