What keeps you up at night?

If you are working in the construction industry this could be a whole number of different things.

Depending on your role, it may include:

  • Lack of skilled workforce to do the work
  • Dealing with supply chain issues
  • Increased costs
  • Decreased profits
  • Lack of productivity in the industry and across the workforce
  • Working long hours / not getting your work done in timely manner
  • Lack of diverse workforce which is impacting ability to tender for work
  • Lack of an engaged workforce (you and/or your team)
  • Not having a good mental, physical, social health (this may or may not be from the above factors).

All these challenges are well known stress factors that could be contributing to the burnout of the workforce. (Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress).

 

How are those factors being addressed?

Is your organisation addressing the factors that are keeping workforce up at night?  What are your team leaders doing to ensure they are building a psychologically safe workplace and addressing the potential psychosocial hazards that exist in the workplace?  Do you, as an individual, have adequate tools, resources and social support to build a thriving self and be able to deal with your struggles?

One industry organisation that is trying to tackle some of these issues is the Civil Contractors Federation (CCF) Victoria in its Pathways and Cultural Preparedness program.  The program was set up to attract in women apprentices (women apprentices only make up less than 2% of the workforce-so huge upside potential to address the lack of skilled labour force challenge).  The program includes various construction cert training, which also includes a bespoke 4 days of facilitated workshops on the culture and the stresses of the industry, and most importantly provides tools to combat the industry challenges.

As a part of that program, the employers are also provided the opportunity to participate in one day facilitated workshops which provides tools to combat stress and  burnout.  It covers topics including  psychosocial hazards, building a psychologically safe culture, how to build a more engaged workforce and build trust in teams, effective communication, and introducing tools to better individual wellbeing based on the latest science and research in positive psychology and neuroscience.  Additionally, the employers participating in the program are invited into Toolbox talks which further address these topics.

Remember that doing nothing about your stress may potentially create a downward spiral so it’s important to have a self-care plan, an organisational/team culture management plan, and a workplace wellness plan in place at the very least!

 

Men’s Health week

Last week, June 10-16, was Men’s Health Week.

As most people who work in the industry would know, that men are 6 times more likely to die of suicide than a workplace incident, and that a man takes his life every other day in the construction industry.  These are profound and disheartening facts.

Given the current stress and burnout rates and industry challenges, it is a good time to shine a light on the fact that it is men’s health week.

 

Mental Health​

43% of men have a mental health challenge in their lifetime.

Other research has shown that workers find it difficult to discuss feelings and emotions with colleagues at work, and the nature of the work has made social support more difficult. ‘Pride’ is identified as an issue: male workers particularly have learned to as a societal norm that showing emotions is not being viewed as ‘manly’.  However, research shows that not understanding your emotions and trying to ignore or hide them only prolongs greater health risks.  This also highlights the importance of creating a psychologically safe workplace culture.

​

Physical Health​

1 in 10 men have a chronic disease – the prevenance increases with age​.  The top 10 chronic diseases are:

Heart disease and cancer are the top two.  The good news is both have high preventable rates when caught early.  This means addressing it when something doesn’t feel right.

The bottom line – speak up/reach out when not feeling well!  We have to normalise that it’s okay not to be okay and support each other to ensure that becomes our culture in construction.

The construction industry is an amazing industry to work in, but it can be stressful.  The more we proactively address the things that keep us up at night, the more engaged, productive, and healthier we will be.

 

Additional Resources

If you or anyone you know is struggling and needs additional support please keep this list close and share widely:

 

Gotcha4Life: https://www.gotcha4life.org
This Way Up: https://thiswayup.org.au
Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au
Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
RUOK?: https://www.ruok.org.au
SANE Australia: https://www.sane.org
Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au
My Mirror: https://www.mymirror.com.au
Mates In Construction: https://mates.org.au/

 

By Laurice Temple, Chief Rippler, Ripple Affect Institute

 

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