JULY 2019 | 27
Installer Support
Installer Support is
sponsored by Kayflow
What can employers do?
The best way for the con-
struction industry to tackle the
importance of employee mental
health is from the top. Business
owners and management need to
implement the same safety stand-
ards they take towards physical
health and safety and use them to
safeguard mental health.
There are a number of steps that
managers can take to create a pos-
itive work environment for their
staff so that mental health can be
comfortably addressed, rather than
hidden away.
open discussions about employee
‘ mental
health will become the norm ’
1. Create a supportive
culture
The first step for a manager is to
evaluate the culture of their work-
force to detect any potential pain
points for staff. This can range
from employee workloads to how
staff communicate with each other
throughout the business.
By putting their business under
a microscope, managers can build
a strong, supportive work culture
from the ground up. This will help
to establish mental wellbeing as
a crucial value of the company,
meaning open discussions about
employee mental health will be-
come the norm.
2. Educate employees
By making education a priority,
employers can help to remove
the stigma of mental health and
ensure their staff understand the
negative impacts that can affect
anyone.
This can range from providing
easily accessible information for
your staff to hiring third-party
organisations, such as Mates in
Mind, to come in for regular staff
training days.
With a team of knowledgable
employees, a company will find it
easier to combat any dangers and
empower their staff to support
each other when facing difficulties
with their mental health. Improv-
ing awareness creates more op-
portunities to spot early signs of
coworkers struggling and creates
an overall healthier workplace
environment.
3. Be open and available
Mental health is a private mat-
ter to many people, which makes
it difficult to speak about openly.
Without establishing a clear and
open line of communication, it’s
much more likely that workers
will keep their troubles to them-
selves.
By letting employees know
that they always have someone
to talk to, they are much more
likely to come out of their shell
and identify any health problems
like anxiety or depression early
enough to put in place counterac-
tive measures.
It can be difficult in construc-
tion as employees don’t often
have a static working environ-
ment, so site managers should
take it upon themselves to estab-
lish regular catch ups with staff
to evaluate their wellbeing.
4. Be vigilant
Tackling mental health takes a
lot more than running a one-off
seminar. Many mental health
issues take time to be resolved,
which means companies need to
be aware of their staff’s needs all
year round.
By continuing to offer training,
guidance and support to their
employees, mental health care
will be embedded into a compa-
nies culture and will become a
natural part of its safety proto-
col - not just ticking a box on a
form.
Companies
‘ need
to make
sure that helpful
information is
readily available
for employees
’
5. Put a support
system in place
Spotting the early signs is im-
portant, yet employers also need
to ensure they create a safety net
for their staff. Companies need to
make sure that helpful informa-
tion is readily available for em-
ployees so that anyone struggling
with their mental health knows
where to turn to receive support
through services like counselling
and therapy.
Resources
When it comes to
protecting your employees’
mental health, there are
a number of resources
available for extra
support.
As of January 2017, the
Health in Construction
Leadership Group (HCLG)
established Mates in
Mind, its own registered
charity whose sole purpose
is to raise awareness
and provide support for
the mental wellbeing of
construction workers.
Mates in Mind have a
goal to reach 75% of the
construction industry by
2025 and offer training
courses based on four
key elements: Awareness
& Education, Guidance &
Support, Communication
and Research &
Development.
If you work in construction
and need urgent help
or support in regards to
your mental health, there
are also a number of
confidential services and
advice lines available:
Construction
Industry Helpline
0345 605 1956
Provided by the
Lighthouse Construction
Industry Charity, the
helpline advises on a
range of matters including
occupational health and
wellbeing, support and
advice for people with
stress The services can
also provide emergency
financial aid to the
construction community in
times of crisis.
Mind 0300 123 393
Provides advice and
support to anyone
experiencing a mental
health problem.
Samaritans 116 123
Confidential 24-hour
support for people who are
experiencing feelings of
distress, despair or suicidal
thoughts.