St John Ambulance (SJA) has launched a campaign to get construction workers to open up about their mental health.
The Hi Vis Stress vest campaign comes after new research carried out on the health charity’s behalf 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.
SJA 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.
The campaign hopes to kickstart these vital conversations by sharing limited edition ‘Hi Vis Stress Vests’ with construction companies and celebrities including TV builder Tommy Walsh, and construction entrepreneur Daniel Ashville Louisy.
The back of each high-visibility jacket features a statement, such as: “No-one will miss me when I’m gone”, to express some of the invisible mental distress that many builders don’t feel able to talk about.
Lisa Sharman, SJA’s head of education and commercial training, said: “We know that opening up about a mental health problem with someone who’s ready to listen is the first step towards getting vital help. Our research shows that those working in the construction sector find it particularly difficult to share what they’re going through. We’re confident that our Hi Vis Stress Vests will help get the conversation started.
“However, we urge construction leaders to go further and equip themselves and employees with the skills to spot signs and start the difficult chats. St John’s new face-to-face mental health first aid course is interactive and practical, meaning employees find it engaging and leave with the tools to make a real difference to the wellbeing of the people around them.”
The research of 500 construction workers, conducted by Censuswide, 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.
Eight per cent 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.
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.
Healthier to share
Rhianwen Condron, wellbeing manager at construction firm BAM, recently used the Hi Vis Stress Vests at a session for 10 workers. She said: “The messages on the back of the vests are very powerful and 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 construction company should be training 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.”
Main image: Television presenter and construction worker, Tommy Walsh (centre), with managing director of Ashville Group, Daniel Ashville Louisy (left) and social media influencer, Ben Wade, also known as Ben the Operator (right). Credit: Matt Alexander/PA Media Assignment
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