Restaurants say they are struggling to find staff. Mostly, that’s because they’re bad places to work, and the pay is miserable.

…research on restaurant work conditions shows that working in a restaurant is difficult, requiring the sacrifice of work-life balance due to long hours and unpredictable schedules.

While restaurant work can be rewarding and fun, it can also be low-paying, stressful and physically demanding, all of which can have a negative impact on mental health.

Many restaurant workers spend at least eight hours a day on their feet with no time for breaks or meals. Workers are also required to forego their social and family life by having to work late nights, weekends and holidays.

Many restaurant workers almost never know precisely when their shifts will end, and tend to be placed on unpredictable split shifts or “on call” shifts to save labour costs.

The restaurant industry has also been rampant with sexual harassment, abuse and toxic work environments.

A Statistics Canada study found that hospitality workers have the worst job quality out of any industry. This was largely due to low earnings, the inability to take time off, no paid sick leave, a lack of training opportunities and no supplemental medical and dental care.

This same study found that 67 per cent of hospitality workers work in jobs with work conditions that fall below “decent work” levels.