Why 2025 is the year to prioritise employee wellbeing in hospitality
Supporting mental health and wellbeing is essential for creating a sustainable hospitality workplace. Aligning your wellbeing initiatives with awareness days and training opportunities can boost team morale, reduce turnover and ultimately build a team that sticks together through the challenges.
A survey by Hospitality Action revealed that mental health and maintaining a good work/life balance are the biggest challenges identified by hospitality workers for 2025. Research consistently shows that businesses actively supporting employee wellbeing see significant benefits, with a study by The Society for Human Resource Management indicating a 25% drop in staff turnover when structured wellbeing programmes are implemented. Even dates like Veganuary and National Vegetarian Week aren't just about menu planning - they're opportunities to champion inclusive practices and show your team that their dietary choices and beliefs matter.
When you embrace these wellbeing moments throughout 2025, you're creating a hospitality workplace where both your business and your people can flourish.
Essential dates for building a stronger, healthier workplace in 2025
The hospitality industry never stops, which makes planning ahead essential for your team's wellbeing. Whether you're launching new initiatives or strengthening existing support systems, timing can transform how your team engages with workplace wellbeing.
Focusing on these dates will not only help the employees but will ultimately play a significant role in boosting company profits; recent UK studies show that workplace mental health challenges cost employers over £50 billion annually, while research indicates that burned-out team members operate at less than a third of their usual productivity.
Here are the key dates that will help you foster a more supportive workplace culture in 2025:
Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
- Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May): Organise workshops and team activities focused on mental wellbeing
- World Mental Health Day (10 October): Launch new wellbeing initiatives or refresh your mental health support programmes
- Stress Awareness Month (April): Implement stress management workshops and relaxation techniques for your teams
Physical Health and Safety
- World Food Safety Day (7 June): Update team training on food safety protocols and allergen awareness
- National Employee Appreciation Day (7 March): Recognise your team's hard work with wellbeing-focused rewards
- World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April): Review and refresh workplace safety measures
Diversity and Inclusion
Studies show that a third of women find it difficult to discuss health concerns at work, while one in ten have resigned from positions due to menopause-related challenges. These findings highlight why awareness dates focused on diversity and inclusion play such a crucial role in creating more supportive workplaces.
- UK LGBT+ History Month (February): Strengthen inclusive practices and celebrate diversity in your workplace
- International Women's Day (8 March): Highlight achievements and promote equality in hospitality
- Black History Month (October): Create learning opportunities and celebrate cultural diversity
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December): Review accessibility measures and inclusive practices
Professional Development
- Learning at Work Week (12-18 May): Launch new training initiatives and career development programmes
- National Inclusion Week (23-29 September): Focus on creating a more inclusive workplace culture
- International Week of Happiness at Work (23-29 September): Implement new wellbeing initiatives and team-building activities
Top tips for maximising your workplace wellbeing initiatives in 2025
A wellbeing calendar in hospitality needs to work as hard as your teams do. Here's how to transform these awareness dates into meaningful support for your people:
1. Align training with key dates
Align your training schedule strategically with key calendar dates. Use awareness days like World Mental Health Day and World Food Safety Day to deliver focused training sessions that maximise impact - coordinate mental health and food safety programmes with their respective awareness periods.
2. Use awareness months for long-term initiatives
A month-long focus gives you time to make real changes that last. During Stress Awareness Month, look beyond the obvious—yes, kitchens are naturally high-pressure, but what about your breakfast team starting at 5am, or your bar staff dealing with the weekend rush? Use this time to examine different pressure points across all shifts. Set up regular team check-ins, review break schedules, and create quiet spaces. The key is implementing changes that work year-round, not just for one month.
3. Build inclusive celebrations around cultural dates
Throughout the year, your hospitality teams celebrate diverse cultural moments. Whether creating inclusive spaces in staff areas for LGBT+ History Month displays or dedicating menu specials boards to celebrate Black History Month, your venue can actively support cultural celebrations while maintaining fair treatment for all team members. Build flexibility into your wellbeing initiatives to support every team member's unique circumstances.
4. Match support to seasonal demands
December brings holiday stress, summer means intense heat in kitchens. During these intense periods, efficient rota management becomes crucial for maintaining team wellbeing. Using a smart scheduling software helps ensure fair shift distribution and adequate rest periods, while also allowing time for essential mental health check-ins and stress management workshops.
5. Create year-round accessibility through key dates
While your calendar highlights weeks like Mental Health Awareness Week, support should be available 24/7 in hospitality. Make digital resources easily accessible through your online training platform, share helpline numbers that operate around the clock, and ensure your team knows how to access wellbeing support whenever they need it.
6. Open up regular dialogue
Time to Talk Day reminds us that sometimes, the hardest part is starting the conversation. Use pre-shift briefings and those quiet moments during prep to really listen to your team. Everyone in hospitality knows the pressure of putting on a smile during service while dealing with personal struggles. Create an environment where asking for help feels as normal as tasting the soup or checking the specials.
7. Learn and adapt throughout the year
As each awareness day passes, gather feedback from every corner of your operation. How did your breakfast team engage with Learning at Work Week? What support did your late-night crew need during Stress Awareness Month? Use these insights to keep improving your strategy. Ultimately, this will help your employees perfect their work-life balance and stay on top of their physical and mental health.
Ready to support your team's wellbeing in 2025 with Access CPL Learning?
Throughout this article, we've explored how a well-structured wellbeing calendar can transform your workplace culture and strengthen team support. These initiatives can help create a hospitality environment where every team member feels valued and supported.
To prioritise your team's wellbeing, download our employee wellbeing calendar 2025 now and take the first step towards building a workplace where everyone can thrive!
To help you put these plans into action, Access CPL Learning offers industry-focused training aligned with key wellbeing dates. Our courses, from Mental Health Support to Food Safety and Disability, give you practical tools to build a stronger, healthier workplace. By combining these learning opportunities with your wellbeing calendar, you can create lasting positive change throughout 2025.
