A poll found that nearly seven out of ten builders suspected their colleague was seriously depressed, but felt it would be ‘too hard’ to speak to them about it.
St John Ambulance surveyed 500 construction workers and found that 71% of them admitted giving their employer an alternative reason for being absent from work. This was usually a physical illness rather than mental illness.
Nearly 4 in 10 builders (39%) said that they would rather quit than admit to someone they work with their struggles.
The research has been used by the health charity to launch a mental health first-aid course that is specifically aimed at this sector.
The company has also designed a limited edition of ‘Hi Vis Stress Vests,’ which they are sharing with construction firms. Each jacket has a statement on the back, like ‘My debt makes me sleepless at night,’ to show some of that invisible mental distress.
In the poll, nearly a third (31%) of respondents described their current situation as “struggling”, “overwhelmed” or even “suicidal”. Eighty-two percent of respondents said that they have faced a mental illness at some stage in their careers.
Nearly one tenth of employees, or 8%, had quit their jobs due to mental health issues, and 28% considered quitting.
Over a fifth (21%) of respondents had taken five or more sick days due to the same cause. Nearly half (48%) said that their current stress and anxiety levels were negatively impacting their work.
Nearly half of the respondents (48%) were concerned that sharing their struggles with stress, anxiety, or depression would make them lose respect and trust from their colleagues.
Over a fifth (22%) of respondents believed that talking about mental illness would be like letting down the team. One fifth of respondents said that they would feel embarrassed, and 14% were concerned they would be ridiculed.
More than half (54%) said that they would share their issues if there was a mental health first aider on site. Six out of ten employees, or 60%, would like their employer to do more to promote mental health at their workplace.
A separate survey of HR Directors, commissioned by St John Ambulance as well, found that mental health education was firmly on business leaders’ agendas.
Nearly 90% of employers agree that mental health first aiders in the workplace will reduce absenteeism. 85% also agree that it will reduce staff turnover.
However, 44% of respondents admitted that they allocate less than 6% to their budget for employee mental health.
Lisa Sharman is the national head of commercial and education training for St John Ambulance. She said, “While there has been progress made in the construction industry to recognise mental health issues, our research shows that we still have a way to go until the crisis eases.”
HR leaders should invest in proactive initiatives, notably face-to-face education that empowers employees to talk openly and confidently to their mental health.
Our findings show that organisations who integrate mental health first aid training into their core courses not only create a more supportive and healthy work environment, but also experience tangible benefits such as reduced sick leave rates and employee retention.
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