EMPLOYEE WELLBEING INHOSPITALITY

Hospitality is a people-centric industry. Ascurrent restrictions begin to ease in the UKprompting a surge in hotel and restaurantbookings, it has become apparent thatCOVID-19 and each lockdown we haveendured since March 2020 has taken a tollon people’s emotional wellbeing.

In this digest, Dr Emma Reardon exploresthe challenges of employee wellbeing tostimulate further conversation withindustry partners as people return to workin hospitality. Have a great weekend!

INDUSTRYWEEKLY DIGEST

School of Hospitality & Tourism Management s u r r e y . a c . u k / S H T M | @ S H T M a t S u r r e y | # S H T M a t S u r r e y

V O L 0 2 I S S U E 1 2 | A P R 2 0 2 1

REASSESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKPLACEWELLBEING IN HOSPITALITY POST-LOCKDOWN

Jen Fisher, Deloitte US chief wellbeing officer, has found that organisations are tailoring how they designwork for wellbeing based on various worker segments’ needs as opposed to a company-wide uniformedapproach.Notably, the same report also spotlights the rise of digital wellness and productivity initiativesthat focus on designing new technologies and virtual workspaces for wellbeing. Considering the physicalworkplace in which hospitality businesses operate, The Caterer has highlighted several ways to care foremployees’ mental and emotional wellbeing.

Overall, the future of workplace wellbeing appears to lie in the adaptability of hospitality businesses, inparticular, their people, to respond to their teams collective and individual physical, mental and emotionalhealth. Jen Fisher, of Deloitte US, concludes that COVID-19 has reshuffled the work/life balance harmony.To shift the focus away from this perceived perfect symmetry, there appears to be a growing consensusthat we need to explore ways in which we can better integrate our work, with life, and vice versa, increating a more sustainable wellbeing culture within the workplace. Ultimately, this is recognised as thebest course of action in supporting human potential in hospitality.

In a recent guest speaker session with our Level 4International Hospitality Management students, on our Speciality Operations in HospitalityModule, Adriana Barlafa Kruhonja spoke aboutthe ease in which we interchangeably use theterms wellbeing and wellness in hospitality.

As a leading Spa & Wellness Consultant, Adrianawas keen to highlight to our students thedifference between both concepts. Here weexplore these terms and assess the importance ofworkplace wellbeing in hospitality in the weekthat we have witnessed the re-opening of some ofthe sector.

In short, workplace wellness tends to focus on anemployee’s physical health by offering guidanceon conditions such as high blood pressure or howto quit smoking. Wellbeing takes a more holisticapproach to an individual’s welfare,encompassing our physical, mental andemotional health.

As individuals, we are responsible for our ownwellbeing. However, in light of the labourintensity of hospitality operations and thelinkages between all employees who directly orindirectly shape the guest experience, how do wereassess the importance of workplace wellbeing?

DR EMMA REARDON

SHTM INDUSTRY WEEKLY DIGEST VOL 02 ISSUE 12

S U R R E Y . A C . U K / S H T M | @ S H T M A T S U R R E Y | # S H T M A T S U R R E Y

FURTHER READING:

Designing Work for Wellbeing

The Importance of Looking after your Employees' Wellbeing