Contractor McLaughlin & Harvey has been offering workers the chance to cuddle a teddy bear on site to reduce stress, as part of a new trial.
The project, introduced by one of the firm’s mental health first aiders, has promoted alternative ways of dealing with mental health and stress management.
One of the ways the firm is achieving this is by offering ‘cuddle therapy’ with a stuffed bear named Harvey, on an unidentified site.
McLaughlin & Harvey reported that many of the site’s staff asked for time with the bear, including security personnel.
It claimed that interacting with companion animals such as dogs and cats causes a measurable reduction in levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to weight gain and increase the likelihood of coronary heart disease.
The contractor said it hoped that cuddling Harvey would have a similar cortisol-reducing effect for its workers.
Meanwhile, to mitigate the risks of covid-19, Harvey has been provided with his own air freshener and sanitiser so that he can be cleaned between cuddles.
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I have now heard it all…………..next mission to Mars, I’m on it cos this world’s gone nuts.
Jeeeez!
Not April Fools Day yet is it? Just can’t believe this is serious therapy for stressed out workers! This is more appropriate for pupils in primary school. In my day – up to the ‘90’s, we just got on with it. Construction is a stressful job, working out in the elements, demanding Architects & Clerks of Works, constraints of health & safety, lack of skilled workers, ever technical materials & detailing, unrealistic construction programme times & a tight contract price. So what’s changed? It’s a fantastic job, just knuckle down & get on with it, a bear cuddle won’t change a stressed out employee, perhaps shouldn’t be on site in the first place. Construction has gone ‘woke’, what has the world come to?
Stress is a serious business and anything that works to reduce it should be commended, but really, cuddling a teddy bear! I think many of my coworkers would consider that a bit of an insult to their maturity and to be setting themselves up for ridicule
You really COULDN’T make it up ! A sand pit next ?!
I dare you to print the comments from the site canteen.
Frankly it’s insulting to the people that work in our industry, what sort of mind signed off on this thinking it was a good idea, lunatics and asylums come to mind
My final paper was dedicated to “The prevanlice of stress within the construction industry”.It was somewhat ahead of its time, given the experience i have had since. I spent 9 years travelling, away from my family and loved ones, before i made the decision to take a lesser paid job. The taboo of the “actual” stress that faces construction workers to travel has not yet been touched upon, hence the Bear. We should not need a Bear
The stress that faces construction workers causing them to travel has not yet been touched upon, hence the bear, where does the bear come in? Does it share the driving or split the fuel bill, this typifies why the country is going down the pan
Rather sad to read the dismissive comments made by your correspondents. In my career, I had a number of instances when some of my staff were stressed and needed relief, often colleagues were on hand to provide a sympathetic ear. From the comments received it seems there could be roles in the industry for ” cuddle teddies”.