Burnt Chef partners with HSE Working Minds

The Burnt Chef Project has joined forces with the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Working Minds campaign to tackle work-related stress in the hospitality industry. 

The Working Minds campaign aims to help businesses recognise the signs of work-related stress and make the process of tackling them routine. The Burnt Chef Project will use Working Minds in its efforts to help hospitality professionals who face long, antisocial hours, tough environmental conditions and pressures to perform. 

Crisis impending

Work-related stress and poor mental health risk becoming a health and safety crisis in UK workplaces, the HSE regulator warns. Statistics published by the government agency show that in 2020-21, of the 1.7 million workers suffering from work-related illness, 822,000 were due to stress, depression or anxiety.  

The Burnt Chef Project conducted a survey of 1,273 hospitality professionals, finding that eight in 10 (84%) respondents had experienced difficulties with their mental health within their career, while 46% claimed they would not feel comfortable talking about their health concerns with colleagues. 

"The wellbeing of hospitality teams has been neglected for far too long," says Kris Hall, founder of The Burnt Chef Project. "The hospitality sector is the third largest recruiter within the UK, employing just over 3.2 million people. 

"We need to address the root causes of work-related stress, that's why we're pleased to be working with HSE on the Working Minds Campaign. 

"We're working towards a happier, healthier and more sustainable profession where we can thrive, not just survive."

Alison Wellens, interim head of health and work branch at HSE, comments: "We are calling for a culture change across Britain's workplaces where managing stress and talking about how people are coping is as routine as managing workplace safety. 

"We're delighted to have our new ccampaign partners on board to champion Working Minds in hospitality."

Employers and workers wanting to know more about the Working Minds campaign, including the legal obligations, advice and tools available, can visit: workright.campaign.gov.uk/campaigns/workingminds.


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