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When it comes to protecting
your employees’ mental
health, there are a number of
resources available for extra
support.
As of January 2017, the Health
in Construction Leadership
Group (HCLG) established
Mates in Mind, its own
registered charity whose sole
purpose is to raise awareness
and provide support for
the mental wellbeing of
construction workers.
WHAT CAN
EMPLOYERS DO?
The best way for the
construction industry to
tackle the importance of
employee mental health is
from the top. Business owners
and management need to
implement the same safety
standards they take towards
physical health and safety and
use them to safeguard mental
health.
There are a number of steps
that managers can take to create
a positive work environment for
their staff so that mental health
can be comfortably addressed,
rather than hidden away.
1. CREATE A
SUPPORTIVE CULTURE
The first step for a manager
is to evaluate the culture of
their workforce to detect any
potential pain points for staff.
This can range from employee
workloads to how staff
communicate with each other
throughout the business.
By putting their business
under a microscope, managers
can build a strong, supportive
work culture from the ground
up. This will help to establish
mental wellbeing as a crucial
value of the company, meaning
open discussions about
employee mental health will
become the norm.
2. EDUCATE EMPLOYEES
By making education a priority,
employers can help to remove
the stigma of mental health and
ensure their staff understand the
negative impacts that can affect
anyone.
This can range from providing
easily accessible information for
your staff to hiring third-party
organisations, such as Mates in
Mind, to come in for regular staff
training days.
With a team of knowledgable
employees, a company will find
it easier to combat any dangers
and empower their staff to
support each other when facing
difficulties with their mental
health. Improving awareness
creates more opportunities to spot
early signs of coworkers struggling
and creates an overall healthier
workplace environment.
3. BE OPEN AND
AVAILABLE
Mental health is a private
matter to many people, which
makes it difficult to speak about
openly. Without establishing
a clear and open line of
communication, it’s much more
likely that workers will keep their
troubles to themselves.
By letting employees know
that they always have someone
to talk to, they are much more
likely to come out of their shell
and identify any health problems
like anxiety or depression
early enough to put in place
counteractive measures.
It can be difficult in
construction as employees don’t
often have a static working
environment, so site managers
should take it upon themselves to
establish regular catch ups with
staff to evaluate their wellbeing.
4. BE VIGILANT
Tackling mental health takes a
lot more than running a one-off
seminar. Many mental health
issues take time to be resolved,
which means companies need to
be aware of their staff’s needs all
year round.
By continuing to offer training,
guidance and support to their
employees, mental health care will
be embedded into a companies
culture and will become a natural
part of its safety protocol - not
just ticking a box on a form.
5. PUT A SUPPORT
SYSTEM IN PLACE
Spotting the early signs is
important, yet employers also
need to ensure they create a safety
net for their staff. Companies
need to make sure that helpful
information is readily available
for employees so that anyone
struggling with their mental
health knows where to turn to
receive support through services
like counselling and therapy.
Mates in Mind have a goal to
reach 75% of the construction
industry by 2025 and offer
training courses based on
four key elements: Awareness
& Education, Guidance &
Support, Communication and
Research & Development.
If you work in construction
and need urgent help or
support in regards to your
mental health, there are also
a number of confidential
services and advice lines
available:
• Construction Industry
Helpline 0345 605 1956
Provided by the Lighthouse
Construction Industry
Charity, the helpline advises
on a range of matters
including occupational
health and wellbeing,
support and advice for
people with stress The
services can also provide
emergency financial aid to
the construction community
in times of crisis.
• Mind 0300 123 393
Provides advice and support
to anyone experiencing a
mental health problem
• Samaritans 116 123
Confidential 24-hour
support for people who
are experiencing feelings of
distress, despair or suicidal
thoughts
C L E A RV I E W-U K . C O M » M AY 2019 » 23