Chronic Stress--How Do You Help Your Workers Cope?

by Michelle Dreier
Member Engagement/Gov't Affairs Manager

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, this article is going to seem like a downer but serious issues need addressing. The construction industry experiences the second most suicides of any business sector. Suicide is also the second leading cause of death among young adults aged 18-34, the prime employment age for those entering the construction field. Another depressing statistic, the suicide rate for working-age adults has increased by 34% since 2012.

Life is a stressor. Holidays are a stressor. Balancing life and work and everyday responsibilities, they are all stressors. If you add the complications of over-abundance of work, interrupted by periods of lack of work, job security and smaller than normal paychecks can all burden an individual’s mental well-being.

Large employers often have Employee Assistance Programs to help direct their workers to help anonymously to work through these life pressures. How do you help your staff when things get too much?

Risk Factors include:
• A family history of suicide or a history of trauma
• Suffering from a serious physical illness
• Having attempted suicide
• Financial or relationship pressures
• Lack of support networks
• Cultural stigma over mental health

Indicators of mental stress:
• Weight and appetite changes
• Chronic Headaches
• A tight chest
• Anxiety and indecision
• Loss of motivation
• Increased sensitivity
• Low self-esteem
• Increased smoking and drinking
• Withdrawal or aggression
• Reckless behaviors
• Difficulty concentrating

Construction employers must create a supportive, open environment where it is okay to acknowledge that life is too much but there are coping skills that can help to work through the problem. It really isn’t just a matter of “sucking it up.”

Start by providing information of signs of stress, observable symptoms of depression, and suicide awareness. This is not about diagnosing, but identifying a concern and reaching out to your coworker for guidance. Be the support system for your workers, and guide them to a mental health professional if you discover a need.