Those working in the construction industry who are concerned about the toll their job is having on their mental health might want to make their views known in a new survey being carried out by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), looking into mental health and stress within the sector.
Anyone who is currently working in the industry can complete the survey, which is now open. All responses will be anonymous (although there is chance to win a £100 Amazon gift voucher if you don’t mind leaving an email address).
The aim of the survey is to identify the primary pressures on construction workers at different levels, from director to site worker. This information can then be used to come up with recommendations for the sector and policymakers to help reduce these pressures.
President of the CIOB professor Charles Egbu said: “For over 20 years I’ve been looking into the area of mental health and wellbeing and there is much research out there which sets out the scale of the problem and shows that it is complex.
“My hope for the outcomes of the survey is that, although there’s no one solution that addresses these issues, we can gather data which will point to practical support and solutions that will work.”
Towards the end of last year, insurance company AXA found that employees in the construction industry are in fact working in the third most-stressed sector of them all here in the UK.
The 2018 Stress Index revealed that 82 per cent of employees in building and construction were stressed at least some of the time during the week.
Mental health lead with the insurer Eugene Farrell explained at the time that stress can lead to feelings of restlessness, isolation and anxiety, so if anyone is experiencing signs of these it’s important that they go and seek help, either from a mental health charity helpline or from their GP.
Symptoms of stress include feeling overwhelmed, irritable or wound up, anxious or fearful and lacking in self-esteem. Mentally, you may be experiencing racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, constant worrying and you may find it hard to make decisions.
Stress can also manifest itself physically in the form of headaches, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, muscle tension or pain, over or under-eating and feeling tired all the time.
There are lots of different ways in which you can tackle stress, whether that’s by using mindfulness apps on your phone and learning some breathing exercises or by sharing your thoughts and feelings with friends and family.
Making more time for your interests could also really help, as could going on holiday or taking a short break. More simply, lifestyle factors like getting enough sleep, taking regular exercise and making sure you eat healthily can also prove very beneficial.
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