Study shows construction must do more to tackle mental health

The latest edition of The Civil Quarterly (TCQ) report from Dodge Construction Network features new data on how civil construction companies are attempting to address mental health.

The Civil Quarterly 2023 Issue 1 (Photo: Dodge Construction Network)

The responses about mental health reveal an industry still seeking to fully engage with this issue, with only 34% of contractor respondents reporting that staff at their company have good access to resources that help address mental health issues. 

When asked about their company’s approach to supporting mental health, the report stated that 77% of civil contractors indicated some level of effort. However, even the most widely used means of addressing mental health – employee assistance programs and providing information on where workers can access mental health assessment websites – are said to only be reported by about one-third of the respondents.

The report also revealed that training on mental health for leadership at company and project levels needs more attention.

Twice as many respondents are said to have ranked training programs on the importance of mental health issues and recognising the warning signs for suicide among the most effective means to improve mental health in the industry, compared to the number who state these types of programs are offered at their company. 

More positively, when asked about the state of mind/state of mental health at their organization currently compared with five years ago, far more civil contractors (36%) report improvements than worsening conditions (15%).