Assessing Occupational Stressors in Restaurant Work Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Analysis.

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated occupational stress in restaurant work prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was a mixed methods design conducted in two phases with biomarker data for stress, questionnaire data, and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated elevated stressors elevated stress during normal shift conditions (P < 0.05), low job satisfaction, an effort to reward imbalance (P < 0.05), and the majority (72%, n = 28) of participants reporting discrimination at least a "few times a year." Interview data revealed four interrelated occupational stressors including: (1) financial hardships; (2) increased exposure to occupational health risks during the reopening phases; (3) increased workloads due to inadequate staffing and fewer hours; and (4) social and psychological pressures and ill treatment. These elements were reported prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and have persisted throughout with heightened impacts.