By Kathrin Cockhill, Senior Business Development, Agilysys
&
Mark Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Hospitality Action
Hospitality Action’s 2024 Taking the Temperature survey revealed a workforce reeling from economic and emotional pressures. More than three in four hospitality professionals (76%) said they’ve struggled with their mental health at some point in their career – a 20% increase from 2018. Almost half (49%) reported facing these difficulties in the last two years, showing how recent crises continue to shape daily working life.
For bar teams, chefs, and front-of-house staff, the top wellbeing concerns are all too familiar but no less urgent: mental health, financial stress and relentless workload demands were top of mind for these hospitality professionals. Indeed, 60% of workers in 2024 expected that achieving a work/life balance – an ongoing challenge – would be their biggest personal obstacle throughout 2024.
These figures highlight the reality behind the bar and beyond the pass – a workforce under continued pressure, where long shifts, unpredictable hours and high customer expectations can compound mental strain.
Awareness Is Growing – But So Is Stigma
While 74% of hospitality workers in 2024 felt more comfortable discussing mental health at work, a significant 64% still felt that being open could damage their career prospects. In busy bar and restaurant settings, where long hours and constant performance are part of the culture, it’s especially hard to make space for vulnerability.
That’s why Hospitality Action’s Taking the Temperature survey remains vital. Relaunched in May during Mental Health Awareness Week, the 2025 edition will once again provide a crucial snapshot of how hospitality professionals are feeling – from cellar to service station. The survey equips leaders with evidence-based insights to drive change and ensures the voices of frontline workers are heard.
“Taking the Temperature has become the industry’s definitive benchmarking tool for understanding mental health and wellbeing in hospitality. We want to understand what’s important to the industry, the challenges hospitality professionals face and what respondents would like to see change to make our industry a better place to work in,” said Mark Lewis of Hospitality Action.
Tech with a Human Touch
Agilysys’ partnership with Hospitality Action reflects a shared belief: that people perform at their best when they feel supported, and that thoughtful technology can help ease daily pressures.
In the F&B world, even small tech interventions can make a big difference. Agilysys’ bar and restaurant solutions – from mobile point-of-sale and kitchen display systems to guest self-service options – help streamline operations without cutting corners. This creates breathing room for teams, freeing them up to focus on guests and focus on each other.
Meanwhile, predictive labour management tools help ensure staffing levels match demand, easing the strain of being short-handed. Flexible scheduling features also allow team members to manage bar shifts more easily, boosting autonomy, and helping them find a healthier balance.
“These systems aren’t about replacing people – they’re about supporting them,” said Kathrin Cockhill of Agilysys. “When your team’s running on empty, every operational inefficiency is felt tenfold. Our goal is to ease that load – giving staff the space to perform, recover, and stay connected to why they do what they do.”
Creating a Culture That Keeps People
Bars, restaurants and venues face growing pressure from rising costs and high staff turnover. Supporting employee wellbeing isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a competitive advantage. Teams who feel valued are more likely to stay, grow, and deliver the kind of memorable guest experiences that drive loyalty.
This is where the Agilysys–Hospitality Action partnership makes a meaningful difference. While Hospitality Action provides expert support through mental health counselling, crisis grants, and manager training, Agilysys eases operational stress with technology that empowers teams. Together, they offer a joined-up approach to making hospitality more human.
A Call to Action for F&B Leaders
As we launch this year’s Taking the Temperature survey and look towards the renewed findings, we encourage every hospitality employee to take part in the 2025 survey. These insights matter. They’re more than statistics – they reflect the reality of daily life in bars, kitchens and front-of-house roles.
Prioritising wellbeing isn’t a seasonal initiative. It should be built into rotas, shift patterns, leadership conversations and even the tools we use to run our operations. Because when we support the people who serve others every day, we’re not just improving workplace culture – we’re raising the bar for the whole industry.
Take part in the 2025 survey here: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90823932/5f0c71730a4e
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