Lexington’s Matt Wood on why nobody should struggle in silence: ‘Asking for support isn’t a sign of weakness’

In the lead-up to Walk for Wellbeing, we’re partnering with Hospitality Action to share a series of candid conversations with industry leaders, exploring how they’re supporting their teams’ mental health, looking after themselves and keeping their businesses moving in the right direction. 

 

This week, we speak to Matt Wood, managing director of Lexington and Elior at Work, who highlights how open communication, community support and initiatives such as Hospitality Action are vital to building trust, tackling stigma and ensuring wellbeing across the entire industry.

 

How are you doing right now?

I’m keeping very busy overseeing Lexington and Elior’s regional B&I company, Elior at Work. I’m incredibly fortunate to have a fantastic leadership and operations team who innovate and drive us forward every day.

 

We’ve had a fantastic 2025 so far, securing some incredibly exciting new contracts, and the business continues to go from strength to strength. I’ve also managed to carve out some downtime for a summer holiday with friends and family, so I’m feeling rested and recharged.

 

What advice would you give to someone who feels worried about asking their employers for help?

I can’t speak for every organisation, but I believe that good employers would always prefer you speak up rather than struggle in silence. We’re fortunate to have a workplace culture that communicates that and encourages people to ask for help if they need it, with multiple options for doing so, including a confidential employee assistance programme and several of our own internal network groups. We are finding that open communication around mental health and wellbeing is pivotal to building trust, and over time it helps create a healthier, more supportive working environment for everyone.

 

My personal advice to anyone who is struggling? Firstly, know that you’re not alone in feeling the way you do. Many people hesitate to ask for help, especially in fast-paced industries such as ours, but it’s important to recognise that asking for support isn’t a sign of weakness. The culture is changing and mental health and wellbeing are being taken far more seriously. So don’t be afraid to take that first step. You might be surprised by how willing people are to listen and support you.

 

“It’s the safety net no one wants to need, but one we’re all grateful exists”

 

What kind of support does Hospitality Action provide to your team?

Hospitality Action plays a valuable role in supporting our people, in big ways and small. The charity encourages our participation in its annual mental health and wellbeing survey, which gives our teams the chance to contribute to a broader industry conversation. It also shares the findings through its Taking the Temperature reports, which offer insight into some of the challenges hospitality professionals are facing – it’s a great way for us to stay connected to the bigger picture.

 

We’re fortunate to have our own employee assistance programme – and we’re very aware that not everyone does. That’s why it’s so reassuring to know that, whatever someone might be facing, whether it’s illness, financial difficulties or personal or family issues, Hospitality Action is there. It’s the safety net no one wants to need, but one we’re all grateful exists.

 

On a lighter note, the calendar of events Hospitality Action runs throughout the year is a brilliant way to bring people together, to get involved and have a bit of fun while supporting a really important cause.