Industry leaders have demanded urgent action on tackling the complex issue of mental health after shocking results in the Construction News’ Mind Matters survey which showed a quarter of people working in construction have considered suicide. A staggering number still do not turn to their employers for support due to “fear and stigma”. This is a complex issue and we need to improve our Culture and the working environment for all our employees. This is the most important aspect of business as it impacts on all our choices, it’s the way we do business. People must become our number one priority everyday, they are our only genuine asset so we must look after their health.

Mental Health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing; it affects how we think, feel and act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental Health is important at all ages to all people and many factors, both in work and outside of work, contribute to mental health issues. The following are just an example, but are by no means exhaustive: biological factors, genes or brain chemistry, life experiences, trauma, abuse, family history, health problems, bullying, divorce, blame culture, loneliness, sexist behaviour, moving house, political back stabbing, job insecurity, redundancy, death of a loved one and financial issues.

Let’s take a look at some more facts from the survey:

1. A quarter of people have considered suicide;

2. One in seven knows a colleague who has taken their own life;

3. 90% do not go to their own employees for support or help;

4. One in four experiences an issue with mental health;

5. 82% say there is still a stigma around mental health issues.

There is no silver bullet and no one fix fits everyone answer; we are all individuals, we all need greater awareness, understanding and training to support our colleagues. Our people, their health and the welfare of our people must become a greater priority in our industry, with a greater work life balance in order to understand the signs. Some early warning signs could be eating or sleeping too little or too much, low energy levels, smoking or drinking more than usual, feeling hopeless or numb, experiencing mood swings, raising your voice – once again these are just a few of the signs people may demonstrate in the working environment. People with mental health problems can be just as productive as employees who are not experiencing mental health issues so spotting the signs could be difficult. Providing support will help people make a full recovery, staying positive and making a positive contribution to the business and more importantly, their future health.

We at Alleviate Consulting Limited have personal knowledge and experience of mental health issues in a number of aspects in our 40 years in the industry. All cases must be taken on their merits; people and situations are complex and very different for each individual but support is there for the individual and the industry. We have spoken on the matter with health professionals and have contacts who can offer support on this delicate but important issue in our industry. It’s important to know our people and the impact situations create in their lives in order to offer support. Make your people a priority and ensure you have the right culture and working environment for people to flourish, live your values every day, demonstrate the right behaviours at all times, lay the foundations now to provide healthy minds and body, stay safe – its critical.

Your People Are Your Business, Make It Your Business To Know Your People.