Brick by Brick Building Better Mental Health in the Construction Industry

Construction has always valued resilience. We admire the people who turn up in every kind of weather, solve problems under pressure and keep projects moving when the programme feels impossible. Strength, reliability and the ability to “get on with it” have become part of the industry’s identity.

Behind every high-vis jacket and hard hat, however is a human being. People arrive on site carrying far more than their tools. They carry financial worries, family pressures, exhaustion, questions about whether they belong and parts of themselves they may not feel safe enough to share.

This article was originally written for Mental Health Awareness Week 2025, when the theme was Community. In 2026, the theme moved to Action. Those two ideas belong together. Community gives people somewhere to turn, while action determines whether that support can be felt in everyday working life.

The seven accounts in this article bring together real experiences from people working in UK construction. Each story is different but a common thread runs through them: someone struggled quietly until another person created enough safety for them to speak.

Mental health culture will not change through a single campaign or policy. It changes in the way we speak to each other, the behaviour we challenge and what happens after somebody says they are struggling. Like every strong structure, it is built brick by brick.

This article discusses burnout, discrimination, addiction and mental ill health. If you feel your life is at risk or you are in immediate danger, call 999. You can also find confidential help through Onward Shift’s urgent support page or the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity.

Mental Health in Construction Is an Industry Wide Issue

Recent national data shows that more than one in five people aged 16–64 in England has a common mental health condition and the pressures found in construction can make workers particularly vulnerable. Long hours, physical exhaustion, job insecurity, time away from family and relentless deadlines can all build up. Add a culture where many people are still uncomfortable admitting they need help and it becomes easy to understand why so much struggle remains hidden.

The figures used in the original article painted a worrying picture:

• Construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any UK sector.
• 91% of construction workers have felt overwhelmed.

The latest Office for National Statistics occupational data continues to show why suicide in construction demands serious attention. The CIOB’s research into mental health in the built environment also shows that, despite greater availability of support, large numbers of people are still experiencing stress, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Statistics help us understand the size of the problem but they do not show what it feels like to live through it. The seven stories below bring us closer to the people behind those numbers.

Jamie: The Hidden Cost of “Getting On With It”

Jamie was the person everyone relied on. He turned up, worked hard and rarely complained. From the outside, there was no obvious reason to worry about him. Inside, exhaustion was taking over.

Work pressure was building alongside family responsibilities and financial worries. He was struggling to sleep and finding it harder to recover between shifts but he kept telling himself to push through. That was what dependable people did. At least, that was what he had always believed.

The turning point came when a site manager asked, “You alright, mate?” and stayed long enough to hear the real answer. The words were ordinary, but the intention behind them was different. Jamie felt that the question was genuine and it gave him permission to admit that he was no longer coping.

That conversation did not solve every problem. It opened the door to support and stopped Jamie from carrying everything alone.

What May Help

• Use a journal or mood tracker to notice changes in sleep, stress and energy.
• Protect a consistent sleep routine wherever shifts allow.
• Take short breaks during high-pressure days instead of waiting until you are completely depleted.
• Speak to a trusted manager, colleague, friend or professional before the pressure reaches crisis point.

Mates in Mind provides construction-focused mental health resources, while Onward Shift counselling offers a confidential place to talk through what is happening.

Layla: The Invisible Barriers Facing Women on Site

Layla was capable, experienced and committed to her work, yet she regularly felt as though she had to prove that she deserved to be there. She was left out of conversations, exposed to inappropriate jokes and made to feel invisible in a team she was supposed to be part of.

These moments may have looked small to the people creating them. For Layla, their effect accumulated. Being repeatedly excluded can make somebody question their value, lose confidence and withdraw from the people around them. It creates a constant tension between wanting to belong and needing to protect yourself.

Eventually, an emotional moment made her colleagues understand how isolated she had become. Her team began to challenge the behaviour, include her properly and create more room for her voice. With genuine support around her, Layla was able to thrive and lead.

Her story reminds us that inclusion is felt through everyday behaviour. It appears in who gets invited into the conversation, whose ideas receive credit and whether harmful “banter” is challenged or quietly accepted.

What May Help

• Connect with a mentor or a trusted network outside your immediate team.
• Keep a clear record of discriminatory incidents, including dates, witnesses and what happened.
• Use a company’s formal reporting route where it feels safe to do so.
• Join industry communities such Construction for Women.

Employers and workers can also read Acas guidance on discrimination at work. Onward Shift explores the wider cultural responsibility in Inclusion in the Construction Industry.

Ryan: Hiding in Plain Sight

For years, Ryan kept his sexuality hidden at work. He worried that coming out as gay would change the way colleagues treated him, make him the subject of jokes or leave him pushed to the edge of the team.

Hiding such an important part of yourself requires energy. Every conversation has to be filtered. Ordinary questions about relationships or weekends can feel risky. Even when nobody is openly hostile, the fear of what might happen can create loneliness in the middle of a busy site.

When Ryan eventually spoke honestly, the response was more supportive than he had expected. Colleagues stood beside him, listened and began to understand the weight he had been carrying. Over time, his honesty gave him the confidence to help other people who felt they had to hide.

Nobody should be pressured to disclose their sexuality or personal life before they are ready. The responsibility sits with workplaces to create an environment where people know they will be treated with dignity whenever they choose to be themselves.

What May Help

• Speak first to one person you already trust rather than feeling you must tell everyone.
• Join an LGBTQ+ peer group or confidential online community.
• Learn what workplace policies and legal protections apply to you.
• Build grounding or mindfulness practices for moments of anxiety.

Stonewall provides information on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion, and Acas explains protection from sexual-orientation discrimination. For confidential listening and support, Switchboard LGBT+ can also help.

Mark: When the Person Everyone Relies on Reaches His Limit

Mark was a foreman who appeared unshakeable. He was used to carrying responsibility, answering questions and finding solutions. His team saw someone who could handle anything. Mark felt he had to maintain that image, even as constant deadlines and pressure began to wear him down.

Eventually, he reached a point where he could no longer pretend. Admitting that he was struggling felt uncomfortable but his team did not judge him. They supported him.

When Mark returned, he had not lost his strength or authority. He became more open, more compassionate and more aware of the pressure other people might be hiding. His experience changed how he led because he understood that people can look completely in control while reaching breaking point inside.

Leadership is demanding, and seniority does not protect anyone from burnout. Sometimes the people checking on everybody else are the least likely to be asked how they are doing.

What May Help

• Set clearer limits around working hours and availability.
• Delegate responsibility instead of treating overload as a personal test.
• Keep a weekly record of stress, sleep, irritability and concentration.
• Use breathing exercises or short pauses to help the body come out of a heightened stress response.

Mind offers practical guidance on mental health at work. Onward Shift’s mental health toolbox talks can also help leaders bring conversations about stress, burnout and fatigue into normal site routines.

Connor: Addiction Hidden Behind Laughter

Connor used humour to keep people from looking too closely. He drank enough to cope and still managed to function, so for a long time he convinced himself that he remained in control. Gradually, drinking became dependence.

Addiction often hides behind familiarity. In construction, alcohol can be woven into social life, celebrations and the way people unwind after difficult shifts. That can make it harder to recognise when the relationship has changed.

Admitting the truth terrified Connor. He expected judgement and rejection, but his team responded with support. At the time of his account, Connor was five months sober.

Recovery belongs to the person going through it, but community matters. One non-judgemental response can make it easier for someone to continue choosing help rather than returning to secrecy.

What May Help

• Track progress through a sobriety app, calendar or journal.
• Attend a local recovery group or confidential online meeting.
• Replace routines built around drinking with exercise, walking, creativity or time with supportive people.
• Speak to a GP or addiction service for professional guidance, particularly if stopping suddenly could carry medical risks.

The NHS lists current alcohol support options, including the confidential Drinkline service on 0300 123 1110. Onward Shift’s Addiction, Culture & Real Talk explores why addiction must be met with honesty and support.

Tom: The Financial Weight Nobody Could See

Tom’s anxiety was being driven by money. Credit-card debt, overdue bills and the daily effort of working out what could be paid were affecting his sleep, mood and concentration at work.

Financial stress carries shame for many people, especially when they believe they should be able to provide without asking for help. The problem may stay hidden until it affects relationships, performance or safety. For Tom, one conversation opened a route towards practical support and a financial recovery plan.

Money worries do not stay neatly at home. They travel into the van and onto site, taking up the mental space somebody needs to work safely. Onward Shift explores this connection in Why Financial Wellbeing Is a Safety Issue in Construction.

What May Help

• Write down income, essential bills, debt payments and everyday spending to see the complete picture.
• Use the free MoneyHelper budget planner.
• Open letters and messages rather than allowing fear of the unknown to grow.
• Ask for free debt advice before borrowing more money to cover existing repayments.

StepChange provides free debt advice and personalised guidance. Seeking help with money is a practical step towards regaining control, not something to be ashamed of.

Dwayne: The Quiet Damage Caused by Racial Bias

Dwayne’s experience reminds us that racism does not always arrive through one obvious confrontation. Sometimes it appears through repeated exclusions, ideas being overlooked, different standards being applied or jokes that leave one person carrying the hurt while everybody else moves on.

He lived with those experiences for years and questioned whether speaking would make anything better. Eventually, he chose to raise what was happening. Being heard did not erase the impact, but it meant he no longer had to carry it alone and allowed the workplace to face behaviour that had been ignored.

Racism affects mental health because it damages a person’s sense of safety, belonging and worth. Calling it “banter” does not reduce the harm. If a joke depends on somebody else feeling smaller, it is worth questioning why it is being defended.

What May Help

• Record incidents clearly for your own reflection or a formal complaint.
• Identify a trusted colleague, union representative, manager or support network.
• Review your organisation’s grievance and discrimination procedures.
• Seek independent guidance if you are unsure of your rights.

Acas provides guidance on race discrimination at work. The Equality Advisory and Support Service helps people across England, Scotland and Wales understand equality and human-rights issues, while Race Equality First provides specialist support in Wales.

What These Stories Ask of Leaders

These stories involve different pressures but they all point towards the same truth: people are more likely to speak when they believe it is safe to do so.

Site managers, foremen and directors shape that safety through their everyday responses. Training can help leaders recognise changes in behaviour, ask better questions and know where to direct someone for support. Regular wellbeing check-ins give people opportunities to speak before a situation becomes a crisis. Leaders who can acknowledge their own difficult days also show that honesty will not automatically damage someone’s reputation or career.

Listening does not mean taking responsibility for solving every part of another person’s life. It means giving them time, taking what they say seriously and helping them reach the right support. If someone discloses discrimination, addiction, debt or poor mental health, the first response can influence whether they ever ask for help again.

What Companies Need to Build Around Their People

Individual kindness matters, but people should not have to rely on meeting the right manager on the right day. Companies need structures that make support consistent.

This includes clear mental health and inclusion policies, confidential reporting routes, realistic workloads, properly trained managers and visible access to counselling or Employee Assistance Programmes. Welfare facilities should offer enough privacy for somebody to make a difficult call. Subcontractors, agency workers and people moving between projects must be included rather than left outside company support simply because their employment arrangement is different.

Mental health should appear in inductions, toolbox talks, risk conversations and leadership meetings throughout the year. Companies should also look at the pressures they create through planning, staffing and deadlines. Supporting someone after they burn out matters. Reducing the conditions that repeatedly push people towards burnout matters just as much.

The practical standard is simple:

• Listen without immediately trying to fix the person.
• Check in even when everything looks fine.
• Treat honest vulnerability with respect.
• Challenge discrimination and harmful behaviour when it happens.
• Make support visible, confidential and easy to reach.
• Build trust through consistent action.

Building Better, One Conversation at a Time

The next time somebody becomes unusually quiet, steps away from the group or no longer seems like themselves, do not ignore it. There may be an innocent explanation, but a genuine check-in gives them the choice to speak.

Ask, “How are you doing?” Then give them enough time to answer.

Mental health is part of safety, leadership, inclusion and the long-term strength of our workforce. Construction builds the places where life happens, but it also shapes the lives of the people doing the work. Every conversation, every challenged joke and every act of support adds another brick to the culture we are creating.

We can build an industry where Jamie does not have to reach complete exhaustion before somebody notices. Where Layla, Ryan and Dwayne know they belong. Where Mark can be a strong leader without pretending to be invincible. Where Connor can ask for help without being reduced to his addiction, and where Tom can speak about money before fear takes over.

Community gives people somewhere to turn. Action proves that we meant what we said.

Take a deep breath, look around your team and think about the person who may be carrying more than anybody can see. Then start with one honest question.

That is how we build better mental health in construction: brick by brick, person by person and conversation by conversation.