Taking the Temperature 2026. Hospitality managers are supporting everyone else, but who’s supporting them?

Our latest Taking the Temperature survey, carried out this summer in association with Agilysys, reveals the growing pressure on hospitality managers to protect workplace wellbeing while looking after their own mental health.

What this means for managers.

Taken together, these findings tell an important story. Managers are being asked to hold more than the operational side of hospitality together. They are also being asked to support people through difficult moments, notice when someone may be struggling and help create workplaces where wellbeing can be discussed openly.

That support is vital, but it cannot rest on goodwill alone. When managers are the people colleagues turn to, they need to feel confident, equipped and backed by their organisations. Listening will always matter, but so will training, clear processes and a culture that makes support feel shared rather than shouldered by one person.

The pressure on managers is especially important because many are dealing with challenges of their own. Protecting a healthy work-life balance, managing workload and looking after mental wellbeing are not abstract concerns; they are everyday issues for the people leading teams across our industry.

That is why we believe supporting managers needs to be a priority. If we expect managers to support others, we must also make sure they have the time, tools and organisational backing to look after themselves.

The encouraging news is that many workplaces are moving in the right direction. Respondents told us they are seeing more openness around mental health, and many feel their wellbeing is supported by their organisation. That progress matters, and it gives us a strong foundation to build on.

Supporting the people who support others.

As our Chief Executive, Mark Lewis, explains, the findings highlight both the progress our sector has made and the work still to do:

“Hospitality managers are increasingly expected to be all things to all people — mentors, problem-solvers and the first people colleagues turn to when they're struggling. Yet many are carrying that responsibility whilst battling their own pressures which can be at the expense of their wellbeing.

“The hospitality industry has made real progress in breaking down the stigma around mental health, but these findings clearly show there is more to do. Managers should not be expected to shoulder this responsibility alone. Those supporting others need to be supported themselves, and creating mentally healthy workplaces requires embedded commitment from every level of an organisation. Only then can we ensure we’re protecting the wellbeing of entire teams and creating a more resilient industry.”

For us, the message is simple: listening matters, but listening alone is not enough. If managers are expected to support the wellbeing of their teams, they also need the right training, the right organisational backing and the time and space to protect their own wellbeing.