St John Ambulance has today launched a campaign to get construction workers to open up about their mental health after new research* found nearly seven in 10, have suspected a colleague was seriously depressed but felt it too difficult to talk about. 

Such is the taboo around the topic that 71% of research respondents admitted to giving their employer a different reason, such as a physical illness, for taking time off for mental health. Nearly four in 10, 39%, would rather quit their job than tell someone at work.  

The health charity has released the stark findings as it introduces a mental health first aid course that uses real-life scenarios to train workers to spot hidden signs, start difficult conversations and create workplaces where colleagues feel safe to share their problems. 

It hopes to kickstart these vital conversations by sharing limited edition “Hi Vis Stress Vests” with construction companies and celebrities including TV builder Tommy Walsh. The back of each high-visibility jacket features a statement, such as “My debt keeps me awake at night”, to express some of the invisible mental distress that many builders don’t feel able to talk about. 

The research of 500 construction workers also revealed nearly a third, 31%, describe their current state as “struggling”, “overwhelmed” or “suicidal”, while 82% say they’ve suffered with a mental health challenge at some point in their career in the trade.  

Nearly a tenth, 8% have left their job as a result of mental health challenges, while 28% have considered leaving; more than a fifth, 21%, have taken over five sick days for the same reason. Nearly half, 48%, say their current levels of stress and anxiety are having a negative impact on their work. 

Peer pressure

Although nearly two-thirds of respondents, 65%, agree it is healthier to share struggles about stress, anxiety or depression, nearly half (48%) think they’ll lose the trust and respect of their colleagues if they don’t put on a brave face. More than a fifth, 22%, believe doing so would be letting the team down, a fifth are too embarrassed and 14% believe they’ll be laughed at.  

However, more than half, 54%, of respondents said they would be more likely to share their problems if they had a trained mental health first aider on site. Six in 10, 60%, would like to see their employer do more to support mental health in their workplace. 

According to a separate survey of HR Directors commissioned by St John Ambulance, mental health education is firmly on the business leader agenda, as employers look to create workplace environments that encourage retention and increased satisfaction. 90% of employers agree that having mental health first aiders in the workplace will reduce absenteeism and 85% agree that it would reduce staff turnover to some extent. However, just 44% of the surveyed employers currently allocate less than 6% of their budget to employees’ mental health and wellbeing. 

Lisa Sharman, national head of education and commercial training at St John Ambulance, says: “While the construction industry has made progress in recognising mental health challenges, our research shows there is still a long way to go before the crisis truly eases. 
“A key step forward is for HR leaders to invest in proactive initiatives – particularly face-to-face training – that empower employees to speak openly and confidently about their mental health. 
 
“Our findings highlight that organisations integrating mental health first aid into their core training not only foster a healthier, more supportive work environment but also see tangible benefits in employee retention and reduced sickness rates.”

Wellbeing manager at construction giant BAM, Rhianwen Conron, recently used the Hi Vis Stress Vests at a session for 10 workers. She says: “The messages on the back of the vests are incredibly powerful and have proved to be effective conversation starters.

“I’m fully in support of this campaign. Anything that prompts our people to start opening up is valuable and having something physical to focus on, like these Hi Vis Stress Vests, is hugely helpful.  

“I think every HR leader should consider training their people to hold these kinds of wellbeing conversations.”  

Jon Clayden, former Project Lead at construction giant ISG, which went into administration last year, says: “The building site is a tough and stressful environment, and whilst over the 30 years I’ve been in the industry, I’ve seen some improvements in mental health conversations, we still have a long way to go.

“I’ve known people struggling with mental health issues, and the silence often comes from them simply not knowing how to approach it. 

“Mental health first aid training has been a critical experience for me, as it’s allowed me to spot signs and support my colleagues who find it challenging to speak up. It’s also given me the skillset to approach them first and show that someone is looking out for them. Having someone to speak to in confidence can be life-saving.”

For more information visit sja.org.uk/hivis.