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Just Breathe...
How Independent Restaurant Owners Promote Wellness and Balance

During Covid, my chef and I were the only ones staying onsite working. I was doing whatever I could to try to change numbers around and see how we could survive," says Jackie Spigener, owner and operator of the Silver Sycamore wedding and events space and Pine Street Cafe in Pasadena, Texas. Spigener estimates that for 3-4 months after the shutdown, "I was here all day long by myself … doing webinars and seminars [to figure out] what we could do to help the business survive. It was overwhelming."

While mindset shifts and small breaks won't necessarily decrease the hours spent at work in favor of more free time, they can lighten the mental load and relieve burdens that contribute to negative emotions like stress and anxiety. Identifying creative solutions to challenges can make the difference between having a day off but spending it ruminating about work during off-hours, and actually relaxing on your day off.

Spigener is no stranger to working long hours but, she explains, "if you really enjoy what you're doing, it makes a huge difference," so she doesn't mind. While her children are grown now, Spigener admits that when the kids were young, she or her husband would make a point to try to go to special events like sports games, but "when I missed things, I would get a little angry."

As a result of missing out when her children were young, Spigener speaks honestly to would-be entrepreneurs who ask her advice on opening a restaurant or a wedding venue. She says she doesn't recommend it for people with young kids because the job can be so consuming, but that early experience also shaped the way that Spigener now approaches work/life balance.

The restaurant industry is notorious for its work/life challenges, from the long hours to a schedule that leaves many on the clock during weekends and holidays, but there is no question that the current environment is exacerbating the demands on a workforce that is mentally and physically stretched thin after the pandemic.

In these trying times, finding and maintaining balance is important, both for yourself as an operator and for your employees, who may be thrown into new roles due to the unusual demands of the current operating environment. Here's how three operators approach work/life balance and the importance of doing so from a mental wellness perspective.

The Link Between Work/Life Balance and Mental Wellness

Spigener's story illustrates the challenges those working on the front lines of hospitality face. There are the long hours and irregular schedules, which make it difficult to maintain normal relationships, as Agata Wesolowski writes in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutritional Biochemistry. Add the missed special occasions and family events that take place on weekends and holidays.

There are also tendencies within the industry toward poor coping mechanisms. A 2015 report to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that workers within the foodservice and accommodation industries had the highest rates of substance use disorder, at 16.9 percent.

While tides were turning toward healthier habits before the pandemic, such as restaurant running clubs, Adam Borgen, co-founder of Serving Those Serving 501(c)(3) and Program Director of In the Weeds Foundation, says he's seen an increase in substance abuse and alcoholism throughout the pandemic.

Social isolation means more people sitting and drinking at home alone. "The isolation [and] social anxiety mixed with alcohol and substance abuse [and] coming back to work with other people has led to a shock in the system all the way up the chain," he says. Borgen has seen an increase in industry workers requesting help across all restaurant roles, as managers face elevated stressors. In the current times, management is often tasked with enforcing policies that may be unpopular, such as mask mandates or new capacity regulations.

Managers are also the first ones to learn of problems affecting employees. "Everyone goes to [managers] with their issues -- family, depression, grief, substance abuse, harassment, [and so] those roles are suffering in mental wellness just as much as the people going to them for help," Borgen explains.

Borgen thinks that people are becoming more aware of the need to maintain their mental health much the way they maintain physical health as a result of the challenges of 2020. Unfortunately, many people believe they need to suffer in silence. Historically men have "not been too accepting of the idea of therapy and mental wellness," says Borgen, who adds that he has noticed a change in awareness among cooks, bartenders and support staff in both the front and back of the house.

Labor Shortage as an Additional Stressor

Throughout the industry, labor shortages are causing additional challenges for both operators and staff. All of Spigener's employees came back after the shutdown except for her waitstaff, who were very scared to work with people. She had to hire all new waitstaff and says that "the biggest problem we're having now is getting employees back." Spigener says she used to get 40 to 50 applications for open positions, but had two applicants for the most recent position, both of whom no-showed for interviews. "I hate to work my people so much, but we're in a position where we're doing everything we can with the team we have and everybody is helping do what has to be done," she says. A can-do, pitch-in attitude is appreciated, but it creates work/life balance challenges for team members when there's no one else who can step in.

Chris O'Donnell, who is a co-owner of Craft Grill and Craft Grill Breakfast Club in Tomball, Texas, echoes Spigener's concerns about staffing. "All my stations are open [but] I'm struggling to get all my shifts covered," he says, adding that it's the biggest issue facing operators in this phase of the recovery.

Even when workers are happy to return to work, there are difficulties getting back up to speed. Borgen compares it to a baseball team that skipped spring training: "People are rusty, there are mistakes being made, [and] nobody's congealed working together." When no one wants to take ownership and say they forgot how to do things properly in their time away, it shifts the blame around and adds to the stress of working in an environment in which tips may be down and employee harassment is reported to be up, as when customers request female employees pull down their masks to get a good tip.

Borgen believes that restaurant staff and managers need outlets for their mental health that accommodate the demands of the profession, where employees may not have consistent days off to work with a therapist, never mind the health benefits that might subsidize the cost of getting help. Through their EAP (employee assistance program), "we're able to provide a la carte version of benefits for independent restaurants where for a low cost they can get high-quality mental health resources provided" for management or employees, says Borden.

When mental wellness issues are proactively addressed, everyone benefits. The work environment becomes more peaceful, there's decreased tension and absenteeism, employee retention increases, and less stress means everyone is able to truly enjoy their time off the clock.

Ways to Promote Balance

Restaurant cultures are set from the top down -- starting with the owner. And that includes promoting a better work/ life balance. To ensure they get downtime, operators can deploy mindset shifts and systems that ensure time on the clock is spent productively, while time off the clock promotes rejuvenation and well-being.

And while operators can't control what their employees do in their time off, they can make decisions that help their employees make the most of that time while allowing for stress-relieving outlets that make mental wellness a part of the restaurant's culture.

Daniel Wolfe is executive chef and owner of City Cellars and Wolfe and Wine Catering in Houston. Between the pandemic and an unexpected, grueling winter storm that left the region without power for days, the last 14 months has not been easy. Wolfe says he's found ways to manage stress including, most recently, putting boundaries in place around his accessibility by maintaining both a work phone and separate personal phone, which he says has made "a significant difference" in just a few short weeks. "Yes, I am the business owner, but I do deserve time for myself," he says. "I'm reachable from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. [and] after that my work phone goes on 'do not disturb'," he says. "It's been very highly praised and people are respectful of it," he says when asked about the reception by people accustomed to the always available work culture.

Spigener has always considered family life when making business decisions. Her restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch so that employees can have evenings with family if they choose (and if there are no special events). She also closes the restaurant on Mondays, so that staff have at least one day off.

Even though she knows she'd make more money being open at nights, she doesn't want to add dinner service. It would be draining to employees, and she believes it's more important to give staff time off. Particularly in the current times, when existing labor forces are stretched thin and job openings attract few candidates, it's important to provide employees with time to decompress, so they don't burn out.

Deciding to add or end a day part is typically a financial decision. Operators should also consider the wear and tear on their staff and themselves.

Keep Learning…

Applying the same logic, Spigener closes the restaurant on holidays. "I know people can make good money working holidays, but I don't do it. I have more respect for my employees," she says, explaining why she is willing to leave money on the table if it means people have a chance to spend the day with their families.

O'Donnell feels similarly. While the demands of the restaurant schedule often mean nights and weekends are spent on the job, "we do all we can to show them we care about their personal lives." For O'Donnell, that means scheduling shifts so that employees have two days off during each work period. While everyone is required to work at least one shift each Sunday, a busy day, O'Donnell says they try to uphold quality of life by letting employees have a weekend off once in a while. They also provide vacation benefits for cooks and management, giving "a week's vacation after six months and a week every six months after," he says. The resulting work culture is one that's flexible, fair, and balanced, as when those Sunday shifts are enforced across the board, but everyone gets a weekend off now and then.

Reframe your mindset. In the whirlwind of the pandemic, Spigener credits business and life coaching professionals with helping her keep a positive mindset and avoid dwelling in fear. She remembers listening to webinars and seminars from Tony Robbins, Darren Hardy, and Brad Sugars, during those difficult times. She recalls one particular lesson that made her rethink the way she was working: those coaches "were big on not doing everything yourself and hiring people to help you."

When business got overwhelming, she would take a step back from the task at hand and think about it from a hiring perspective. Was she doing something that someone else could do? If so, she was using time that could be spent making the company run well, which would benefit everyone, on a job she could hire a third party to do. Using that metric to inform her hiring decisions meant that Spigener could focus more of her efforts on the mission-critical stuff. Over the long term, this sort of mindset shift plays into work/life balance.

Wolfe also found comfort in a positive mindset during the twin challenges of the pandemic and Texas winter storm, which left the restaurant flooded. Business has been slow and "people are struggling with that," he admits. Taking a top-down mindset of promoting positivity by remembering that "we are here to be positive, to make life easier" for guests, has made a difference, he admits.

Take breaks. Wolfe's restaurant is located less than two blocks from Hermann Park, a large urban park. Recently, he's started taking management meetings in the park. "Fresh air never hurt anyone and it's a way to get fresh eyes" on a problem, he says, recalling how sometimes it can be difficult to figure out what to do when the team has been in the restaurant all day, face to face with a problem they're not sure how to solve. The restaurant is open for lunch two days a week, but "it's not as busy as we would like," says Wolfe.

Management was brainstorming ways to get more traffic during a walk in the park when someone noticed a bike rental company that had advertisements for local businesses on the bicycles. Someone else pointed out a new building they hadn't noticed previously. "We wrote those ideas down on our Notes app and followed up. [We] made contact with the advertisers and have a deal with them" to put ads on the bikes, Wolfe says. They stopped by the new building for an introduction, and now those employees stop in for lunches and happy hours. Neither of those action steps would have been taken if they hadn't left the restaurant and gone for a walk.

While mindset shifts and small breaks won't necessarily decrease the hours spent at work in favor of more free time, they can lighten the mental load and relieve burdens that contribute to negative emotions, like stress and anxiety. Identifying creative solutions to challenges can make the difference between having a day off but spending it ruminating about work during off-hours, and actually relaxing on your day off.

Throughout the industry, labor shortages are causing additional challenges for both operators and staff. All of Spigener's employees came back after the shutdown except for her waitstaff, who were very scared to work with people. She had to hire all new waitstaff and says that "the biggest problem we're having now is getting employees back." Spigener says she used to get 40 to 50 applications for open positions, but had two applicants for the most recent position, both of whom no-showed for interviews.

These tools can also be modeled for employees using the top-down approach. While Wolfe's management team takes their meetings outside, he says that employees are also encouraged to use the park as a resource. Some will come in early to enjoy a walk outside before work. Others will pop outside on a slow night to grab some fresh air.

Another way Wolfe relieves job-related stress is by keeping coloring books, crayons and colored pencils in the back of the house. He says the idea was inspired by the way servers give children coloring books to amuse them. He wondered if it would work for adults but says he also "did it as a joke, but you've never seen an angry person color." It was effective. Now, there's a simple way that overwhelmed workers can take a couple of minutes to relieve stress and aggression and feel better.

Reduce Barriers to Employees Seeking Help

Work/life balance and mental wellness often go hand in hand. When employees feel overwhelmed and stressed, either on the job or at home, their mental health is likely to suffer. The challenges of the restaurant industry (those long hours, unpredictable schedules, and nights and weekends on the job) often add barriers to those who need professional help for mental wellness issues such as depression, anxiety or burnout. Wolfe and Borgen suggest reducing systemic barriers so that employees who need a little help to find balance don't have to jump through hoops to get it.

Wolfe summarized the challenges of making an in-person therapy appointment: first you have to drive there and find parking, then there's the hour-long appointment, then you need to head home or to work. Those challenges aren't always compatible with an unpredictable shift schedule. Digital therapy can be done on the go with a pair of headphones. He recommends the app BetterHelp, while the National Restaurant Association suggests free and paid resources including the Crisis Text Line, Active Minds, Sanvello, and Ben's Friends, a substance abuse network for hospitality workers.

Since depressed people have low self-starting abilities, they need processes that are easy, Borgen notes. Health insurance plans often place barriers for employees that want mental health services, whether it's by requiring lengthy paperwork before services can be rendered or making individuals wait several weeks to see a mental health provider. For those in crisis, waiting often means a worsening of symptoms. Through the In the Weeds Foundation, Borgen connects restaurant employees with in-person therapy sessions and bilingual hotline services for short-term therapy at no cost. Pre-pandemic, they'd get a couple of calls a month. Now, they get a couple of calls a week.

In response to the rise in substance abuse, Borgen says he's noticed increasing interest in sobriety and harm reduction, which is reducing the harmful activity in favor of balance. He believes that a balanced life with space for extracurricular activities leads to happier employees, which in turn has a spillover effect. The workplace is more productive, sales are up, staff retention is higher, and the workplace acts like a magnet for service industry professionals looking for a high-quality working environment.

Check the Mirror

For those benefits to accrue, operators have to first look in the mirror, change their behaviors to promote work/life balance and maintain a focus on mental wellness over the long hall. Says Spigener, "you can't bring [a missed occasion] back, but you can bring the revenue back tomorrow. You have to have the mindset of why you are working to make the money?"

Keep Learning…

Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder by Industry
https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/substance-use-and-substance-use-disorder-industry

Keep Learning…

Serving Up Stress: Perceived Stressors and Coping Mechanisms of Front of House Restaurant Employees
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313263760_Serving_Up_Stress_Perceived_Stressors_and_Coping_Mechanisms_of_Front_of_House_Restaurant_Employees