Mental health in construction: improvements are welcome, but there’s still work to be done

Poor mental health in the construction and demolition industry is a persistent problem. Recent CIOB research found that 90% of members were dealing with high stress levels and 84% had high levels of anxiety. 

Furthermore, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reports that 355 people working in skilled construction and building trades died by suicide in 2024, one of the highest figures compared to other industries.

These findings suggest that despite numerous initiatives and significant efforts to improve both awareness of, and how businesses and individuals respond to, the telltale signs of mental health deterioration, there’s still plenty of work to be done.

Smaller businesses (SMEs) and the self-employed appear most affected. There are multiple reasons why this may be so: fewer resources to establish mental health initiatives and tight margins all contribute significantly to higher stress levels within this cohort.

For larger firms, the evidence is more encouraging. There’s been a positive uplift in support, with an increase in trained Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs), rising knowledge of awareness weeks, up from 26% in 2020 to 77% in 2025, and improved access to confidential helplines, according to MHFA England. This is a positive development and illustrates that all businesses, including SMES, are benefiting from easier access to support services.

Actively investigating poor mental health indicators can also help identify whether the issue is prevalent in the workplace. High staff churn or absenteeism, employees not taking their full holiday entitlement, poor productivity and high levels of health and safety incidents all point to potential problems. Employers need to closely monitor these indicators and take positive action to reduce them.

Implementing in-work support policies to counter poor mental health is recommended. The UK government’s Mental Health at Work Commitment; a framework of six core standards, developed in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), is a good place to start. These comprise:

Employers can incorporate many of the suggestions above into current activities. Toolbox talks, for instance, could be scheduled for World Mental Health Day and focus on encouraging awareness. Businesses can also signpost where further help can be found. 

Additionally, companies can reach out to external organisations, such as Mates in Mind or Samaritans, to deliver mental health-focused workforce training. It’s also worth considering directing employees to the wealth of online resources, such as those provided by MIND, to help raise awareness of tools and techniques to improve mental wellbeing.

However, it’s clear that the government has a role to play alongside employers. While there have been positive noises around mental health issues, a more joined-up approach can make a very positive impact.

Updating the government’s own suicide prevention strategy and incorporating some of the lessons learned from Australia’s experience of unifying disparate departments, through frameworks like its National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS). This framework emphasises the importance of early mental health intervention and community-based support, and delivering better outcomes in the UK would be a positive first step.

Given the built environment’s high prevalence of mental health issues, a properly funded, sector-focused strategy, formulated alongside industry stakeholders, to improve mental wellbeing would also be welcomed.

Silvia Navarro is head of marketing and communications at the National Federation of Demolition Contractors