Break the Cycle: farmers and hospitality workers face similar struggles

At Irish Country Living, we don’t shy away from the topic of mental health; particularly when it comes to the Irish farming community.

According to Teagasc, farmers are at a heightened risk of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, while one in four Irish farmers face burnout – a state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by consistent high stress work or life environments.

As both a chef and a farmer, I often see similarities between the agricultural and hospitality industries. When it comes to mental health, stress, anxiety and burnout; these similarities are even more apparent.

Careers in hospitality and food have always carried elements of high-stress. Ask any chef and you will invariably hear stories of 18-hour work days and a toxic work culture.

Ask any small business owner and they will tell you about trying to “keep it all together” because they have suppliers and employees who rely on them.

Ask any food producer and they will explain that their business is not just their business; it’s their life – and it’s hard to step away, even for a few hours.

The sad fact is, despite society becoming more open to discussing mental health, there is still a stigma attached to small business owners admitting they are struggling. In fact, many believe showing such vulnerability can be viewed as a weakness which could negatively impact a business.

It has been a difficult few years for everyone – we still carry habits picked up from the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy has changed and everything – from packaging to ingredients – has increased in price.

In the face of this new reality, how can we create positive work environments and prioritise work-life balance and our mental health?

Newgrange Gold

Jack Rogers and his team of four operate Newgrange Gold (newgrangegold.ie) in Co Meath.

They specialise in locally grown rapeseed oil and grow their own wild flax – also known as Camelina – which is pressed into oil. Their product line offers flavoured and blended oils, like ahiflower or turmeric with rapeseed; all providing a range of nutritional benefits.

Originally, Jack’s father, John – a barrister – started the business in 2011 as a way of adding value to the oilseed rape crops being grown on their family farm.

Jack also trained as a barrister, but felt called to the family business. He took over operations in 2012 and hasn’t looked back.

“We’ve had the farm since I was a kid,” he says. “After doing a degree in ag science, I qualified as a barrister. But I wanted to be near the river [Boyne] and on the farm.

"Originally, we were using rapeseed we grew here ourselves, then around seven years ago we’ve started working with a nearby farm – run by the Hobson’s – and they have provided us with regeneratively grown oilseed rape.

“We then started growing the Camelina, which is very high in Omega 3s and great for your cardiovascular health.”

Despite his passion for the family business, Jack says he often struggles with work-life balance. Working with the Hobson’s, who can focus on producing the scale needed for rapeseed oil production, was a big step forward, but he admits he still has a hard time taking a break.

“I went on holiday last week because [my partner] had booked it,” he says. “Initially I was like, ‘It’s too much time away; I can’t go for that long', but honestly, it was the best thing I could have done. I can get stressed and I probably spread myself too thin.”

Jack says he is lucky to have a small, committed team working with him every day. They have high amounts of trust in each other, but as with any small team, you are bound to also experience minor conflict at times.

This, Jack says, is where communication is key. Having regular monthly meetings, as part of maintaining the BRC (British Retail Consortium Global Standard for Food Safety) standard, and providing flexibility to staff is also important.

“Sometimes you need to have the argument and let things be said,” he says. “Communication is so important, because we all get quite busy and work within our own lane – you don’t always see the things that need to be done.

“When you’re in a small place with a small team you have to have flexibility,” he adds. “Small farm businesses can have great flexibility; it’s not always about the bottom line, necessarily.”

Jack firmly believes that one person should never have the entire company resting on their shoulders.

“A business where one person is too integral is not a good business,” he says. “You need to have people who can step up as needs be.”

Established Coffee

Bridgeen Barbour and partner Mark Ashbridge opened Established Coffee (established.coffee) in 2011.

Located in the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast, the café features their own roasted coffee beans and ingredients from local farmers and producers.

In recent years, the wider economy, Brexit and COVID-19 fallout has made for a stressful situation; causing them to rethink their business model.

“We’re basically actors – you have a mask on, because there are so many people who depend on you,” Bridgeen says. “There is this weird loneliness that comes with being a business owner.”

Finding skilled hospitality workers has been difficult since Brexit was introduced into the United Kingdom in 2020. Bridgeen says a wealth of diversity and talent was lost overnight, and she and Mark have been struggling to find staff ever since.

“Brexit has probably been more detrimental to us than Covid, in some ways. We used to have up to 80 people apply for a barista job; now if you see 10 you’d be lucky.”

Bridgeen lives with a chronic illness and during the pandemic and beyond, her physical health has suffered. At the same time, Mark has struggled with his mental health.

Today, things are better – they have both taken up Brazilian jujitsu and incentivise their staff to take time for their physical and mental health, too.

Now, they focus on maintaining their health while also caring for the 24 staff they employ. They strive to make Established Coffee a positive place to work; providing health benefit schemes, regularly checking in with their managers and providing other benefits like paid days off for birthdays.

Bridgeen and Mark feel they need to make changes to their business, but what exactly is still to be determined.

“We feel a great responsibility to the people we work with, and at year 11 we need to find a better way for all of us to get balance,” Bridgeen says. “This means change, which can be difficult and scary. It feels very vulnerable to be open about all of this, but it is also the reality for many other small business owners I have spoken to.

“We chose to do this, but now we know we have to be a little kinder to ourselves so we can continue to build for the future. Sometimes, it takes us all a little longer to understand that; especially when you love what you do.”

Lorraine Moran (registered dietitian) is the senior nutrition manager and Rebecca Barron(nutritionist) is the nutrition manager for Tirlán. They provide their expertise to create products that help fuel a balanced, healthier life for employees and customers alike.

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