Every site team builds its own personality and culture…shaped by the long hours, pressure, the laughs, the\shenanigans, and how we deal with it all (including the odd meltdown).

But behind the banter, there are still a few stubborn myths about mental health that keep doing the rounds. And those myths can quietly chip away at safety, performance, and wellbeing – creating a culture that’s not what any of us really want.

Myth 1: “Real men don’t talk about how they’re feeling.”

Fact: Successful leaders do.

A site supervisor once shared with me about a young apprentice on his team, Sam. Sam had started making mistakes, which was out unusual for him. The crew gave him grief, saying things like, “Clearly you have been out on the piss again mate!” then laughed and walk away.

After a couple of these incidents, the site supervisor quietly pulled Sam aside. He simply asked if he was okay. As it turns out, Sam’s marriage had just broken down. He was sleeping in his ute and hadn’t had a proper feed in days. No wonder he wasn’t at his best – he was barely getting by!

That one check-in, done with respect and care, ended up being life-saving for Sam.

Myth 2: “Fatigue is just part of the job.”

Fact: Fatigue kills performance and people!

Running on fumes isn’t a badge of honour (even though many of us came from a culture where it used to be). It’s now well-researched as a serious safety risk. Fatigue slows reaction times just like alcohol does. You wouldn’t let your team work drunk, or on drugs, so why let them work exhausted?

Myth 3: “You can’t do much about stress.

Fact: You can – and you should!

Leaders set the tone. If you yell out orders, pile on pressure, and never show appreciation, don’t be surprised when morale tanks and start to people burn out. But if you genuinely check in, share the load, and model calm under pressure, you give your crew permission to do the same.

The Real Story

Construction can be stressful, but it’s also full of meaningful moments.  Every time you ask, “you alright, mate” and actually listen,  you are smashing a myth and building a safer site.

Ripple Challenge

This week, listen for the language used on your site about stress, fatigue, and mental health. Ask yourself, am I helping bust the myths, or am I keeping them alive?

Do one thing different: start one real conversation with someone on your team. It might just be the one that saves a life. We never really know!

By Laurice Temple, Ripple Affect Institute

Laurice Temple is the founder of Ripple Affect Institute, working across the construction industry to create psychologically safe and productive teams through wellbeing, leadership, and culture change. Her upcoming book, BUILD Culture, explores how wellbeing and performance are deeply connected on every job site.

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