Xmas overtime fears prompt Burnt Chef stress workshop

Hospitality workers will work an average of 28 hours overtime over Christmas as four out of five battle stress.

In light of this, the Burnt Chef Project​ has joined forces with tech platform Brigad to host a mental health and well-being workshop for hospitality workers.

With a view to help those in the sector handle the workload stresses of the festive season, the special one-off workshop will be hosted by Burnt Chef Project CEO and founder, Kris Hall, covering topics such as financial and legal issues, identifying workplace stress and how to handle it as well as designing and implementing workplace risk assessments.

Increased pressures 

Hall said: “It's no secret the hospitality industry faces increased pressures throughout the festive season, with increased footfall​, new menus, personal pressures of family, expense and missed time with loved ones can all add up. 

“Hospitality staff will work an average of 28 hours overtime at Christmas​, which can lead to burnout, exhaustion, and ultimately mental health issues if not properly managed. It's vital we put structures in place to support our teams during this busy period.

“This workshop gives the skills to cover how to spot stress, how to speak to your teams about mental health and ultimately support them, leading to better productivity and increased retention throughout the festive period and beyond.”

The event, which is free to attend and will be held at the Corner London City, Adler Street, on Monday 4 December from 9.30am - 12pm, has been jointly organised by the Burnt Chef Project and hospitality freelancing platform Brigad to raise awareness of the need for hospitality staff to manage their mental health and well-being.

Mental health awareness is a continual issue for the industry, which will be compounded by the additional demands on workers to cope with the demands of the festive period, according to the Burnt Chef Project.

Tough period 

In addition, the organisation stated four out of five hospitality workers had experienced mental health issues within their career, while almost half would not feel comfortable talking about their health concerns with their colleagues. 

Brigad’s UK managing director Nicolas Ferrary said: “Our mission is to make work attractive and accessible to all. This includes empowering those in the industry to be able to care for their wellbeing and mental health, in order to have sustainable and successful careers.

“The holiday season is always a tough period for those in hospitality, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with The Burnt Chef Project to provide more support.”