Mental health in construction was a major concern for the industry even before the Covid - 19 crisis began. There are now concerns that as the industry struggles with the fallout from the pandemic, the issue could become critical.
The cyclical nature of the construction industry ensures that even in normal times, restructures and redundancies are an accepted risk - both for companies and individuals. However, the additional challenges created by the pandemic have seen a significant increase in the number of people struggling to cope.
Whether you are a surveyor, engineer or site manager, you place yourself at the whim of the economic climate. When the sun is shining, business will boom. When the freeze sets in, activity will stall, and confidence will plummet. When an unprecedented global pandemic hits, then that’s a whole new level of chaos and uncertainty for everyone working in the industry.
Many professions are hit hard in difficult economic times, but few industries suffer more than construction. The cumulative impact on the mental health of construction professionals is worryingly significant.
A survey conducted by The Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) in October 2019 highlighted these truly harrowing figures for people working in construction:
Over The Past Year -
• 87% experienced anxiety
• 70% experienced depression
• 97% experienced stress
• 96% experienced fatigue
• 95% experienced poor concentration
• 91% felt overwhelmed
• 86% experienced a lack of self-confidence
• 26% had suicidal thoughts
Remember this data was collated before the Pandemic, so it is expected that these figures will have increased since then, especially considering the isolation that many people feel when working from home. Those struggling don’t speak up because it is heavily stigmatised, and people don’t talk about it enough. Well, here I am, saying what needs to be said.
So, what are industry leaders doing to tackle the crisis?
Construction Manager Magazine published an article in May 2020 by Morgan Sindall Managing Director (Construction East), Peter Whitmore, who wrote:
Over the last few years, Morgan Sindall Construction has been on a real journey with mental health as a key priority and the steps we’ve taken are now ingrained in our approach across our business and our key supply chain partners.
We recognised early that good intentions are not enough: people need training to respond confidently and consistently to colleagues in distress, recognise mental health warning signs early, and guide people in crisis to the help they need.
Twenty-four people across our offices in the eastern counties have now been trained as Mental Health First Aid officers and we continue to build on this.
Opening up to others is often that first crucial step.
Now, this is where recruiters come in.
People leave jobs because they are not happy for various reasons, but they know that many of their stressors will likely also be present in their next employer, so they brush them under the table. Contractor margins are razor thin, public sector budgets are tight and payment problems are commonplace.
Recruiters can’t do anything about this as it is the nature of the industry, but alongside the job-related discussions, we can (and should) play our part in gently coaxing certain individuals to take action on their wider worries. It is obvious when someone has been worn down by years of “keeping going” despite the various headwinds, and while it is not our job to play the psychologist, dropping a few helpful suggestions into the conversation about how other people handle the stresses can plant a seed of a thought that can lead to action.
If 26% of construction professionals are contemplating suicide, surely everyone has an obligation to do what they can?
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) launched a new massive open online course, entitled ‘Mental Health in Construction’, which began on the 12 October 2020, and in my view it is a responsibility of everyone involved to take an interest in how we can help each other to cope when times get tough.
To finish with, I have to mention that recruiters themselves are not exempt from these worries. There have been times in the past, and certainly in the past year when business has slowed and when we aren’t filling jobs, we aren’t being paid. Keeping on top of our mental health is critical because we need to be there for our candidates and clients.
Let’s maybe try to look after each other that little bit more?
Mental health matters.
For more insights on the challenges facing the construction industry please check out our other blogs, or get in touch getus@jamesgrayengineering.com
For support with mental health concerns get in touch with Mind.org.uk HERE
