From Burnout to Balance: Rewriting Hospitality’s Blueprint

September is Recovery Awareness Month. It’s a time to spotlight the challenges of addiction and mental health, and more importantly, the possibilities for change. In hospitality, this conversation is long overdue.

We don’t have a “mental health problem” in our industry.

We have a systems problem.

For decades, we’ve built restaurants, bars, and hotels on a blueprint that rewards overextension and normalizes unhealthy coping.

In too many workplaces:

Skipping meals and breaks is “dedication.” Post-shift drinks are “connection.” Double shifts are “what it takes.” Asking for help feels like career roulette.This isn’t bad luck — it’s the operating manual we’ve inherited. 

Th good news: we can rewrite it. We  can create workplaces no one has to recover from.

Recovery Awareness Month isn’t just about celebrating those who have overcome addiction — it’s about looking at the environments we work in and asking: Are we helping people stay well, or are…