The pandemic has impacted people to varying degrees. From anxiety and fear to feeling purposeless or isolated, depression has affected many people. Union job workers in the construction industry is also susceptible to mental health challenges.
Construction Workers More Susceptible to Depression
Construction workers have very different requirements and expectations for their jobs. How they work, when they work, and the culture of industry workers have all contributed to the onset of mental health challenges and their growth during the pandemic.
Let’s explore some of the reasons that have heightened the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of construction workers:
- Social Attitudes and Awareness: Construction workers have historically been mostly male and, given the physical demands of the job, they have been expected to work hard and put their thoughts and feelings aside to get things done effectively. This has created a ‘macho’ culture. This perception, while slowly changing, continues to be enforced by some site supervisors and puts mental stress on the backburner.
- Time and Place: Construction workers are typically seasonal, and work can be unpredictable and weather dependent when outdoors, especially in colder places like Canada. Therefore, work is compressed, and workers are expected to do overtime and work long hours. Also, the project-to-project nature of construction work can be unreliable, adding to the feelings of job insecurity among workers.
- Physicality: Fatigue from the high physical demands of the job as well as the likelihood of workplace injuries or illness can lead to chronic pain and psychological trauma. The exposure to serious injury and/or accidental death are also factors which increases worker stress on the job. Pandemic fears and anxiety can add to this feeling of exhaustion.
The International Foundation of Employee Benefits conducted a 2020 study across 35 Canadian Apprenticeship programs. Sixty-eight per cent of respondents reported suffering from anxiety disorders and 51% reported experiencing depression. Alcohol and drug addiction were also cited as significant amongst workers, which are unfortunate consequences of mental health challenges. This reflected a similar report entitled Addiction and Mental Health in the Construction Industry which pointed to such substance abuse.
Union Job Workers Need Support
It’s no longer just about the physical well-being of union job workers but also their mental health. Mental health issues have stemmed from the pandemic. For construction workers, this has worsened an already present problem. Construction worker mental health is now gaining greater awareness and some of the cultural factors are slowly shifting as workers seek better support for their mental health challenges. Also, union job trades workers were fortunate to have remained an essential service during lockdowns which, unlike most other industries, may have helped them to remain engaged.
To learn more about the mental health resources available for union job workers, contact us today.
