Understanding Mental Health in the Construction Sector

The construction industry is one of the most physically demanding and hazardous professions in the world.

The combination of long hours, high-risk environments, and relentless pressure takes its toll. 

But behind the hard hats and heavy machinery lies a crisis that can’t be ignored any longer: the growing struggle with mental health in construction. 

For too long, this issue has been pushed aside. It’s time to bring it to the forefront and build an industry where mental health is treated with the same seriousness as physical safety.

The Growing Mental Health Crisis in Construction

Recent findings from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) show a sharp increase in mental health challenges across the construction sector between 2020 and 2025. 

The numbers reveal a workforce under growing strain – and the extent of the problem is hard to ignore.

Construction Mental Health Statistics Showing the Increase in Mental Health Challenges from 2020 to 2025

• Stress: +19%
• Anxiety: +27%
• Depression: +10%
• Fatigue: +14%
• Irritability: +19%
• Poor concentration: +30%
• Lack of self-confidence: +21%
• Feeling overwhelmed: +16%
• Suicidal thoughts: +7%

Mental Health in the Past Year

• 94% experienced stress
• 90% felt fatigued
• 86% reported poor concentration
• 83% experienced anxiety
• 82% felt overwhelmed
• 60% experienced depression
• 27% had suicidal thoughts

These statistics highlight how deeply mental health issues affect those working in construction. They are not just numbers – they represent people we work alongside every day.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), male construction workers are three to four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average.

Around 700 lives are lost each year to suicide in construction. For an industry built on strength and resilience, this represents a devastating human cost.

What’s Driving the Decline?

The CIOB’s research found several core pressures driving the rise in poor mental health:

• 69% report too much work
• 65% struggle with poor communication
• 64% face unrealistic deadlines
• 64% cite poor planning
• 60% point to inadequate staffing

These figures expose how workplace structure, culture, and communication failures contribute directly to mental health decline.

Sources of Stress in Construction Work

Construction workers face multiple day-to-day pressures that compound over time, including:

• Tight deadlines and time pressures
• Financial insecurity due to irregular work
• Exposure to hazardous conditions
• Long working hours and night shifts
• Inconsistent management and poor communication

When left unaddressed, these issues create chronic stress, which in turn fuels anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders.

Anxiety Disorders in Construction Workers

Anxiety – the persistent feeling of worry, fear, or unease – is common across the industry. It often stems from:

• Job instability
• Health and safety concerns
• Lack of control over work conditions
• Interpersonal conflict on site

Untreated anxiety can impair concentration, decision-making, and relationships – all of which are essential for safety and productivity on site.

Burnout: A Growing Concern

Burnout has become one of the biggest risks in construction. It’s far more than tiredness; it’s total emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. Common signs include:

• Reduced professional efficacy
• Emotional detachment or cynicism
• Physical exhaustion

Burnout leads to absenteeism, high turnover, and declining work quality. In extreme cases, it can lead to self-harm or suicide. 

Construction remains one of the UK’s highest-risk industries for suicide, underscoring how urgent it is to address mental wellbeing.

Depression and Suicide in Construction

Male construction workers are nearly three times more likely to die by suicide than the UK average. This crisis is driven by a mix of systemic and cultural factors:

• Persistent stigma around mental health
• A male-dominated workforce where vulnerability is seen as weakness
• Limited access to mental health services
• High job stress and insecurity
• Lack of on-site support or early intervention

Without strong support structures, many continue to suffer in silence, and too often, that silence costs lives.

Substance Misuse and Addiction

Alcohol and drug misuse are often used as coping mechanisms in high-stress environments. Within construction, substance misuse can:

• Impair judgement and coordination
• Increase accident risk
• Worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Create dependency that hinders recovery

Employers must recognise this not as a moral failing but as a symptom of deeper issues. Offering addiction support, education, and confidential access to help is vital.

Factors Contributing to Poor Mental Health in Construction

Several underlying factors continue to make construction one of the most mentally challenging industries in the UK:

1. Project-Based Work: Constant movement between job sites disrupts stability and breaks social support networks.
2. Long Working Hours: Overtime and weekend work limit rest, recovery, and family time.
3. Physical Exhaustion: The physically demanding nature of the work leads to fatigue and chronic pain, both of which impact mood and mental health.
4. Lack of Support: Many managers lack training to identify or respond to mental health issues effectively.
5. Remote Job Sites: Isolation from families and healthcare services often leads to loneliness and low mood.

A Personal Perspective from Over a Decade in Construction

Having spent over 14 years in the construction industry, I’ve witnessed the hard work and dedication of people in this field firsthand. 

These are individuals who wake up before dawn, endure harsh weather conditions, and often work overtime to meet deadlines. 

Construction workers are known for their resilience and ability to solve complex engineering problems on the spot, but when it comes to mental health? It’s a completely different story.

It’s not just that mental health is ignored; it’s actively mocked. Vulnerability is seen as a weakness, and asking for help is often out of the question. 

The industry operates on an old-school mindset of “just get the job done and don’t complain.” This toxic culture not only perpetuates the stigma surrounding mental health but also prevents real solutions from being put in place.

A memory that stands out vividly for me is a time when I had just finished a particularly dirty job. Covered in grime, I was carrying my lunch and heading for the lift when a manager stopped me. He told me to leave the lift because I was too dirty, despite the fact that I had just completed a task he had assigned to me. 

Instead of using the lift, I was forced to walk up eight flights of stairs, and when I finally reached the top, I had to eat in a windowless, unheated room filled with industrial equipment.

At the time, I was furious. The message was clear: as a contractor, I didn’t belong in the spaces meant for others. 

We were supposed to be invisible. Don’t use the lifts, don’t enter through the front, and don’t be seen unless given explicit permission, but now, years later, I realise that this kind of treatment wasn’t an isolated incident. It’s systemic. 

And it goes far beyond being forced to take the stairs; it’s about the entire culture of how contractors and construction workers are viewed and treated.

The Hidden Cost of Stress, Fatigue and Burnout

Construction is an environment where perfection is expected, but the personal toll is rarely acknowledged. 

Workers face long hours, demanding physical labour, and tight deadlines that leave little room to rest or recover.

Burnout is now one of the biggest risks to construction workers. It goes far beyond feeling tired. 

It’s a state of complete exhaustion – physical, emotional, and mental. Symptoms often include:

• Detachment or cynicism
• Lack of motivation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Emotional numbness

Left unchecked, burnout can lead to absenteeism, high turnover, and tragically, self-harm or suicide. 

The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity notes that more than a third of calls to its helpline are from workers struggling with anxiety and depression linked to overwork and financial strain.

Changing the Culture in Construction

The construction industry has made huge leaps in technology and safety standards, but mental health support hasn’t kept pace. It’s time to bring wellbeing into everyday site culture. 

Mental health awareness shouldn’t be a box to tick; it should be part of every safety briefing, every team meeting, and every leadership strategy.

This shift starts from the top down. Senior leaders, site managers, and contractors all play a role in creating a culture that values people as much as projects. 

Normalising honest conversation, showing empathy, and making help available should be standard practice – not exceptions.

At Onward Shift, we’re building exactly that: a supportive community where no one has to face these challenges alone. 

We’re fostering safe spaces for open dialogue, connecting people with resources, and empowering teams to take collective responsibility for mental wellbeing.

Building Mentally Healthier Workplaces

A mentally healthy construction environment doesn’t happen by accident – it requires structure, training, and accountability. Here’s where companies can start:

• Raise awareness through toolbox talks, training, and open forums that normalise mental health discussions.
• Provide access to professional support such as counselling and crisis helplines.
• Train supervisors to recognise early signs of distress and respond with empathy.
• Promote flexible working practices where possible to improve work-life balance.
• Tackle unrealistic workloads before they lead to burnout.
• Encourage physical wellbeing through rest breaks, hydration, nutrition, and injury prevention.

These aren’t luxuries – they’re essential components of a sustainable workforce.

See our article on neurodivergency in construction here.

A Call to Action: Share Your Story

The statistics paint a bleak picture, but they don’t define the future. The construction industry has always been built on teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving – and those same strengths can drive a better, healthier culture.

It’s time to build a stronger, safer, and more compassionate industry. One that values mental health just as much as physical safety.

Change starts with one honest conversation. The more we talk about mental health, the less power the stigma holds. 

Your story might be the one that helps someone else speak up, seek help, or feel less alone.

Let’s keep talking. Let’s keep supporting each other.

And let’s make sure no one in construction ever feels invisible again.

Need Support Right Now?

If you’re struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. 

Onward Shift offers coaching and counselling designed specifically for people in construction – practical, confidential support that helps you manage stress, anxiety, and burnout.

You can also connect with our WhatsApp Check-In Buddy, a free peer support option for quick, friendly chats when you just need someone to listen.