5 Things I Learned About Health and Hospitality Because of the Pandemic

Today, my brother Matthew launches his education platform, Hospro, designed to increase hospitality teams’ productivity, retention and profitability through a systemic approach to health and happiness.

Although he is in Scotland, and I am in Singapore, I have learned a lot as he has been building his business, and he has certainly given me the foundation of tools I need to improve every day and a lot to reflect on about the industry we love.

Here are my top 5 thoughts on the topic:

And so are Hotels and Cafes.

Aside from pandemic statistics and travel policies, we are discussing most of all when we can enjoy a meal or holiday together once again. Humans are social creatures, and hospitality venues are where we reconnect with others, process our days and create lasting memories. It has been challenging over the last 18 months for many because we haven’t been able to incorporate these moments into our routines when we need them, but we cherish every window of opportunity we get.

Take home message:

Spending more time engaging with hospitality venues is good for you, so invest in yourself, friends and family and do it more often. Whether it’s dine in, take-away or a virtual event together.

Companies talk about how they are pivoting, but in my opinion, hospitality businesses have had some of the most aggressive and diverse challenges to adapt to. Policies can change overnight, new technologies are being introduced, business models being changed, team size reduced, and a duty to police the rules while simultaneously ensuring guests are comfortable and retaining high morale in the team. This all while business demand and job security is fluctuating, in a stressful and sometimes lonely environment.

Take home message:

Employ more hospitality professionals!

They are adaptable, have a high emotional intelligence, strong work ethic, and are positive in stressful times. They may not have experience in your industry today, but they are definitely valuable future members of your team, and there are too many talented individuals still on the lookout for work.

When you go into a venue full of your stress and worries, and you walk out a lot happier, it’s not because of magic (or alcohol). Emotions, instead, usually get transferred to staff. You would remember on an occasion you have sat at the bar chatting with the bartender about your tough day or a waiter has read your emotional state and they go to that extra effort to make sure your evening is special. You transferred your energy at these times, and the staff will try to work out a way to process the accumulated energy from the shift later on. Saying this, staff are usually not the greatest at finding healthy ways to release these emotions, and there is certainly more need for support and education in the industry. Too much of this energy and on top of their own challenges in our current environment can be very overwhelming. Please remember these people genuinely care about you and your happiness, and the world is really stressful at the moment. Mental health can be extremely challenging to maintain, especially with the lifestyle that the industry usually demands.

Take home message:

Be nice and pay it forward.

Tips are well received, but so are smiles, compliments and genuine conversation. The industry is carrying a lot right now, and there is a significant amount going on behind the smiles and attentive service. These people spend their days trying to make your day, so why not always share a small act of random kindness when you go out and make theirs.

I have always considered myself quite proficient at time management and prided myself on working hard and multi-tasking, which always led to burnout at some point. However, through the help of my brother and the resources he has guided me towards, I have learned to be more mindful of my energy and my focus. This is because energy is its own currency, and we need to be careful of how we invest and how broadly we invest it. By introducing some simple habits like Time-boxing, Pomodoro, Meditation, Brain-dumping, Power-naps and combining with self-discipline, exercise, a better diet, less screen time, more sleep, vitamins and upskilling on productivity tools, much more work can get done quite happily. By reflecting on your energy levels, focus and emotions, and being proactive with fine-tuning, the quality of your work significantly improves. There is no harm with taking these short moments to give your batteries a quick recharge.

Take home message:

Being mindful of your energy and how you gain and utilise it, you can significantly increase your productivity and happiness.

It’s not selfish to look after yourself; it’s an investment that everyone gains benefit from. You can always find 5 minutes to close your eyes, clear your thoughts and breathe. You can always find a bit of time to introduce some mindfulness, play and kindness into your day.

The world is changing a lot right now, and it’s critical to invest some of your energy and focus into things that help you grow. Flexing your brain muscle is also great for your self-confidence. There are so many amazing books you can read and courses you can complete. It’s very important to create the time to do things outside of work, eating, sleeping and entertainment. You don’t have to sit down with a hard copy or enroll in a degree; it can also be on Audible, Blinkist, Short-courses, Youtube or a course like my brother’s. There are so many great ways to improve yourself.

Here are some of my favourites:

Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows — How to map complex relationships and understand the levers to drive lasting positive change.

Happy by Derren Brown — How to change your perspective on life and be genuinely happy.

Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins — How to find the energy and motivation to keep going when you are down and reach your dreams. (Highly recommend the Audible.)

Traction by Gino Wickman — How to develop the systems to align your company with the vision for the company.

Indistractable by Nir Eyal — How to stay focused and exercise self-discipline.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown — How to prioritise what you do and when to say no.

Infinite Game by Simon Sinek — How to think about your goals in the long-term and work more collaboratively.

The Future is Faster than you Think by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler — What converging technologies are just around the corner and how they will impact our lives.

Lifebook by Jon and Missy Butcher — How to bring clarity to your priorities across all aspects of your life and develop an action plan to continuously improve. (Course through Vishen Lakhiani’s Mindvalley.)

Stoicism by Various Authors — Why being a calm, good and logical person with clarity of thought and control over destructive emotions is an effective path to happiness in turbulent times.

Take home message:

Make time to grow your skill-set and look after yourself.

Meanwhile, please stay safe and safely social, and look forward to the opportunity to catch up for a meal soon.

AC

Andrew Cameron is the founder of ENZYME, a Singapore-based advisory working at the intersection of regenerative hospitality, food systems, and sustainable procurement across Asia-Pacific.