Christmas can be a stressful time, especially for licensees and barstaff who must cope with an extra heavy workload. Phil Mellows reports
Over the next couple of weeks the frenzy known as Christmas will reach a euphoric climax. The whole world is conspiring to persuade people that they should be having a good time. Very many of them will succeed.
A minority, however, will feel they have failed. One of the less celebrated traditions of the festive season is a sharp rise in the suicide rate and relationship break-ups.
But cheer up - you've got a pub! If tills still rang instead of bleeped they would be jingling away like Santa's sleigh-bells. All the set-backs of the past year will, for a while, be forgotten and the cash you take can put you back on track.
As a publican, though, you and your staff will face the no less serious pressure of having to cope with the busiest time of the year. You mustn't complain about being busy but on the other hand it is wise to consider how you are going to ease the stress.
Stress is a condition that has only lately begun to be understood. You will know that, as an employer, you have a duty of care towards your staff which means you have to make every effort to make sure their work doesn't make them ill - and stress can make them ill.
Stressed staff can not only get litigious. They can have a direct, detrimental effect on a business, especially if it relies on the quality of its customer service, as a pub business does.
Grouchy staff make for grouchy customers. People who are told to have a merry Christmas will join their family, their mates and their colleagues in the pub. This may be the only time of year when they do go to the pub, and from what they've heard they will expect it to deliver them merriness.
If your staff feel miserable and under pressure that will quickly be transmitted to customers who may complain about poor service and make the staff feel even worse.It is the kind of vicious circle that is typical of stressful situations - and the licensee has it within his or her power to break that circle.
John Hill, a former Whitbread area manager, is now a full-time stress counsellor specialising in the licensed trade. He hosted a couple of seminars for National Stress Awareness Day last month and is currently working on a project for Greene King which aims to help licensees and their staff overcome the particular stresses that can follow a violent incident in the pub.
When it comes to Christmas, he believes that publicans can best look after their staff by first looking after themselves.
"The boss's attitude causes up to 50 per cent of staff stress," he said. "If the boss is moody, that can be the biggest factor in preventing staff being cheerful, it causes them stress and it sets the tone for the entire pub.
"You should start by recognising that, because it's Christmas, you are going to be very busy and physically working hard," he continued. "You need to plan when and how you are going to take a rest and make sure that it is good quality rest."
That doesn't mean sitting in a chair reading the newspaper, but getting out of the pub every day, even if it's only for 20 minutes, perhaps taking the dog for a walk or going for a brisk stroll in the fresh air.
"There is a danger that, over Christmas and the New Year, you won't see daylight for days," said John. "If you get out of the pub for a while - and I don't mean just going to the bank - you will come back calmer and see the pub with fresh eyes.
"You will be able to pay attention to all those details you have missed through being so busy and see the pub as a customer sees it."
Another thing you must remember to do is eat. When licensees are busy they will often work through the day and only sit down for a meal after closing time.
"All that will do is give you a bad night's sleep," said John. "You need sufficient food to give you energy during the day, not at the end of it."
Rather than keeping yourself going with caffeine, you should actually reduce your coffee intake, he advises.
Otherwise, you won't sleep properly and will wake up tired in the mornings. "Drink plenty of water and not too much alcohol - you can have a good drink when it's all over.
"If you are not at your peak you will get ratty and pass that on to staff." You can also try to keep your staff off the coffee by providing them with bottles of water and squash.
"Christmas will happen, it always does," he concluded.
"That means you can plan for it."
The tell-tale signs of stress
How do you know when your staff are suffering stress?
They may not tell you. There is still a stigma attached to the condition. People will not want to appear weak or admit that they can't take the pressure or the workload.
Try to be alert to the symptoms. Among them may be:
- changes in mood or behaviour
- deteriorating relationships with colleagues
- irritability
- indecisiveness
- absenteeism, especially short bouts of illness
- lateness
- disciplinary problems
- a reduction in the quality of their work
- increased smoking or drinking
- complaints about health problems. Stress can cause back pain, stomach trouble and various minor illnesses as well as anxiety and depression.
There may be other reasons for these symptoms, of course. The trick is to get your people to talk. A lack of communication has itself been identified as one of the chief contributors to work-related stress.
Maybe you can get the team together before the Christmas rush and let them know they can come to you with any problems.
According to the HSE, preventing staff stress mainly boils down to good management. As well as looking out for the warning signs you should:
- show you take stress seriously and be understanding with people who admit they feel under pressure
- make sure your staff are properly trained, are confident about what they are doing and are given the credit for doing a good job
- where possible, vary working conditions and allow staff to influence the way their jobs are done
- treat people fairly and consistently and don't tolerate bullying and harassment.
HSE guides
The Health & Safety Executive has launched a set of guides aimed at tackling work-related stress.
The guides advocate a risk assessment approach to tackling stress at work and provide practical advice to managers on how to do this.
"Tackling work-related stress: A manager's guide to improving and maintaining employee health and well-being" (HSG218) is designed for organisations employing 50 or more people. This booklet costs £7.95 and comes with a set of free leaflets aimed at employees.
In addition, HSE has also produced "Work-related stress: A short guide" (INDG281rev1) a shorter guide aimed at small businesses, written in a clearer question and answer format. This leaflet is available free singly, or at a cost of £5 for a pack of 10.
Copies can be ordered by calling 01787 881165 or download the free guides from www.hse.gov.uk