“Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment” – CIOB report on mental health in the construction industry
Research shows that a quarter of construction employees in the UK have considered taking their own lives, and that between 2011 and 2015, more than 1,400 construction workers died by suicide.
Workers often suffer in silence, and the enduring ‘macho’ culture of simply dealing with it and not seeking help only makes the issues worse. Not only does this impact the individual who is dealing with poor mental health, but it affects their friends, families, colleagues, and the productivity of the business.
In recent years, mental health and wellbeing has garnered more attention in the media, leading to increased public and business awareness. However, this issue still pervades the construction industry, affecting decision-making from boardroom through to site.
In October 2019, the CIOB conducted a survey to better understand the mental health of individuals in the construction industry. Respondents of the survey included those in manual labour positions and those at director and senior management level.
This report seeks to explore three questions:
- How prevalent is poor mental health in the industry?
- What factors are causing people stress, and at which job level does this most frequently occur?
- What is the industry doing to promote good mental health and well being within its workforce?
