COMMENT Wherever and however we work, many of us feel we have more than enough communication, whether it’s speaking to people, reading emails or attending Zoom meetings. And yet as an industry we’re still not talking enough about the things that matter most – our mental health and wellbeing at work.
Men still make up 89% of the construction industry and, let’s face it, construction sites don’t tend to be places conducive to sharing emotions and feelings openly. We need to change that.
Around one in eight men in England experience a common mental health problem such as anxiety, panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Of all illness in our sector, 27% is work-related stress and depression. Three times more men than women die by suicide and our industry has one of the highest rates nationally. Tragically, on average one person takes their life in the UK construction industry every day, and one in four workers has had suicidal thoughts.
The scale and significance of this issue is enormous, and it is not one we should be hiding from. We should be working together to tackle it from all angles, and with the same energy and commitment shown on physical health and safety.
Talking as a tool
One of the greatest challenges remains breaking down stigma and changing attitudes around mental health. We all know about the British stiff upper lip, and, as in many other societies, talking about emotional struggles is commonly not something men “do”.
We need to develop a workplace culture where everyone – not just men – feels comfortable to open up to their colleagues and managers, so they can better understand and access the support available. Most important is for employees to know that it is OK to talk about how they are feeling. It is about encouraging people to “bring their whole selves to work”, and it is not just about supporting those who are in crisis, but also being there for anyone who may be feeling overwhelmed and struggling to cope. Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there.
That is why we launched our #TalkingIsOurGreatestTool campaign this week, to encourage peer-to-peer support on site and around the workplace. Lendlease has a diverse workforce, and it is important that everyone feels recognised and included. Our hope is that people will see the posters around our sites, watch the videos and see colleagues from similar backgrounds taking the initiative and talking about their mental health – giving others the confidence to seek support and not suffer in silence.
We have always sought to be a caring and supportive employer – communicating, educating and improving understanding by providing tools to empower people to seek support and help others. One in seven of our UK workforce (around 200 people) are trained mental health first-aiders, and we are aiming to reach one in five by the end of the year, which is well above the Mental Health First Aid England target of one in 10. This isn’t a tick-box exercise, it’s a genuine concern for our workmates; people need to feel real, tangible connections to colleagues and have a visible and strong network of available support.
Better together
A problem shared is a problem halved, so the saying goes. We can’t deal with mental health issues on our own, either as individuals or organisations. We need to collaborate and learn from each other to continually improve, holding each other accountable to ensure that what we’re doing can, and does, make a difference.
That’s why we extend our expectations around support for mental health to our supply chain, embedding standards not just for physical health and safety into contracts, but also for mental wellbeing. We offer mental health training to all our partners and roll out initiatives across our sites that are available to the entire project team. We want to share our knowledge and encourage others – that is the only way we are going to make a change.
As the industry shaping the future of the UK’s cities, towns and regions, we have a responsibility to create places that support people’s everyday wellbeing. Whether that is providing beautiful green spaces, opening up waterways to connect people to nature, designing public squares with cafés and restaurants for socialising, or delivering leisure facilities so people can blow off steam – the importance of enabling a connection between people and the world around us through the built environment is key.
But let’s look at ourselves first. What can you do to help others? And what can you do to help yourself? Talking about your mental health doesn’t make you weak, it’s the bravest thing you can do.
Next time you are chatting to a colleague while making a cup of tea or having lunch, ask them how they are doing, and maybe tell them about what’s on your mind – you might just make their day.
Paul King is managing director for sustainability and social impact at Lendlease Europe
