Suicide is the single biggest killer of young people and men under fifty. A man will take his life every 60 seconds. 75% of all suicides are male and the construction industry loses two people every day to suicide. 54% of all lost working days are a result of work-related illness.
In a recent campaign, entitled the ‘Lost City’ the organisers highlighted that in the last decade, the number of people lost to suicide would be enough to build a city the size of Cardiff. A similar number will be needed for the construction of Sizewell C.
Shocking Statistics
At ARU in July 2026, Elvin Box, Ellesse Parris (of the Lighthouse Charity) and Paula Ruane examined the causes and potential solutions to the challenges posed by these shocking statistics.
There are three key endorphins and neuro-transmitters required to help humans feel positive and regulate mood, motivation, social bonding, and stress responses. More on those later, but if we can improve our dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin levels, there’s a good chance we can reduce the chances of depression and feelings of low self-esteem.
What about construction? What can be done to help maximise our chances of positive outcomes?
There are a few core elements the team identified:
- Positive leadership – ensuring that the way construction managers lead their teams is positive, supportive and encouraging.
- Better communications – remembering that communication is a two-way thing, ensuring that teams have an opportunity to feed back and they have clear, understandable instructions.
- Better facilities and inductions – a good working environment is crucial to feeling better.
Command and Control vs Good Communication
A particular challenge for construction is that of the ‘command and control’ hierarchy of the sector. There is necessarily a need to ensure that construction sites operate with a certain degree of discipline. However, this can occasionally lead to negative and potentially bullying behaviour by those in management or supervisorial roles.
Good training and leadership can help other managers to ensure the way they interact with others. Positive communication is crucial – minimising the risk or perception of negative behaviour.
If possible, firms should try to avoid putting people into positions in which they’re not comfortable. With limited resources, tight budgets, and challenging deadlines, the temptation to load responsibility onto individuals can be strong. However, if pushed into a difficult position, people can find themselves facing ‘fight or flight’ reactions. This can, in turn, lead to negative or bullying behaviour towards others.
To tackle this, ideally, teams should be equipped with the knowledge, the resources and the tools to do things they find challenging. This can be achieved through better communication, which should always be seen as a two-way thing. In turn, this should reduce stress and reduce the fight or flight reaction.
Hormones and Receptors
As individuals, certain things trigger those positive hormones and receptors. Physical touch – hugs, handshakes, etc are all triggers for positive emotions. Oxytocin is stimulated by touch and physical contact, fostering trust and empathy. Crucial for positive leadership.
Serotonin is another key element – this is the chemical stimulated by outdoor activity, and the one which helps to regulate sleep and stabilise mood. A big challenge for the construction sector is the fact that in winter, work starts early and finishes late and the UK has particularly short days, meaning that serotonin can be in short supply.
Finally, Dopamine – can be stimulated by hobbies and exercise as well as other things such as flirting, which can occasionally lead to negative behaviours.
Managing these stimuli and ensuring they occur in a positive way is critical to ensuring strong resilience and positive feelings – and ultimately avoiding depression and mental health issues.
Key Take-Aways
Some key take aways from the session included:
- Encouraging leave taking – taking a full break from work is important for relaxation, and a particular challenge in the 21st century.
- Encouraging compassion and empathy – management and leadership must seek to be as empathetic and understanding as possible, we never know what others are experiencing.
- Learn to spot stress signals in others.
- Check on sleep patterns – are we sleeping well?
- Take walks, or spend time in the countryside if possible. Time spent in nature is proven to enhance mood and positive emotions.
- Take breaks at work – we could learn from the 90 minute French lunch break during which work is not spoken about!
Ultimately, tackling construction's wellbeing challenges isn't about a single policy change, but a shift in culture. By understanding the science behind our own resilience and taking practical steps to nurture positive leadership, communication, and wellbeing, the industry can begin to reverse these devastating statistics.
Every handshake, every check-in, every moment spent listening to a colleague has the power to make a genuine difference. The industry creates incredible places and achieves amazing outcomes in project terms. It's perhaps time the sector applied the same care and commitment to building a healthier, more supportive future for the people within it.
