How to strengthen mental health in food and beverage production

5 min read

Developing an inspired and resilient workforce is vital to entrepreneurs. Resilience - the ability to adapt well and recover from adversity - is a learned trait that, when nurtured, can become both empowering and lead to personal growth.

Fostering resiliency within yourselves as leaders, who can then nurture employees, helps create workspaces that recognize and respond to the stresses you face. It’s a balance of ambition and self-awareness which protects entrepreneurial traits such as creativity, hyperfocus, courage and optimism, says Dominic Gagnon, author, entrepreneur and public speaker.

Identifying the risk factors in today’s work environments

Food and beverage processors face an unprecedented number of stressors, including tariffs, volatile markets, pricing instability, challenges with ingredient sourcing and labour shortages. According to Bill Howatt, chief mental health officer and founder of Howatt HR Consulting, the day-to-day realities of high-stress environments in food and beverage processors can add to the mix.

We pretend that being strong means holding everything together alone. It’s the opposite.

“Many employees (and employers) often work under intense pressure with limited downtime, leading to chronic stress, burnout and emotional fatigue,” Howatt says.

Food and beverage processors have additional stressors, such as irregular hours, isolation and stigma around mental health, especially among diverse, multilingual workforces, which prevent many from seeking help.

“There’s still too much silence around mental health in entrepreneurship,” Gagnon says. “We glorify hustle, we hide the breakdowns, and we pretend that being strong means holding everything together alone. It’s the opposite.”

Consistently working in environments faced with these types of stressors places employees at increased risk for burnout, mental fatigue, chronic illness and mental health issues., mental fatigue, chronic illness and mental health issues.

"Employers who do not accept the reality that humans have limits and needs, and may struggle to find workers in the future," Howatt says. Conversely, identifying and addressing the potential impacts of these stressors can help pave the way for a more resilient and healthier workplace.

5 ways to develop resiliency

“Resiliency isn’t about being tougher - it’s about building systems, so you don’t have to be,” Gagnon says. Developing simple, pragmatic habits can help proactively support mental health and build resiliency.

1. Notice and respond to any changes in behaviours

Changes in diet, sleep patterns, alcohol consumption and an increase in negative self-talk are all indicators that you may be at an increased risk for burnout. “From what I’ve lived and observed, the red flags show up long before the breakdown. The problem is we often ignore them,” Gagnon says. Sleep disruption, chest tightness, panic, and chronic fatigue are ways that the body communicates it needs rest.

2. Mind the stressors

Pay attention to your emotional reaction to stressors, which increase the risk of chronic illness and mental distress. The way that you react to successes and setbacks can also provide an alert that you may be in mental distress. According to Gagnon, reacting too strongly to small issues, feeling overwhelmed by minor setbacks, and not feeling joy, even for the big wins, are signs that your mental health may be at risk. To help combat this, try enhancing your emotional awareness. This includes identifying and accepting your emotions, practicing self-reflection and acknowledging and learning from your mistakes.

3. Model connection and self-care

Balance extended work hours by creating opportunities for connection, both within and outside of the workplace. Separate your identity from your workplace, shares Gagnon, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the multiple life roles that you play, beyond being a founder.

4. Acknowledge the trials

Allow the space and time to discuss the industry challenges, including how you're feeling about them.

5. Extend the conversation to your digital community

Working in food and beverage processing can, at times, be isolating, particularly when facing challenges. Extending the conversation outside of the business can not only provide additional support but also potential solutions and strategies.

When we’re aware of the elevated risk to mental health and take the steps to put supports in place, we are more resilient. The days of toughing it out just to save face are gone. As well, today's employees need authentic leaders willing to share their concerns and be vulnerable about the challenges they face. This vulnerability can, in turn, strengthen leadership, not weaken it. These leaders play a vital role in creating a supportive culture that is responsive to the potential strain processors are facing.

Cultivating these types of spaces can also foster innovation, increased productivity and a more resilient and connected workforce. Here are some specific steps food and beverage processors can take in the workplace:

7 strategies to strengthen mental health in the workplace

1. Be self-aware

This is a vital component of our mental health. FCC's Wellness Assessment Tool helps identify when you may be at risk of burnout or mental strain/distress. may be at risk of burnout or mental strain/distress.

2. Make a safe space

Create an environment where employees feel safe to express their concerns and questions.

3. Prioritize mental health and safety

This includes developing and implementing a psychological health and safety program. Gagnon recommends creating recovery rituals that include sleep, movement, eating real meals, and at least one activity that reconnects you with what brings you joy.

4. Check-in

Do regular wellness checks, both with yourself and your team. “Ask for help early,” Gagnon says. “The earlier you talk, the easier the climb back.”

5. Incorporate strategies and supports

This includes providing opportunities for self-care, wellness classes and regular short and long-term breaks. Build a support system, states Gagnon, which includes mentors, peers and a therapist.

6. Model connection and self-care

Disconnect when you are not in the office and block out times for vacation and rest periods.

7. Know the stress is there

Recognize, accept and address the pressures you face. “When we normalize vulnerability, ask for help early and build healthier rhythms, entrepreneurship becomes not a threat to mental health, but a vehicle for growth, purpose and impact,” Gagnon says.

Article by: Anne-Marie Hardie

Managing People & Operations Wellness