Revealed: Six in ten hospitality professionals are afraid to tell employer that they’re suffering with poor mental
…With over half claiming that their boss wouldn’t care
A new study released by leading independent job board, CV-Library ahead of World Mental Health Day, reveals that six in ten (61.5%) hospitality professionals are too afraid to tell their employer that they’re suffering with poor mental health, with a further 54.7% claiming that their boss wouldn’t care.
The study, which surveyed 2,000 UK professionals, shows a chasm between bosses and employees in relation to mental health. In fact, a third (33.4%) of hospitality workers fear they’d be judged unfairly if they told their boss about their concerns, while 28.6% simply believe their employer is unapproachable.
In addition to the above, nearly a third (30.9%) of hospitality professionals say that they feel anxious about key aspects of their jobs, including:
- Neglecting personal relationships because of work (36.8%)
- A colleague getting promoted before them (33.5%)
- The potential of being fired (28.9%)
- Asking for time off to look after children (25.6%)
- Their boss (18.8%)
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library comments: “When your mental health is suffering, it can feel like you have nobody to turn to, especially in a formal environment like the workplace. Take the opportunity this World Mental Health Day to start a dialogue with your employer or a trusted manager.
“If your employer isn’t aware of your mental health problems, how can they help to ease your anxieties? When you arrange to meet with them, come prepared with a letter from your GP and an idea of what reasonable adjustments would help you. Hopefully this will speed up the process and you’ll soon see beneficial changes to your working environment.”
Worryingly, 66.7% of hospitality workers claim that their anxieties affect their performance in the workplace, with 50.8% worrying about failure, 37.9% being less likely to take on new challenges due to self-doubt and 29.1% feeling constantly stressed.
Biggins continues: “Poor mental health can take on many forms; whether it’s a drop in productivity, general detachment or burnout. Worrying is a part of life, but if it becomes persistent and interferes with your daily activity, it can sap your energy and make it hard to concentrate at work. Don’t delay talking to your boss, as they may be able to help out more than you think.”