A Step-by-Step wellbeing guide has been launched by UK charity Hospitality Action, as it encourages employees to sign up to its Walk for Wellbeing fundraising initiative.
Developed in conjunction with Mental Health Expert, Emma Keeble, the free guide offers tips and strategies for hospitality businesses to ensure their team’s wellbeing is prioritised in a post-pandemic era.
It comes after a series of reports identified hospitality workers as some of the nation’s most vulnerable when it comes to mental health issues. In March 2023, Wildgoose revealed that 64% of those in the hospitality industry have experienced increasingly poor mental health at work over the past 12 months, compared to the previous year.
Emma Keeble, whose business Anchor People provides Mental Health First Aid training for hospitality businesses via Hospitality Action, said, “We are definitely getting better as an industry at putting our people’s wellbeing front and centre, but long, irregular hours, physically demanding shifts and ever-increasing customer demands continue to make hospitality a highly pressured environment. This guide gives managers tangible step-by-step resources to make a big difference to their teams’ mental health and wellbeing – which ultimately benefit teams and businesses alike.”
The guide is being launched as part of the Walk for Wellbeing campaign, a nationwide movement to help promote health and wellbeing within the hospitality industry. It can be downloaded for free via the Hospitality Action website.
Now in its fourth year, powered by hospitality talent partner mum in partnership with Caterer.com and Peoplebank, Walk for Wellbeing is a fun, flexible event which encourages the hospitality community to come together and take simple steps towards raising vital funds to support individuals and their families in the sector who are facing challenging times.
Hospitality Action wellbeing programme to help employees
Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme continues to make a positive difference to the industry and currently supports over 500 clients and 200,000 people across a variety of different areas, including financial and mental health support. Money raised will also help to continue to provide Hospitality Action’s 24/7 helpline.
Speaking about the launch of the Step-by-Step guide, Craig Prentice, Creator of Walk for Wellbeing and founder of hospitality recruitment and talent partner, mum, said:
“I know from personal experience how important it is to have an understanding, empathetic work environment. Even the smallest steps can make a big difference and we’d encourage all hospitality businesses to not only download this vital resource, but also to sign up for this year’s Walk for Wellbeing and show their support for an important industry wide issue.”
Five hosted 20km walks will take place in key cities across the UK on Sunday 8 October in London, Bath/Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow. Those who can’t make that date can ‘Walk It Your Way’ at a location of their choice any time between Saturday 30 September and Sunday 15 October, encompassing World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October. Created with flexibility in mind, these challenges allow participants to spend quality time on a long or short walk of their choosing with family, friends, colleagues and pets whilst helping raise awareness and critical funds for Hospitality Action.
For more information and to register, please visit www.walkforwellbeing.org
Hosted 20km walks will take place in the following locations on Sunday 8 October:
London hosted by mum and friends: Battersea Park offers an accessible route suitable for all participants. Starting and ending at the Victorian Bandstand in the centre of the park, the 20km course will take walkers through the picturesque tree-lined central avenue.
Bath to Bristol/Bristol to Bath hosted by The Bath Hoteliers Association and The Bristol Hoteliers Association: Home to the first ever Southwest Walk for Wellbeing, the route will follow the Bristol and Bath Railway Path. Flat, traffic-free and lined with greenery, the path is fully accessible and well signposted.
Birmingham hosted by Tonic Talent: Starting and ending at Alberts Schloss in central Birmingham, this 20km walk will take in green spaces such as the scenic Edgbaston Reservoir and pass through some of Birmingham’s historic canal network.
Manchester hosted by The Manchester Hoteliers Association: Starting at Sale Water Park, the 20km route will follow the lake, joining the river Mersey before heading along the riverbank to Chorlton Water Park and beyond.
Glasgow hosted by Davidson Asset Management: Strathclyde Country Park – located in 400 hectares of countryside in the valley of the River Clyde, participants will circle Strathclyde Loch just over three times.
Join us at a post walk celebration
All those taking part in the hosted walks on Sunday 8 October are cordially invited to join us at a post walk celebration taking place at a venue nearby (venues to be announced).
