By Hans Stacey 07/03/2017

Under: Team Welfare

Mental Health in Construction: How to Beat SAD

A recent study from workplace consultants, Peldon Rose, revealed that 44% of employees believe winter has a negative effect on their mental wellbeing. Over half of respondents (51%) reported that winter adversely affects their mood and 30% believe it affects their productivity.

The survey also discovered that 17% are currently experiencing workplace stress and 59% have done so in the past. Worryingly, only 31% said their company does enough to support employee wellbeing and mental health.

Let’s take a look at how we can tackle SAD in a construction setting and provide more support to employees.

Exposure to natural light

The exact cause of SAD isn't fully understood, but it's thought a lack of sunlight and shorter winter days may play a part. Natural light helps regulate hormones and our natural body rhythms, so getting less of it may affect mood and energy levels.

Lack of light could be a problem for those working on projects indoors or for office-based team members. To combat this, try to introduce more natural lighting into indoor working areas using windows or skylights where practical and remove any obstacles blocking sunlight from entering the workplace. If team members work inside during the day, encourage them to take a stroll outside on their lunch break to get some natural light and re-energise.

Open communication and education

Like all mental health issues, creating a culture of open communication and educating team members about mental health problems is vital. This can be tricky in an industry often associated with ‘macho’ values and where expressing emotions is perceived as weak.

Tackle this by using meetings, posters or staff bulletins, or even a timeslot in certain meetings to start the discussion and ensure your team know who they can talk to. The newly launched Mates in Mind campaign aims to tackle the stigma of mental illness and get the construction industry talking about mental wellbeing. Visit the Mates in Mind website for more information and to enquire about training a mental health champion for your workplace.

You could also make employees aware of services such as the Samaritans helpline (116 123) and the Construction Industry Helpline (0345 605 1956). Both are anonymous.

Communal areas

The Peldon Rose survey discovered that 77% or workers value social and communal areas, but only 51% said they have such a space at work. If you don’t already have one, create a relaxing social space that workers can use during breaks. If possible, position the space in a quite area away from the main hustle and bustle of construction work. Make sure available facilities are highlighted in your company info pack and are well signed so that contractors and temporary staff know where to find them.

Inclusivity

Give all team members a say in the decision-making process and you’ll have a whole new set of ideas and perspectives to inform your business development. What’s more, the Peldon Rose survey reported that employee involvement will have a positive impact on both staff productivity (70%) and mental wellbeing (56%). You could start by asking for input on how to improve your communal areas or ideas for team building activities.

Need to talk? Visit the Mates in Mind website for contact details of organisations that can help.

Want to make your communal area homely? Talk to a member of our team about how we can help with canteen supplies, consumables and seating.

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