{"id":459926,"date":"2022-06-23T06:50:39","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T05:50:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=459926"},"modified":"2022-06-17T15:00:37","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T14:00:37","slug":"mind-matters-is-the-industry-progressing-on-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/health-and-safety\/mind-matters\/mind-matters-is-the-industry-progressing-on-mental-health-23-06-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Mind matters: construction workers reply to CN\u2019s mental health survey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ian Armstrong was having trouble sleeping at night, but nobody at work noticed, let alone helped. \u201cIf I look back, I can see it. I was in a bad way, but I was hiding it. I was really hiding it,\u201d says Armstrong, a construction worker, as he describes how the stigma around mental illness can make someone pull a cover over it until it can no longer hold. <\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s CN<\/i> Mind Matters survey, which received 1,200 respondents from within the industry, found that 59 per cent did not tell their employer that the reason they needed time off was for mental health. Although this figure continues to ring alarm bells, it is an improvement since the last time CN<\/i> asked workers about their mental health in 2019. At that time, 72 per cent of workers said they could not be real with their employers about why they needed time off.<\/p>\n

In the three years since Brexit, the pandemic, a massive shortage of workers and a scramble for materials has unsettled <\/span>workers. Despite this increase in the external pressures facing construction workers, CN<\/i>\u2019s survey results seem to show industry efforts to improve mental health support are starting to work.<\/p>\n

Support is vital<\/h3>\n

Armstrong works as senior health and safety manager at contractor Multiplex in Scotland. He says that, thankfully, his employer eventually picked up on signs that he needed professional help. His bosses gave him time off work, and directed him to a psychiatrist and a therapist. He is grateful that he was helped back on his feet.<\/p>\n

Armstrong was lucky. The majority (59\u00a0per cent) of workers taking part in the survey say they did not receive the appropriate level of support from their managers when they were facing mental health issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I feel mentally unwell, I call in sick, but I never explain why. I just say I\u2019m taking a sick day as I don\u2019t feel well\u201d<\/p>\n

A worker<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Some firms have this issue on their radar and management is reckoning with it, but what lessons does this hold for the industry as a whole? What is holding workers back, and what more can employers do to help make construction a safe place to work \u2013 mentally as well as\u00a0physically?<\/p>\n

In 2019, a startling 78 per cent of workers said that there was a stigma around mental health in construction. In\u00a0the latest survey, 74 per cent say they feel that same way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I feel mentally unwell, I call in sick, but I never explain why. I just say I\u2019m taking a sick day as I don\u2019t feel well,\u201d says a worker who asked to remain anonymous. Another tells CN<\/i>, \u201cI don\u2019t feel understood at work, and if I have to take time off for any reason there is eye-rolling and huffing. There is no empathy or support.\u201d<\/p>\n

In some cases, the lack of support from a line manager can push workers into a position where they quit just to take time off.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suffered from a severe level of burnout and was signed off work by a GP for a week, as well as being referred <\/span>to a therapist, who diagnosed me with \u2018severe psychological distress\u2019,\u201d recounts a construction worker who wished to remain anonymous. \u201cThis was not taken well by my line manager, who then made my life more difficult because he didn\u2019t understand, nor was trained in mental health awareness. I was treated like I was underperforming <\/span>and received a lack of support. Eventually, I left the job, having needed to take some time out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gender as a barrier<\/span><\/h3>\n

This time around, the survey has revealed one emerging mental health trend: gender as a barrier in the employee\/employer relationship.<\/p>\n

A female employee who has worked with tier one contractors says: \u201cI find being a woman in the construction industry makes it very difficult to progress and I find it hard to talk to line managers about what I want because I find I get emotional, which men don\u2019t know how to deal with. I am a great believer in \u2018helping yourself first\u2019, but it is easier said than done when you feel so low.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI find being a woman in the construction industry makes it very difficult to progress and I find it hard to talk to line managers about what I want\u201d<\/p>\n

A female employee who has worked with tier one contractors<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The same employee says it is often hard to be understood due to a lack of women in senior management positions, adding that she is the only woman on site at her current job. Data from the Office for National Statistics bears out her worry: the number of director and senior roles in construction held by women grew by only 0.1 per cent in the 10 years between 2011 and 2021.<\/p>\n

Another woman taking part in the CN<\/i> survey says her director did not value the opinion of women, did not take feedback about it well, and this eventually left her with no choice but to quit. Others say the gender pay gap in construction makes them feel undervalued and unseen.<\/p>\n

In 2019, most workers said that long work hours had the biggest impact on their mental health. This time around, the pressure to work to tight deadlines soared to the number one reason why workers say they are struggling at work.<\/p>\n

\"\"

John Dunne, Wates<\/p><\/div>\n

One worker describes the cyclical nature of the looming deadlines: \u201c[It is] having to work faster and faster for less money, and then being told if you slow down there will be an investigation into why \u2013 being told \u2018you know where the door is\u2019 as a first reply when money is brought up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Work pressure can come from external sources, but just as often it is internal, stemming from the unspoken expectations of an industry culture that can often leave little room to slow down. Many respondents describe a \u201cself-imposed pressure\u201d to meet deadlines and budgets. Others feel the need to prove their worth to employers.<\/p>\n

Looking at the overall survey results, Wates\u2019 group safety, health, environment and quality director John Dunne says he is \u201cdisheartened\u201d to learn that many in the industry still feel that they cannot talk to their employers.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what we\u2019re seeing is more people are open to talk about it, so we can actually tackle it. And that helps get people back to work\u201d<\/p>\n

John Dunne, Wates<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

According to Dunne, larger contractors and bigger firms have worked hard to put systems in place for mental health care. Two years ago, Wates had 100 mental health first aiders. It was then that the contractor set itself the target of having one mental health first aider for every physical health first aider. The count of mental health first aiders is now 275.<\/p>\n

Dunne also points to changing trends in the sickness absence statistics for the contractor. Anxiety and depression used to be the second-highest reason for absence, but is now third or fourth on the list, because of the support received.<\/p>\n

He says: \u201cWhat we have found is that a lot of people \u2013 certainly up to two years ago \u2013 would not\u00a0report stress, anxiety, depression, or they would not cite that as a reason for being off. They\u00a0would tend to cite headache, cold or flu, or\u00a0[their] back because they didn\u2019t want to talk about it. Whereas now what we\u2019re seeing is more people are open to talk about it, so we can actually tackle it. And that helps get people back to work. That\u2019s why we think it\u2019s gone down the sort of list in terms of sickness absence cases.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find the real reasons<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dunne emphasises the importance of finding the real reason behind why someone needs time off. \u201cIf you don\u2019t investigate those reasons, if you don\u2019t follow up and find the true reason why they\u2019re off, you\u2019re never going to be able to tackle the mental health, depression [and] anxiety issues. As a manager, it is the worst thing to hear that somebody is off work and work has caused that stress. We haven\u2019t any right to cause that stress and anxiety, to make people feel like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dunne admits that while there may have been progress at the top-tier firms, much of the industry consists of self-employed or smaller contractors, with fewer resources. Still, he says, it is important for the \u201cbig players\u201d to drive change, particularly with government resources under immense pressure after the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter being told there was no help available via the NHS, my final option was to contact the Electrical Industry Charity. There was nowhere else for me to go\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceri Crannis, Crannis Technology Services<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cAs an industry, we are now trying to sort that out for the people that work for us,\u201d he says. \u201cIt is incredible to think that organisations like ourselves are doing the work to support the people that are working for us that the government should be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crannis Technology Services managing director Ceri Crannis says her request for treatment was turned down by the NHS last year. She says she was told that since she had not attempted suicide, she would not be prioritised. \u201cI went home with my husband, who had listened to it all. After being told there was no help available via the NHS, my final option was to contact the Electrical Industry Charity (EIC). There was nowhere else for me to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After reaching out to the charity, by the end of the week Crannis had an appointment with a psychiatrist, was diagnosed, and given a treatment plan and medication to support her mental health diagnosis. She had greater access to help as her husband was the managing director at the time, which is not the case for most. She has since stepped into the role of managing director, and says it took her 18 months of therapy and medication to reach the place she is at today.<\/p>\n

Crannis is now a mental health advocate for the industry and is keen to point people to where they can get support, especially because many people like her have felt there was none.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ceri Crannis, Crannis Technology Services<\/p><\/div>\n

ONS data shows construction output in March was at its highest level since September 2019. Meanwhile, staff vacancies were at 48,000 for the three months up to March, demonstrating just how much demand has overtaken the supply of workers. Employees feel the pressure to trudge on amid inflation, materials running short and projects facing delays.<\/p>\n

While the demand for construction work has soared, what is the mental health cost to those on the ground? What does this mean for how the industry deals with its clients on the one hand and its workers on the other?<\/p>\n

Crannis recently received seven purchase orders within three minutes from a major client. \u201cThere are days when it is unbearable,\u201d she says. \u201cI think everybody is so busy at the moment that it\u2019s causing an additional amount of stress.\u201d<\/p>\n

This type of stress is the polar opposite of that felt during the early days of COVID-19, when companies and staff feared for their livelihoods and future due to a lack of work.<\/p>\n

Wates\u2019 Dunne says it is important for line managers to communicate with clients about setting realistic expectations of what is available. Such conversations are crucial across the entire supply chain, with each tier setting realistic deadlines and passing them on to the next. By managing pressure better, Dunne says the industry could become more attractive and welcoming, attracting more workers.<\/p>\n

Open to talking<\/span><\/h3>\n

A significant shift in construction\u2019s mental health journey has been an openness to talk about it with peers. In total, 53 per cent of CN<\/i>\u2019s survey respondents say they feel comfortable talking about their mental health with colleagues, compared with 33 per cent in 2019.<\/p>\n

However, despite being a key link in the chain of worker care, line managers can sometimes be the cause of mental health worries. Armstrong says Multiplex now encourages people to reach out to those who are not line managers, because in many cases they could be the one causing the problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a director, there is no support. I am the one that others turn to when they are struggling\u201d<\/p>\n

A director at a small construction firm<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In many cases, the bosses are under huge pressure themselves. An anonymous director at a small construction firm says: \u201cAs a director, there is no support. I am the one that others turn to when they are struggling. I am the one responsible for all health and safety, all financial concerns, all workload issues. I take a small salary, but ultimately have no one to turn to for support. The culture of late payment in the industry is a huge pressure, but also the inconsistency of workflow, where people want work yesterday and work in the months ahead, is not guaranteed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Utility firm National Grid recently launched a wellbeing facility at one of its interconnector sites in Kent. The firm says it used the funds earmarked for welfare facilities on site to build a 24\/7 space with a gym, a personal trainer, a garden, a canteen serving healthy food and a television room. It was built by contractor J Murphy & Sons.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Nicola Medalova, National Grid<\/p><\/div>\n

Managing director of interconnectors for National Grid, Nicola Medalova says the firm was made aware of workers struggling with their mental health, as well the industrywide data about anxiety and suicides.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a personal responsibility to do something about it. We, at National Grid, pride ourselves on a world-class safety performance. And yet, 10 times more people in construction die every year from taking their own lives than they do from occupational and industrial safety incidents,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The company is working with researchers from Warwick University, who visit the on-site health hub and conduct surveys about mental health. This\u00a0is to help them understand <\/span>what is and isn\u2019t working for staff. The\u00a0results will be published in\u00a0November.<\/p>\n

\u201cTen times more people in construction die every year from taking their own lives than they do from occupational and industrial safety incidents\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicola Medalova, National Grid<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Medalova says the health hub provided construction workers across the supply chain at National Grid with an alternative to the pub. \u201cYou can come here, and you could spend a bit of time with me in the gym, and we could have a bit of a chat [with the personal trainer] at the same time, and you go home to your family being fitter and happier, but also with more money in your pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n

While mental health professionals from construction charity Lighthouse Club also provide support to National Grid\u2019s workers, Medalova says there are a lot of informal ways to connect with workers and build relationships, particularly for those who feel intimidated by professional help.<\/p>\n

At Multiplex, Armstrong is working on a new initiative, trying to get the team talking more to the workforce, not just about mental health, but engaging with them as an equal and a friend. \u201cOnce you build up that relationship, you\u2019ve got a better chance of people opening up to you \u2013 it\u2019s about being accessible,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Having been on both sides of the equation, as the person in need of help and the one providing it,\u00a0 <\/span>Armstrong summarises: \u201cThe last five years have seen a massive shift in construction. There is a lot of good stuff coming out. But there is a long, long way to go. A long way to go.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ian Armstrong was having trouble sleeping at night, but nobody at work noticed, let alone helped. \u201cIf I look back, I can see it. I was in a bad way, but I was hiding it. I was really hiding it,\u201d says Armstrong, a construction worker, as he describes how the stigma around mental illness can …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117289,"featured_media":459980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[581,559,577],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n