Hospitality managers carry the weight of workplace wellbeing as work takes toll on their own mental health
Hospitality Action's annual survey finds 65% of hospitality managers link mental health issues to work, yet most lack formal training to support their teams or themselves.
Photo by Hospitality Action
Almost two-thirds (65%) of hospitality managers who experienced a mental health issue in their adult life say it was triggered by their work, according to the latest Taking the Temperature survey from UK charity Hospitality Action.
The charity’s annual mental health and wellbeing survey conducted this summer in association with Agilysys, reveals that managers are increasingly expected to support the wellbeing of their teams, yet many are doing so without formal training whilst facing significant pressures of their own.
Whilst 40% of hospitality professionals were asked to support a colleague experiencing a mental health challenge in the past year, this figure rose to 61% amongst the managers answering, underlining the pivotal role managers play as the first line of support in the workplace.
Yet many managers feel ill-equipped for this growing responsibility. Almost half of respondents (47%) want more management training to help leaders recognise and respond to mental health and wellbeing concerns. With more than eight in ten managers (83%) saying that taking the time to listen is the primary support they provide, equipping leaders with the confidence, skills and practical tools to have these conversations has never been more important.
Managers are also facing mounting pressures themselves. They identified that maintaining a healthy work-life balance and protecting their own mental wellbeing are the two biggest challenges they face over the next 12 months. High workloads, rising expectations and consistently working beyond contracted hours were all significantly more likely to be cited as key challenges by managers than other hospitality professionals.
Despite these findings, the survey also points to encouraging progress across the sector in several key areas. Around two-thirds of respondents say they have a good work-life balance and believe their workplace has created an environment where they can openly discuss mental health. In addition, over half (54%) feel their wellbeing is supported by their organisation.
Speaking on the findings, Mark Lewis, Chief Executive of Hospitality Action, said:
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.
To review the key survey findings report, click here.
To find out more about Hospitality Action, its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and fundraising events please visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk or call 0203 004 5500.
Sign up to join our next fundraising event, Walk for Wellbeing 2026, taking place from World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October to Sunday 25 October. For more information and to register, please visit www.walkforwellbeing.org.
Survey methodology:
Fieldwork, data processing and analysis took place May - August 2026
Previous research was undertaken in 2025, 2024, 2020 and 2018
Number of respondents: 639
About Hospitality Action
Hospitality Action is the trade charity for the hospitality industry. Registered Charity number: 1101083.
Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme provides a wide range of practical and emotional support including a 24/7 adviceline, access to counselling services (where clinically appropriate), legal information, debt advice and parenting support.
How we help
Behind their smiles and slick service hospitality workers can fall upon hard times just like anybody else. Ours is a stressful industry, with long hours, high pressure environments and physically demanding work. Since 1837 we’ve been here for chefs, waiters, housekeepers and managers. We’ve been here for concierges, receptionists and kitchen porters. And we’ve been here for every sommelier, bartender, catering assistant and cook throughout the UK.
The last six years have been transformational for our industry, the people who work within it and for Hospitality Action too. Our grant-giving, advisory services and EAP provision continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of the industry in the face of the cost-of-living crisis.
In 2025, Hospitality Action awarded over £1.05 million in grants – the highest annual figure since the pandemic. In addition, over £500,000 in unclaimed benefits was unlocked, and hundreds of cases were referred to specialist housing advocacy and debt restructuring services. Whatever you do in hospitality #wevegotyou.
For more information about Hospitality Action visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk
About Agilysys
Agilysys delivers state-of-the-art software and services built exclusively for hospitality, helping organizations go beyond traditional property management (PMS), point-of-sale (POS), and food and beverage inventory and procurement systems. Its best-in-class solutions operate independently or as a unified ecosystem that connects data and workflows across an operation, property or enterprise. Powered by intelligent guest profiles, data-driven capabilities, and embedded artificial intelligence (AI), Agilysys is architected on a unified data model with a single set of APIs that create shared operational memory across all systems, enabling guest-specific insights to be acted on in real time at any touchpoint. Agilysys delivers advantage through pace and integration, transforming hospitality technology from a system of record into a system of action that accelerates innovation and the rapid delivery of new capabilities. Agilysys serves a 100% hospitality customer base, including hotels and resorts, casinos, cruise lines, corporate and campus dining, healthcare, senior living, and entertainment venues worldwide. www.agilysys.com.