Skanska puts worker wellbeing first in new trial

Skanska has taken measures to improve the mental wellbeing of workers on construction sites by offering training courses for employees, who can then display a small sticker on their uniforms to let others know they are a qualified mental health First Aider.

The company reports that 55% of its employees have undergone training by Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA) since the relationship between the two firms began in 2016, with both hoping to help remove the stigma surrounding mental health issues in the workplace.

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The initiative has been rolled out across its £255 million (€306 million) M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme for UK National Highways. Of the 100 workers employed on the project, eight are qualified mental health First Aiders.

Those who have taken the course will display their stickers on their hard helmets, which will allow those who need assistance to be able to identify them immediately.

It is likely the programme will be rolled out to other sites in the future, with more people qualified under MHFA guidelines donning the stickers to help their fellow workers.

“As a contractor, you are starting new jobs all the time and having to drop into new places and sites without a network. It’s difficult to build communities", Tricia O’Neill, Skanska’s Head of Health Risk Management said in a statement.

"You will often spend long periods away from your family, friends, and your GP. If you’re only there for a few months, people may not get to know you, meaning recognising if someone is struggling and offering the right support and signposting becomes more difficult", she added.

The entire concept was the brainchild of Ken Reid, the health and safety manager of the Junction 6 project with the express purpose of removing the stigma surrounding the discussion of mental health issues.

"The sticker easily identifies those who are trained and can provide support. People know who to speak to quickly, and if necessary, discreetly, so that they can get the help they need", he said.

Reid added there are key benefits to having qualified mental health professionals on-site, particularly as people get back to work following the coronavirus, where people have been feeling greater levels of loneliness or isolation.

“The last couple of years have been tough... The training from Mental Health First Aid England has given me [a] greater awareness of others’ emotional wellbeing. My fellow Mental Health First Aiders and I listen and offer guidance on where to get the right support.  It can be as simple as offering to have a cuppa and a chat with a colleague - as the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved".

MHFA chief executive Simon Blake said Skanska's attempts at dealing with mental health issues among workers is "wonderful", and the adoption levels of training and raising awareness as "impressive".

"The training will only create change if people know where to turn if they need support and feel safe and confident doing so. This initiative helps that. I love the simplicity of it and hope that it will be rolled out more widely across the sector", he added.

Suicidality has long been an issue within the construction sector, and companies are continuing  to implement measures to improve employee wellbeing.

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Data suggests the suicide rate among construction workers may be three times higher than in other industries. An MFHA report released in 2021 suggests a quarter of construction workers have considered taking their own lives, likely due to stress, as 97% admitted to being stressed at least once a year, with nearly 50% having taken time off work due to mental health concerns.

The same report concludes that at least 1,400 workers died by suicide between 2011 and 2015. 91% of respondents recorded feeling "overwhelmed" with work.

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