Following the Covid-19 pandemic, people have become more aware of their own mental health and what impacts it than ever before. The sudden change in pace of everyday living caused many to connect and have new experiences with their mental health, for the good and bad. This and the changes to work-life conditions, pressures and personal experiences throughout, forced many to reassess their priorities and factors which make up their day-to-day lives.
There is no doubt that your mental health and wellbeing can be affected by your job. From a build-up of stress, to doing something you don’t feel passion for, building pressures and burdens put on by another and ultimately no work-life balance. In fact, over 65% of UK employees have experienced a mental health issue due to work or where work was a contributing factor. And with 81% of those employees feeling unable to disclose a mental health issue to a manager, it is no surprise that UK workers suffer burnout or declining mental health as a result of their work.
So, how can franchising fix it?
There’s no, one-quick-fix when it comes to managing your mental health. I can’t promise that franchising would resolve all your work-related stressors, but what I can confidently say is that time and time again I have seen people’s lives positively transform due to franchising. Most franchisees, fledgling or well-established, will tell you that their mental health has been on a significant journey throughout their franchise career. I have seen franchising give people opportunities they otherwise would never have had in their career, enabling them to follow a passion and build a life that allows their mental health and wellbeing to flourish. Surrounded by support and doing something they love, generally speaking, a franchisee is in a position of power to set the pace and expectations for their own working life, all factors which contribute to positive wellbeing.
A significant factor in maintaining positive mental health is to build and allow time for a positive work-life balance, one that empowers you to make time for the things that reduce your symptoms of stress and essentially, support the production of hormones like serotonin and dopamine. Whilst hard-work and commitment are both essential factors in franchising, becoming a business owner does award you the freedom and control to create the life you are looking to achieve.
Finding the franchise that is right for you
Each individual’s wellbeing and what impacts it is entirely unique. So, first take time to determine what positively and negatively impacts your own mental health. When looking for your franchise, consider the life that you want it to bring you. Does this life look positive for your mental health? Will it allow you the freedom (referring to financial, time commitments and expected stress-levels!) to do the things you need to do to maintain the level of wellbeing that you seek?
Once you have established your own unique wants and needs, find a franchisor who prioritises your overall health and not just your business health. What measures do they have in place to support you throughout your journey as a franchisee? Explore the tools and resources they have in place to help you to achieve both your work and personal goals as a business owner. Speaking to other franchisees to ascertain what sort of work-life balance they have achieved and what levels of work-related stress they experience, can be a great indicator as to whether this will be the right industry and brand for you and your mental health.
A resilient and self-aware franchisee is more likely to be a successful one
When starting your journey as a franchisee, it is so common to have the urge to throw yourself in, thinking “I’ll build the business first and take care of myself later”. Whilst I would never deter someone from working hard, I would urge you to be mindful of your mental health throughout your entire journey. Resilience, stress management, self-awareness and overall positive mental health are all factors that will drastically contribute towards the success of your business.
