Construction industry can pave way to better support on mental health
The writer is group chair and chief executive of Mace
It is no secret that the construction industry has a significant mental health challenge. The statistics, in particular those related to suicide, are both shocking and well documented.
People working in the UK construction industry are three times more likely to take their own lives than those in other sectors. That is a terrifying statistic and one the industry has been grappling with for several years.
Sadly, we have had a few cases in recent years where someone directly employed by Mace or one of our subcontractors has taken their own life. It is hugely traumatic for the whole project team. Construction sites have really close teams, so it hits everyone incredibly hard when a member is lost in such tragic circumstances. It is difficult to put into words how I feel, as chief executive, at such times. A deep sense of loss is what sits behind our ongoing efforts to prevent any such tragedy occurring in the future.
Over the past five years, the whole industry has opened up about mental health, but we still have a long way to go.
The advent of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investment strategies is providing a justification for putting wellbeing at the centre of any business plan and decision, and for social purpose-led goals to be woven into a company’s culture. At Mace, we are working hard to become the most inclusive employer in our industry in the next few years, and that comes down to addressing a variety of factors that enable people to be themselves and, as a result, have more good days at work.
It is the duty of larger organisations to take the lead and provide support, guidance and partnership to smaller organisations that don’t have the resources to tackle what is a spiralling pandemic across all industries.
In 2019, we first worked with our supply chain to understand the drivers of wellbeing. As a large collaborative project, we were able to identify collective issues, share knowledge, and provide support in addressing more local challenges.
More than 4,000 people took part in the survey — the largest wellbeing data-set collected in the construction industry — giving us the most compelling argument for change and a detailed plan of action.
It includes tackling the key triggers to poor mental health head on, by getting people to open up and feel that it is completely normal and acceptable to talk about issues like financial worries, family troubles, addictions and loneliness.
Collaboration is the answer in more ways than one. The number one action every organisation needs to take is to work with employees to understand the triggers to poor mental health for different groups and develop bespoke solutions. Creating an environment where people can be themselves at work and speak out, and where our workplaces, practices and behaviours mitigate psychological risk, is the key.
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Mark Reynolds
