10th October 2022 marks World Mental Health Day and this year the theme is ‘making mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority.

Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, all have a role in our mental health, impacting how we think, feel, and act.

Mates in Mind, a UK charity focused on improving mental health across the construction industry has carried out a recent survey and found that:

- Over two-thirds of construction workers believe there’s a stigma surrounding mental health which stops them from talking about it

- A third of construction workers suffer from elevated levels of anxiety every day

- 44% worry that their workload is too high

Educating ourselves and talking to one another are two ways to minimise the stigma creating a better place for all and on 7th October Brogan Group delivered toolbox talks on this theme to site teams across the UK and Ireland, as part of a Company approach to preventing and managing work-related stress.

Starting a conversation is an important first step to take in preventing work-related stress in construction. A few key indicators of stress, anxiety and depression include:

- Poor timekeeping

- Quiet and withdrawn, unexplained aches and pains

- Being tired all the time

- Extremes of emotion and lack of cooperation

Five simple steps to get started on improving your mental health:

-         Reach out and have conversations

-         Recognise the signs and causes of stress

-         Respond by agreeing on relevant action points between employer and worker

-         Reflect on the actions taken – have things improved?

-         Make it Routine to check back in on how things are going

Brogan Group works with Charities such as the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and Mind who are available 24/7 for support.

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity - https://www.lighthouseclub.org/

Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/