Discussions
Discussions
This study provided evidence that stress related to Covid-19 is more complex than a simple fear of infection. Rather, it is a complex and interconnected system of various worsening stressors. Furthermore, the pandemic has not simply made the stressors of restaurant work more pronounced, but completely changed the way employees approach their mental health (see Figure 2).
The core of this study’s results lies with the responses to questions six and seven. These questions examine nine work-related challenges: wage and income, employment security, career potential and development, work hours, physical health risks, job performance, workload, customer behavior, and coworker behavior. Together, these questions make up the Stress Index. Reported stress levels in all categories increased significantly during the pandemic, though not uniformly. One of the most noticeable results is that those stressors tied to the labour being performed (job performance and workload) were much less exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Aside from physical health risks (which were expected to worsen dramatically), the stressors that saw the most change were those associated with employment itself, including income, hours, and security. A limitation of this study is that there is a potential overlap between these stressors. For example, it is possible that participants who reported high stress due to income did so due to uncertainty about work hours. Nevertheless, the fact thatthese three stressors saw such a notable increase indicates the inability to meet their financial needs in either the short- or long-term under the current conditions of their employment which is a major concern among restaurant workers.
An interesting contrast to the findings of questions six and seven were the results of question eight. Participants’ job satisfaction was compared to their Pandemic Stress Index (see Figure 3); although it is true that higher stress levels generally corresponded to lower satisfaction, the overall satisfaction levels were high. Twenty-four out of 34 participants (70.5%) rated their overall job satisfaction as six or higher, many of whom also reported comparatively high stress levels. Clearly, there are more factors contributing to job satisfaction that this study does not account for, but the connection found between stress and job satisfaction indicates that workers may hold a range of views regarding work stress. Potential questions for future research arise. To what extent do restaurant workers perceive Covid-19-related stress to be beyond the industry control? To what extent do workers believe that high stress is an inherent part of working in the restaurant industry?
The question remains: how can conditions be improved for restaurant workers? Assuming that employers are following up-to-date guidelines on Covid-19 procedures and restrictions, there is likely little that can be done to relieve stress from physical health risks. Customer behavior, on the other hand, was already a large contributor to workplace stress priorto the pandemic. With new and confusing rules for dining, it is unlikely that this issue can be solved by management either. Instead, it would likely be more fruitful to address the stressor directly related to employment—wage, hours, and security. Greater transparency from management on topics like hours of operation, pay cuts, and lay-offs may help to lighten employee uncertainty and reduce the impact of these three key stressors. Another strategy may be to offer benefits that cover mental health support, as many participants noted a lack thereof. This solution will not be possible for all businesses but encouraging healthy coping mechanisms (such as counseling) over unhealthy mechanisms (such as substance abuse)may prevent high-stress levels from causing long-term damage to employees.
