What can be done to make tourism workplaces more inclusive to individuals with mental health issues?

Abstract:
The purpose of the paper is to investigate the strategies that can improve the inclusivity of the tourism working environment for people who have mental health issues.

Key Words:
Mental Health, Inclusivity, Wellbeing, Training, Safe Spaces, Support, Strategies.

Discussion:
Tourism workplaces are frequently associated with long and unpredictable hours. As a result, it can be difficult for people suffering from mental illnesses to work while maintaining their mental health. The strategies discussed below all entail encouraging anyone experiencing mental health issues to seek help. It also emphasises how tourism organisations can implement certain aspects to make the working environment more comfortable.

Literature suggests that attitudes towards mental health have shifted over time. Scott (1958) defines those experiencing mental health issues as "a person receiving psychiatric treatment." However, the World Health Organisation (2022) defined mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual recognises their own abilities, can cope with stresses, work productively, and contribute to their community." Despite this, there are some who question the definition's applicability. This is due to the fact that good mental health cannot be defined solely by positive feelings, but also includes an individual's ability to manage anger and sadness (Galderisi et al, 2015). There are also concerns about other approaches that are frequently used, such as grouping people with the same mental health issues into one category, which ignores the fact that each individual may exhibit different types of symptoms (Mechanic, 1999). As a result, it is suggested that at least two of the following strategies be implemented in order to create an inclusive working environment.

Staff training is an important strategy for shifting perspectives and removing stigma associated with mental health. Employees can benefit from training by participating in workshops and other interactive sessions that demonstrate ways to improve personal well-being. Managers can learn to recognise and respond to employees experiencing mental health issues by receiving mental health specific training. This encourages open communication (Bishop, 2021) and will help retain employees because they will know they are supported. Employers are more likely to adapt and change aspects of the workplace if they receive training that demonstrates how to improve both efficiency and inclusivity (Kim, 2012). The time and effort required for this training may be expensive for the company, but it will ultimately benefit long-term employee satisfaction (Anna, 2021).

Because of the frequently overstimulating working environment, the next strategy focuses on ensuring that the workplace makes employees feel safe. Safe spaces can be beneficial to departments in the tourism industry that are primarily desk/office based. Safe spaces, also known as wellness rooms, often appear as soundproofed booths for employees to work in when they are overstimulated. Mind Well (n.d.) also emphasised the importance of having elements such as natural lighting and soft fabrics in the rooms because they are commonly associated with calmness. When Covid-19 restrictions meant that workplaces couldn't operate normally, remote working became a common theme. While full-time remote working may not be feasible for many tourism businesses, allowing some flexibility in when employees can work from home may be beneficial. It would give people with mental health issues more control over their schedule and allow them to choose the best environment for them.

Supportive systems in the tourism workplace incorporates a variety of factors. It entails providing professional help and assistance to anyone who seeks it. The World Health Organisation (2022) emphasised the importance of this by stating that policies should be developed specifically for employees who have mental health issues to allow them to take unrestricted time off. By enacting certain policies and guidelines, employers make employees feel acknowledged and more comfortable discussing mental health because they know it will be kept confidential. Furthermore, setting up assistance programmes for new employees will alleviate the anxiety of starting a new job, while reassuring existing employees that help is available should they need it.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies, a TUI case study was conducted. Training proved useful in assisting employees in distinguishing between mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Furthermore, their 'wellness weeks' programmes were successful in engaging employees in over 40 activities. Some of these activities took the form of workshops on stress reduction, burnout prevention, and living a healthy lifestyle. In departments that could, they offered a 'Workwide' initiative that allowed anyone joining the company to work from places like Greece and Spain. This flexibility enabled anyone suffering from mental illness to continue working while potentially reconnecting with family or just working in a more suitable environment, thereby enabling safe spaces.

Key References:
Mechanic, D. (1999). Mental health and mental illness: Definitions and perspectives. A handbook for the study of mental health: Social contexts, theories, and systems. [online] pp.12–28. Available at: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1999-02431-001 [Accessed 10 May 2023].

Stewart, C. (2022). Employer’s actions to manage mental health in the UK 2019. [online] Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1134055/employer-s-actions-to-manage-mental-health-in-the-uk/ [Accessed 19 May 2023].

World Health Organization (2022). Mental health in the workplace. [online] World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/promotion-prevention/mental-health-in-the-workplace [Accessed 10 May 2023].

Mental health is often heightened by intrinsic factors however Memish (2017) finds that mental health is considerably impacted by external environments such as the workplace. Often referred to as ‘job stressors’, individuals vulnerable to poor psychosocial working conditions are at higher risk of developing clinical and sub-clinical disorders e.g. anxiety, depression and exhaustion. Evidence suggests the most efficient strategy to lower the prevalence of mental health challenges in the working population is through early identification (primary) and modification (secondary). Yet the adoption of such methods is most effective when interventions target both individual employee factors and organisational-level factors. Through primary prevention, the development of mental health aims to be minimised by removing potential risks. One would argue the implementation of mindful exercises prior to the diagnosis of clinical and sub-clinical disorders would help to reduce stress and allow the individual to be present in the moment without judgement. Workplace organisations that recognise the importance of this phenomenon are able to enforce practices that prevent mental health development. This subsequently reduces the strategies and support systems that target employees affected by mental health. The reduction of sick leave, improvements to productivity levels and lower levels of turnover are a few examples of how organisations are able to benefit from these strategies.

This paper touches upon the stigmas created by society in relation to mental health and suggests the implementation of staff training is a way in which societal judgements can be diminished. However, it has been found mental health training is not as effective if unsuitably established. For example, mental health courses are ordinarily carried out online and are often voluntary, therefore staff lack enthusiasm and engagement and fail to retain the knowledge and understanding the strategy aimed to provide. Additionally, these mental training and awareness courses tend to be one-off sessions instead of a continual development programme over a longer duration. This also highlights a barrier in the strategies proposed to combat mental health issues in the workplace.

Overall, strategies used in the prevention of workplace mental health issues can be considered more effective than addressing the potential impacts leading to high turnover and a less productive workforce. Staff training was highlighted in the discussion paper as a possible strategy to shift perspectives and benefit both employee health and company productivity. Moreover, staff training on mental health needs to be at the forefront of business focus as it is often considered a supplementary activity rather than a mandatory process to benefit all.

Reference:
Memish, K., Martin, A., Bartlett, L., Dawkins, S. and Sanderson, K. (2017) Workplace mental health: An international review of guidelines. Preventive Medicine, 101, pp.213-222. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743517301159?casa_token=1xqonOg2iNUAAAAA:qZllkuBtNPXav-8sZLj8tyw7ZixFcrnPnOTndDxgFgbA08y5NYEuOZq6fLO36GXN4hl1XiyQ [accessed 23 May 2023].

The paper proposed and demonstrated the effectiveness of two strategies to improve the working environment for people with mental issues and increase the inclusiveness of the tourism workplace. Remote working due to Covid-19 and the flexibility of working from home was considered, but solutions to practitioners’ mental issues in the context of Covid-19 could be discussed more in-depth, as the pandemic exacerbated the mental issues (Elshaer and Azazz, 2023).

Covid-19 has led to a decrease in the tourism industry. Consequently, layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts ensued, which made employees feel anxious about the unfavourable situation, creating a sense of job insecurity. Even those who are not eventually laid off may have a strong sense of job insecurity (Elshaer et al., 2022). Meanwhile, the mental problems of employees may be linked to their lives, where the financial pressure on their families might increase in the face of the crisis brought by the pandemic, exacerbating their mental burden and affecting the efficiency of work (Elshaer and Azazz, 2023). To alleviate these issues, tourism companies could have open information. For example, update the business status of the company regularly, and keep employees informed of personnel adjustments and salary changes. It might make employees feel less anxious about the uncertainty of jobs and increase the sense of job security through transparent information. Besides, for employees who have financial pressure, companies are expected to provide financial assistance or support with financial planning. This may enhance employees’ trust and develop a sense of belonging, improving their loyalty to work together during difficult times.

Additionally, these mental issues are more likely to occur among older, female, and less educated employees, as well as those in low-paid positions (Elshaer and Azazz, 2023). Thus, training may be needed not only for the mental aspects, but also in developing employees’ new skills that will contribute to the development of the company in the long run, and help employees to be more competitive in employment, alleviating their mental problems indirectly (Elshaer and Azazz, 2023).

References:
Elshaer, I.A. and Azazz, A.M.S. (2023) Mental Health of Tourism Employees Post COVID-19 Pandemic: A Test of Antecedents and Moderators. European Journal of Investigation in Health, 13(3) 626-641.

Elshaer, I.A., Ghanem, M. and Azazz, A.M.S. (2022) An Unethical Organizational Behavior for the Sake of the Family: Perceived Risk of Job Insecurity, Family Motivation and Financial Pressures. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(11) 6541.