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Breaking Barriers: Mental Health in the Construction Industry

Stephen Cox

The construction industry has long been known for its demanding nature - tight deadlines, long and irregular hours, repetitive work, physical challenges, and high-pressure environments that are often in less than ideal weather. We know there’s high demand for these jobs with an estimated shortage of 10,000 construction workers in Canada as of 2023, and with nearly 310,000 of current workers expected to retire in the next few years. 


The pressure to complete projects is constant, making for little to no space for downtime and for workers taking care of their mental health. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) estimates the economic cost of mental health illness to be $51 Billion per year, affecting loss of productivity, increasing health care costs, and lowering quality of life. 


These costs point to how crucial it is for workers, particularly those in construction to have adequate mental health support and work life balance. Throughout this blog post, we explore the challenges of achieving mental health and work-life balance in construction by examining the unique struggles faced by women and men in the industry, followed by a look at the small but growing efforts to create positive change.



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The Overlooked Reality: Mental Health Challenges for Women in Construction

It’s an unfortunate reality that most construction sites are not made with women’s needs in mind. Women only make up 13% of construction workers, with that amount at 6% in BC. This translates into ill-fitting personal protection equipment (PPE), lack of adequate bathroom facilities, and facing high levels of harassment from male co-workers and supervisors. There are also industry biases and stigma with pregnancy and childcare. 


With mental health struggles added into this mix with women twice as likely as men to suffer from depression, it’s clear that things are often intolerable for women construction workers. From that, it’s easy to see why most women workers are less likely to complain about external factors affecting their work and suffer in silence. 



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Breaking the Silence: Mental Health and Men in Construction

It’s no surprise to report that men in general don’t easily share their mental health problems with anyone. According to Stats Can, only 33% of men construction workers report having mental health issues. According to the CDC, 83% of construction workers have experienced some sort of mental health issue, which is 4x that of the general population. 


Clearly there is a huge discrepancy between reported numbers and what results from men not being able to or unwilling to get support for their mental health. Social stigmas and the prevalence of toxic masculinity often suppress male construction workers from getting help. That’s why initiatives like Movember and June as mental health month for men are critical to ending the silence. 


Small Signs of Change

Some big construction companies in Canada such as EllisDon and Mammoet Canada Western have made efforts to create mental health and work life balance support for their workers. 


Mental health first aid training provided by St. John Ambulance is now a standard at EllisDon. In early 2024, the company hired their first mental health specialist, Nadina Holca. As she describes it in an article to Daily Commercial News, her role is “focused on providing strategic support on an organizational level by identifying barriers to workplace mental health and developing and evaluating initiatives targeting those barriers.”


Mammoet Canada Western have created an open door policy, include it as an item of discussion during most meetings, and have invested in mental health education. Supervisors have undertaken training to spot the signs of distress on site and be able to support workers. 


As well, Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers have expanded its member benefits to include comprehensive mental health support. Beyond offering counseling services and treatment center access through their benefits plan, the union is taking steps to integrate mental health education into their technical training programs - whether members are learning to operate excavators, tower cranes, or other heavy equipment.



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What Construction Workers Can Do to Improve Their Mental Health

These suggestions aren’t to gloss over the very serious barriers both men and women face to taking care of their mental health. Still, it’s important to note where control of a construction worker’s mental health can start:


  1. Hydrate Often: Keep your water intake up, especially when working in adverse conditions.

  2. Fuel Your Body Right: A balanced, nutritious diet is key to keeping your energy up and staying healthy.

  3. Take Breaks: Schedule regular breaks to avoid burnout and protect yourself from weather-related stress.

  4. Prioritize yourself: The construction industry isn’t a traditional 9-5 job. The temptation to say yes to overtime is an easy thing to do. Learn to balance saying no to overtime when you’ve already worked long hours.  

  5. Seek Professional Help: Even though there’s a lot of hesitancy and unwillingness around doing so, talking to a qualified mental health professional can do wonders to improve your day to day and overall career. 

  6. Manage your stress in a healthy way: Have ways to cope with long hours and stressful days that do not damage your health. 


At MyGreat Recruitment, we understand the unique challenges facing the construction industry. Our expertise allows us to connect forward-thinking companies with professionals who share their commitment to building a healthier, more sustainable industry. 


Whether you're a company looking to strengthen your team or a professional seeking an environment that values your well-being, we're here to help build that connection.

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