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Wellbeing in construction

Did you know that one of the biggest health concerns in the construction industry is depression?


Make wellbeing work for your business

As an employer, you may feel that wellbeing can often be confusing and difficult to implement in your business. If you work in construction, we’re here to support you and your team.

Depression: construction’s hidden problem

The biggest health concern in the construction industry is also one of the least visible: depression. Although mental health may not be widely talked about in the industry, 42% of construction workers say they experienced mental health issues at their current place of work – more than double the national average.

The impact of depression is particularly concerning for construction businesses with compact teams, where poor employee wellbeing can already have a detrimental effect on productivity.

Worrying statistics

Depending on the severity of the illness, depression can be life threatening and increase the risk of suicide. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, construction workers are 60% more likely than the national average to die from suicide.

This is a disturbing reality to face, especially for small to medium construction business owners, whose businesses may feel more like a family. But getting to grips with the facts is the foundation for developing processes that address the problem.

A high-pressure environment

The particular demands of working in construction may help account for why depression and suicide occur among staff far too often. “In our roles in the industry, all of us have likely encountered stress and impacts on our psychological well-being,” says Rebecca Thompson FCIOB, former President of the Chartered Institute of Building. “It is such a rewarding career in so many ways, but it is also true to say that the industry can be a high-pressure environment for some, with varying work patterns, tight deadlines, long hours and frequent travel.”

The ripple effect

Within a close-knit team, the wellbeing of a single team member can affect all the others, as well as causing serious financial impacts on the business. The ripples caused by something as devastating as a staff suicide are likely to be far-reaching.

"It is such a rewarding career in so many ways, but it is also true to say that the industry can be a high-pressure environment for some, with varying work patterns, tight deadlines, long hours and frequent travel."

Rebecca Thompson, FCIOB, president of the Chartered Institute of Building.

Organisations on your side

The Health in Construction Leadership Group and Mates in Mind are two organisations working to improve the wellbeing of construction workers.

With goals of raising awareness about mental health issues, promoting sources of support and reducing stigma, Mates in Mind aims to reach 75% of the construction industry by 2025.

Find out more



The Health in Construction Leadership Group identifies mental health as one of its focus areas, and offers a range of resources and case studies on the topic.

Find out more

Appoint a Mental Health First Aider

One proactive approach to mental health is training an employee to becoming your team’s Mental Health First Aider. Understanding mental health and developing the skills needed to combat the issues will help your employees to look after their own and each other’s wellbeing.

For immediate support, Samaritans offer a 24-hour confidential listening service that’s available to everyone. Call for free on 116 123.

Take action

Not sure what to do next? We can help with guidance and advice. Challenging the problem of depression and suicide in the construction industry begins with taking small steps towards increased employee wellbeing.
Here are some places you can start.

Forge bonds

Assigning new or inexperienced staff members a mentor or organising team-building sessions can help forge bonds that can be helpful to those who are struggling.

Foster resilience

Resilience training is one option for building confidence and confronting the self-doubt that can be a factor in depression. There are simple steps your employees can take to build resilience and to keep the pressures of work at bay, from cutting down on caffeine and alcohol to managing time effectively.

Start a conversation

Ask your team for input on how their roles should work, and work with them to develop long and short-term goals. A sense of purpose, control and ownership can be fundamental to improve employee wellbeing. When your team collaborates to overcome these challenges, you can begin to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.

Sources

Mind Matters Survey, Construction News, April 2017

ONS release (Suicide by Occupation) March 2017

2017 Report: The State of Well-being in the Construction Industry, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

Bupa cares

You don’t have to deal with the worrying issue of employee wellbeing alone. Bupa’s extensive team of medical professionals are here to help, with services that approach wellbeing from every angle.

Workplace mental health hub

Get to grips with the basics of mental health support at our online mental health hub, full of the information you need to protect yourself and your staff. It’s there for all businesses to use, with or without our health insurance, so you can take a look today.

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Extended mental health cover

We’ve renewed our commitment to mental health by extending our cover and removing the majority of exclusions†. Our cover now includes all mental health conditions except for dementia and learning or behavioural development problems. And we continue to cover alcohol and drug abuse as well as self-harm as standard – issues that may go hand-in-hand with depression.

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Bupa Anytime HealthLine

Join Bupa and you can get mental and physical health advice directly from nurses anytime, anywhere with our 24/7 phone line.

Find out more about our health and wellbeing cover for your employees

For small to medium businesses

(2-249 employees)

Healthcare solutions for businesses that want to cover between 2 and 249 employees

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For large corporate businesses

(250+ employees)

Healthcare solutions for businesses that want to cover 250 employees or more.

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For intermediaries



Company healthcare solutions to help you support your clients boost productivity, morale and wellbeing.

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† Please note: Existing in-patient, out-patient and day case benefit limits and exclusions for pre-existing conditions still apply to our cover for mental health conditions.

This case study reflects the specific experience of one business. The advice given may work for some businesses but may not work for others.

Bupa Anytime HealthLine is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority or the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Bupa health insurance, dental insurance, cash plan and travel insurance are provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No.3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales No. 3829851. Bupa Health Assessments and Occupational Health services are provided by Bupa Occupational Health Limited. Registered in England and Wales No.631336. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HJ.

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