Mental Health at Work: A Capitalist’s Case for Caring

Reflections from the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show 

The restaurant industry has always been about people – feeding them, serving them, creating experiences for them. But somewhere, somehow, the focus on “them” eclipsed the importance of “us.” Meaning, yeah sure, the customer is the target of our affections, but they should not be the only recipient of our hospitality, care, love, and support. Without all the people doing the work, the customer doesn’t exist, and neither does the restaurant. That’s changing; fast in some places, and slower in others. And I’m doing my part to accelerate the shift, and to ensure as an industry we never slip backwards. 

This May at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, I had the chance to share something close to my heart – and directly tied to the health of our businesses – mental health in the workplace. My session,“A Capitalist's Motivation to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace,” drew restaurant professionals, operators, and leaders from across the globe. The interest was real. The conversations were real. The need is real. 

As an industry, it’s been common for decades to talk about staffing challenges, burnout, turnover – and we’ve tried to patch the holes in a variety of ways – sometimes with pain, fear, and force, and sometimes with bonuses, adapting our onboarding and training, better POS systems, etc. But we’re finally starting to look at the root of the issue: how our humans experience the workplace, and how the workplace culture we build either supports or erodes mental wellbeing. 

I focused my talk on the business case for mental health – not just because it's the right thing to do (it is), but because it delivers measurable return on investment. When you support mental health at work, you don’t just reduce burnout; you reduce absenteeism, turnover, liability, and the costs of re-hiring and retraining. You improve retention, performance, and culture. It adds up. 

And still, in too many workplaces, mental health is either ignored, parked in the HR department, or brushed off as a “personal issue.” That’s a mistake. Real leadership means naming the hard stuff, creating safety around it, and taking action. I shared examples from our own businesses – how we’ve built systems and conversations that support wellbeing from the top down and the bottom up. 

At the conference, I also had some incredible one-on-one conversations with operators, managers, and team leaders at the Expo’s Expert Exchange. These weren’t surface-level chats. These were people ready to rethink how their businesses function and curious about how to bring humanity into the day-to-day without sacrificing profitability. (Spoiler: you don’t have to sacrifice a thing. Done right, you actually gain.) 

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, here are a few other talks and pieces where I break it down further: 

• Creating Value by Prioritizing Mental Health at Work  

• Why Would a Capitalist Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace  

• Conversation with Bershan Shaw in partnership with YPO Presents: Building a Wellness Culture within Organizations  

• The Largest Productivity Gain Most Companies are Missing 

• And soon, my TedX talk will be published 

The National Restaurant Association Show is always a big moment for our industry. This year, it felt even bigger, not because of flashy equipment or new menu trends, but because of the people leaning in, asking better questions, and looking for better ways. 

Mental health isn’t a fad or a trend. It’s a permanent necessity. It’s a strategy. And it’s one I’ll keep showing up for: on stage, in boardrooms, and in every restaurant I help lead. 

Because when we prioritize people, the business takes care of itself.