If you work in a pub, you’ll know the job isn’t just about running shifts. It’s about people. Checking in, calming tensions, spotting when someone’s struggling and doing it all while keeping everything else on track. It’s rewarding, but it can be relentless too.
This is something Neil Smith, LTC’s Head of Commercial, understands on a personal level. With nearly three decades in the trade, Neil has seen both sides of the industry, the buzz of a great shift and the strain that can come with it.
“Hospitality teams are brilliant at looking after others,” Neil says. “But it’s easy to forget that they need support too. T he more we make help visible and accessible, the stronger our teams become.”
Neil joined LTC earlier this year to build stronger links between the charity and hospitality employers, helping make wellbeing a practical, everyday part of how businesses run. His focus is on ensuring everyone in hospitality has access to the right tools to look after their wellbeing, manage challenges and build resilience both at work and at home.
“It’s about giving people confidence,” he explains.
“Whether that’s helping someone manage financial pressure, find counselling or use development tools to build resilience, it’s about support that fits real life in pubs.”
Support that understands hospitality
Created in partnership with CiC, a leading clinical wellbeing provider, LTC’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers 24/7 access to confidential counselling, advice on debt, housing and legal issues, and critical incident support if something serious happens at work.
It also connects people to grants for hardship and to the LTC Wellbeing Platform, featuring more than 6,500 resources, videos and self-help tools. Family members can use it too, because LTC recognises that challenges at home often affect life at work.
“Whether it’s a chef worried about debt, a bar manager under pressure or someone coping after a loss, LTC is the place to turn,” Neil says. “You don’t have to carry it all on your own, and neither do your teams.”
Start the conversation
LTC’s EAP is designed for businesses, but its impact starts with managers & supervisors who know it exists. Knowing there is someone professional and impartial your team can talk to confidentially, can make a huge difference when things start to build up.
“If you’re looking after a team, you don’t need to have all the answers,” Neil says. “Sometimes just being able to say ‘I know where you can get help’ can change everything.”
“Hospitality is an incredible industry built on care,” he adds. “When your teams feel supported, they show up with more energy, more focus and more pride. That’s what great hospitality is built on.”
