This is not a manned website 24/7, just for signposting appropriate support for you. Please follow the links provided.

(Happy?) New year

(Happy?) New year

Welcome to 2022, what it will hold for you and the hospitality industry? I think many, like me would have thought 2020 was awful and expected 2021 to be better. However, I am sure when you look back it was just as bad, or perhaps worse. In 2020 we had the pandemic, in 2021 we had the pingdemic! The latter part of 2021 was such a trying time for the sector. We were facing more restrictions from the Scottish Government, but along with the staff shortages we were finding staff either testing positive or having to isolate, which often led to businesses closed for a period of time.

What will 2022 bring? Well, we are starting with restrictions and a possible date that they may be lifted. Events both indoor and outdoor have been hit hard. Often no logic or explanation behind the decisions.

This continuation of business turmoil brings further stress and anxiety to owners, managers, and staff within all sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry. This recent period has certainly brought about a serious uncertainty about the stability of several businesses. Omicron has created further uncertainty and that insecurity impacts on the mental health of all involved in this normally busy industry during the festive period.

The industry has proven this past 2 years how resilient it has been. Resilience can be viewed as ‘the ability to bounce back from challenging and adverse situations’. An alternative definition may be this

  1. An ability to accept harsh reality (take an objective view)
  2. Ability to find meaning in adversity (build bridges from an ordeal to the present)
  3. An ability to continually improvise (put resources to unfamiliar uses and realise new possibilities)

Fortunately, this industry has a proven track record of strong resilience in all of these definitions, many within the sector have learned from accidents and mistakes to develop resilience. Changing circumstances over many years have allowed leaders and managers to organise the business in a proactive way. These changes have come about by

  1. Feeling in control – by being realistic, learn to say ‘no’, developing good, accurate communication.
  2. Creating a clear vision – establish goals, using small achievable steps, remaining committed.
  3. Being flexible and adaptable – accept that situations are going to change, anticipate the change and be ready, move forward and take responsibility, not necessarily where there is blame.
  4. Getting organised – create systems and processes, avoiding distractions, break big projects down to bite sizes pieces.
  5. Have a problem-solving mindset – gather information, define problems accurately, be decisive, start a plan of action.
  6. Get and stay connected – be willing to seek support, help others when you can, engage with different people, build your network
  7. Be proactive – don’t waste time on unnecessary tasks, act in a decisive manner, develop new skills.

As we move through 2022, it has got to get better, let’s face it – can it get any worse? To assist you and your team, please sign up for the FREE courses now available.

We are lucky to have funding from The Tourism Recovery Fund and Skills Development Scotland to offer a number of FREE courses to businesses across Scotland to improve awareness in their staff’s mental wellbeing, follow the link https://hitscotland.co.uk/mental-health-wellbeing-courses for more details, applications open 19th January.

Wishing all a healthy and prosperous 2022.

 

 

Gordon McIntyre

Chairman

Hospitality Health

www.hospitalityhealth.org.uk