As winter sets in across Aotearoa, our hospitality teams often face extra health and wellbeing challenges – from seasonal illness to lower moods and reduced energy. In a high-pressure, customer-facing environment, this can quickly impact team morale and business performance.
Taking proactive steps to support your people during the colder months can make a big difference in staff wellbeing, productivity, and retention. Here are some easy, practical tips to promote Winter Wellbeing:
1. Encourage Sick Staff to Stay Home
It might sound obvious, but many hospo workers are reluctant to call in sick. Reinforce a clear message: if you’re unwell, stay home. Having a culture that supports this reduces the risk of spreading illness and protects your whole team.
2. Mind the Temperature Transition
Going from cold outdoor conditions into warm kitchens or front-of-house spaces can put extra strain on the body. Make sure your team has a chance to properly warm up and stay hydrated. Provide a space to hang wet jackets and encourage layering that can be adjusted as body temperature changes.
3. Promote Flu Vaccinations
Flu vaccinations can help reduce the risk of illness and time off work during the colder months. While not every business can afford to cover the cost, some operators choose to subsidise or fully reimburse flu shots. Another option is to explore local health providers that offer on-site group vaccinations – this can be a cost-effective and convenient solution if you have a larger team.
At a minimum, you can encourage staff to get vaccinated and share information about free or low-cost options available through pharmacies or health providers.
For more information, visit Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora or check with your local public health unit.
4. Support Mental Health Conversations
The shorter, darker days of winter can impact mental wellbeing. Make time for check-ins, keep communication open, and share support resources such as the Restaurant Association’s mental health and wellbeing resources.
5. Boost Morale With Small Acts of Kindness
Winter can feel long and tiring, so look for small ways to lift team spirits – a hot meal shout, warm drink on shift, or celebrating a staff member’s contribution can go a long way.
6. Be Flexible Where You Can
Winter often brings quieter periods in many hospitality businesses, making it a good time to adjust and rebalance workloads. Offering flexible rosters – such as shorter shifts, condensed hours, or time off when it’s quiet – can help staff rest and recover, especially after a busy summer or shoulder season.
This period can also be an opportunity to invest in your team through extra training, cross-skilling, or professional development. Whether it’s upskilling front-of-house in wine knowledge or giving kitchen staff the chance to experiment with winter menus, these activities keep your team engaged and growing.
Some businesses also use winter as a chance to take a brief team break, close for maintenance, or plan staff wellbeing days – especially if it means coming back stronger for the spring and summer seasons. Even small changes can make a big difference to energy levels and long-term staff retention.
At the Restaurant Association, we know that supporting staff wellbeing is good for people and for business. We’re currently developing a new toolkit of mental health and wellbeing resources specifically tailored to hospitality, which will be released in the coming months to help you support your team even further.