A Healthy Hospitality Industry is a Healthy Community

Although rewarding, working in a service-focused business can be isolating, unsociable, high-pressure and extremely competitive. Mental health is emerging as a major challenge for hospitality businesses with 80% of workers reporting they are suffering from symptoms including anxiety, depression, stress and addiction. Suicide is a leading cause of preventable death for West Australians (ABS Causes of Death, 2018). In 2018, there were 3,046 deaths by suicide in Australia. Industry sources estimate about 563 of those deaths were from the hospitality industry (abc.net.au, 21/5/19).

The onset of COVID-19 brought about heart-breaking and challenging times for thousands of hospitality business owners and the 90,000 staff they employ across WA. (ABS Employed persons by State, Territory and Industry division, May 2021). The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has suggested we can expect to see increasing suicide rates due to the impact of COVID19. Alarmingly, new modelling from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre suggests the COVID-19 pandemic will contribute to a major surge – 25% increase in suicides, with an increase of up to 30% among young people aged 15­–25.

Coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs hotels and taverns are an essential part of our communities and play a critical role in maintaining social cohesion and engagement. These hospitality venues have always been a place where people gathered together to share stories and find solace in difficult times. These are tough times for an industry that would ordinarily help to boost morale when people need it most.