4.1 Being Informed
In order to properly understand the picture, it's important to be appraised of the relevant statistics. These are particularly sobering and need to be recognised by the industry and by society at large so that the stigmas and structures that underlie these sad facts can be redressed in a meaningful way.
Here is a summary of some current statistics:
1.Suicide is the biggest killer among men below the age of 45, but male construction workers (who are usually under the age of 45) are three times more likely to commit suicide than the average British man of the same age Yearly, more construction workers die through suicide than through accidents
2.Depression and anxiety are now more common health complaints than musculoskeletal health complaints among construction workers
Between 2011 and 2015, there were 13,232 in-work suicides in the UK, according to the ONS (Office of National Statistics) — despite the fact that the construction industry only makes up7% of the total British workforce, it accounts for 13.2% of in-work suicides
3.In a 2017 survey, 73% of construction workers felt that early signs of mental health problems were not recognised by their employers, and 23% of them were considering leaving the industry within a year, due to mental ill-health
4.According to research by Benenden Health, 40% of construction and engineering workers took time off in 2019 due to mental ill-health, compared with 35% across other sectors Less than half of them (47%) said they were honest about why they had taken time off; 27%
gave a physical health reason, and 30% said that they had used annual leave to take time out for their mental health, to avoid judgement
5.73% of construction employers agreed that they felt that stigma exists around discussing mental health at work; 35% claimed that they had no idea how to identify if an employee is struggling, and only 77% said that they would feel comfortable talking to an employee about
mental health 21% of construction workers felt a fear of differential treatment in the prospect of mentioning mental health struggles at work; 32% felt that they would be judged as incapable of doing their job, and 21% said that talking about mental health was simply not something that happens in the construction industry at all
4.2 Knowing the Signs
Thankfully, work is being done within the industry to help equip managers and workers to better recognise the signs of mental ill-health. The Construction Financial Management Association has laid out the following red flags, which may indicate a mental health problem:
Increased lateness, absenteeism and presenteeism (being physically present at work but not being able to function effectively)
Being distracted and slow cognitively
leading to decreased productivity
Low self-confidence
Social isolation from fellow workers
Increased social conflict between colleagues
Increased agitation and confrontation
Increased evidence of individuals being overwhelmed
A decrease in problem-solving abilities and clear thinking
Although the emotional manifestations of mental health conditions can vary hugely between individuals, the CFMA recognised these signs as consistent in the ways in which mental health problems may be noticed in the workplace. These issues need to be addressed not only by employers but also by individuals working together.
However, for clarity, we have separated these two groups, to outline suggested measures that may pave the way for better mental health culture within the construction industry, from the grassroots, right up.
4.3 What Can Employers Do?
It isn't enough to take an incidental approach to improving mental health responses in the construction industry. Therefore, employers need to undergo training and learning to be able to implement effective strategies. The following list includes some recommended steps for how to build a more positive mental health culture within an organisation:
Culture review
Undertake internal research, to ascertain the specific cultural attitude of the workforce towards mental health, and inquire into where the 'pinch points' of compromise to wellbeing exist for staff, due to work-related stressors
Top-down and bottom-up culture change
Shifts in mental health culture need to happen from the highest levels down and the bottom level up. Management teams need to demonstrate real commitment to change, by seeking external training and help, to help inform employees, and/or to commit to publicly creating shared workplace wellbeing strategies, to ensure that there is clarity and transparency right the way through, which employees at
all levels then need to feel empowered to embody.
Create structural mental health support within leadership chains
Employers should signpost employees towards resources and available support, whether internally or externally sourced; it should be obvious to employees where they can go, what they can do and what options they have.
Improved training and CPD
All employees should be briefed or trained on how to recognise signs of mental ill-health, and a culture of mutual care and understanding should be cultivated overtly, with ongoing opportunities to learn how to better support one another through periods of mental ill-health and a focus on understanding and problem solving the specific issues pertaining to the construction industry andmental health.
Active destigmatisation initiatives
Measures must be implemented to increase awareness, reduce stigma and directly address the 'macho' culture of suppression of vulnerability, by providing informative resources, encouraging and empowering workers to take care of and speak about their own mental health.
Repetition and embedding
The need for these measures is so high that there must be regular repetition of the messaging that it's OK to speak out; it's strong to be vulnerable, and there is no shame in experiencing mental health problems.
Mental health screenings
Many employees within the construction industry are required to undergo a physical health screening, to determine their fitness to work. This presents an opportunity to incorporate into these sessions a mental health evaluation that can, at once, educate the worker and assess potential at- risk candidates. The already confidential nature of the physical health screening would also help to build trust and openness, without undue worries around consequences.
4.4 What Can We All Do?
.jpg)
Improving the state of mental health culture in the construction industry is not solely the responsibility of employers.As individuals, there are also huge opportunities to step up and create shifts. The simplest thing that we can all do is to talk. Simply check-in with your colleagues or employees over a tea break; ask them how they are, and let your presence become a safe environment for others to share and open up to if they need to.
Even if you don't suspect that anyone around you is suffering from a mental health problem, this doesn't mean that they aren't or that someone close to them isn't. Mental health issues are so normal, so common and so prevalent that everyone knows someone who has struggles or who has struggled in the past. Watching your language and the ways in which you speak and allude to anything related to mental health can help reduce stigma caused by insensitivity.
4.5 Positive Initiatives
Things are moving forwards in a positive light. Therefore, it's useful to highlight some of the transformative work being done within the UK
construction industry, to improve mental health culture.
The following landmarks are hopefully the early signs of a new paradigm:
1. The Building Mental Health initiative has been established to increase awareness of mental health in the construction industry.
2. The Building Mental Health initiative joined forces with the Lighthouse Club Charity in 2019, to launch a helpline for construction workers seeking help accessing more information about how to take action towards better mental health.
3. Skanska and various other big organisations have joined together to create Mates in Mind, a nationwide programme designed to educate and advocate for better mental health across the sector.
4. Willmott Dixon has established the All Safe Minds campaign to support the mental health of those working on its project sites nationwide.
MODULE SUMMARY
The statistics on mental health in the construction industry are stark; things need to change. Information, training and awareness are the cornerstones of affecting a cultural shift towards a better understanding of mental health in the industry. It's vital to recognise the signs of a potential mental health problem, both in yourself and in a colleague.
Employers must take on the responsibility of promoting a positive mental health culture; meanwhile, employees and workers must also make the effort to be sensitive and understanding of the ways in which stigma can cost lives. Simple acts, such as checking in with a colleague and asking how they are, are incredibly powerful, potentially even lifesaving, ways in which everyone can make a difference and contribute to healthier mental health culture in construction.
There are some very positive projects evolving, and we must work hard, to continue the development of such initiatives. In Module 5, we will discuss information, techniques and practices that will help you to take care of
your mental health.
.svg)
