Mental health, as well as general safety and well-being, are key priorities for organizations across all industries. However, there is evidence that in male dominated sectors such as construction, mental health is often sidelined due to a perceived macho culture.

A study conducted by ResearchGate, a global community of scientists and researchers, has also shown that depression and anxiety are the most common mental health issues in the construction industry. This results in worker productivity being affected by work pressure and emotional and physical demands which create severe stress among a proportion of construction workers.

Another investigation, undertaken by the UK-based Chartered Institute of Building focused on the mental health of construction workers within the UK. It found that in 2020, 26% of construction industry professionals contemplated suicide and 97% stated feeling under pressure which impacted their mental health.

While companies are striving to increase diversity and inclusivity across the board, there are specific challenges within a male-dominated work culture, and the outcome for the construction industry is devastating.

Three times more likely

UK mental health research shows that on average, men are three times more likely to die from suicide than women. A staggering indictment is that in construction, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than the national average, resulting in around 700 male deaths each year.

In addition to the tragic loss of life, there are financial consequences which largely arise from male reluctance to discuss mental wellbeing: stress, anxiety, and depression account for one-fifth of work-related illnesses, resulting in 70 million sick days taken annually at an estimated annual cost of GBP 70-100 billion, according to the National Building Specification.

UK mental health research shows that on average, men are three times more likely to die from suicide than women. A staggering indictment is that in construction, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than the national average, resulting in around 700 male deaths each year.

UK charity Mates in Mind specializes in tackling mental health in construction. It’s CN Mind Matters survey found nearly 60% of respondents from a sample size of 1,200 did not tell their employer that the reason they needed time off was for mental health. The majority stated they did not receive the appropriate level of support from their managers when they were facing mental health issues.

Engaging construction leaders

Leadership engagement plays a significant role in addressing mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Key findings from the US Center For Workplace Mental Health Report 2021, a survey of respondents from national trade associations, included the following:

• Labour unions and joint labour-management benefit trusts showed that 77% of CEOs, presidents and owners prioritize mental health treatment, reduce stigma and encourage workers to seek help.
• 56% of supervisors and 69% in HR/Benefit Coordinators agreed that mental health should be a priority.
• Asked whether addressing mental health would classify as a sound business practice, respondents were almost unanimously of one mind: 55% strongly agreed, 38% agreed, 5% were unsure and 2% disagreed.

Good leaders

Based on managements’ clear understanding of the issues, how then can more be done to register the warning signals, if workers themselves hide symptoms so as not to demonstrate perceived weakness to co-workers or management?

Male-dominated work environments still create a culture where individuals are reluctant to speak about their mental health. With projects often running over budget and behind schedule, working overtime is often a requirement and not an option. Such working practices can lead to stress and anxiety as employees are under pressure to achieve deadlines.

Male-dominated work environments still create a culture where individuals are reluctant to speak about their mental health.

Michael Bunting, Founder of The Mindful Leader infers that a company’s website is often different to the reality of its business processes; “Clients ask for a stronger feedback culture that collides with a ‘don’t tell the truth culture’ that causes inefficiency”.

A Trackunit survey of over 100 construction business individuals gave an insight into what are the qualities of a good leader. The respondents were asked, how they engaged at work and what is a marker for long-term performance. The results are enlightening:

• 6.7% said they engage at work with a boss who is nice.
• 8.9% said they engage with bosses who are tough.
• 68% said they would be fully engaged with a boss who is both tough and nice.

In a webinar discussion with Bunting about mindful leadership, it delivered key insights into the leadership promise, which is defined as a series of principles concerning how the team will be led, and which creates trust, influence and inspiration across the workforce.

Mindful leadership reverses how construction companies carefully utilize ‘image management’ techniques that waste time and energy towards hiding mistakes, creating internal political stigma among workers and avoiding important conversations.

In the construction industry, downtime is defined as situations that cause work to cease or leads to loss of productivity. It has been reported that up to 40% of time and energy is wasted on image management across global regions and industries.

The US construction industry, reported time wasted on non-optimal activities such as data errors, reworks, conflict resolution and related activities cost the industry USD 177 billion per year. Conscious leadership practice builds on how a leader is operationally and strategically focused as well as how their behavior impacts organizational efficiencies. Given the current health and employee crisis in construction, if leaders redirected their energies in supporting the mental wellbeing of construction workers it would no doubt result in greater business performance.

To improve as a mindful leader, C-suite executives need to counteract the non-physical patterns that are driving downtime, they must:

• Face difficult conversations.
• Accept and rationalize emotional situations.
• Confront uncomfortable scenarios.
• Eliminate waste caused by malingering.

Diluting macho culture

Women make up 10% of construction workers in the United States, and 14% in the UK, but many face challenges such as childcare, unconscious gender bias and lack of training and progression opportunities. Increasing gender diversity in the workforce can benefit all workers, as women are often better able to recognize when they need support with their mental health and more willing to ask for help. This could benefit male colleagues to learn by example or make it easier to seek counselling if they require assistance.

Mindful leadership is a quality which should drive self-examination to create change to promote equality, an inclusive work culture, resolve conflict and demonstrate appreciation. This change relies on a feedback culture within the company and will ensure workers feel able to speak to leadership about all areas of their work, including their mental health.

Increasing gender diversity in the workforce can benefit all workers, as women are often better able to recognize when they need support with their mental health and more willing to ask for help.

Mindful, or conscious leadership, helps create organizations where openness and honest debate, whether onsite or in the boardroom, will help eliminate downtime and improve healthy working environments, for better physical and mental wellbeing across our industry.

Statistics prove men in the construction industry are more vulnerable to commit suicide than workers across other industries.

If you or anyone you know or manage has been affected by stress or show signs of mental health issues the below websites can be a useful resource.
Lighthouse Club
Mental Health in UK Construction: The Statistics | Mates in Mind
Women in Construction | RE-MIND
US Workplace Mental Health