**Sponsored content from Nestle Professional.
New data* reveals that eight out of ten (81%) construction workers in the UK – over 2.1 million people – have taken sick leave as they felt they needed to take a break and rebuild their energy.
Furthermore, over half (53%) have left a job before because it was too stressful.
Talking to colleagues about stress helps
The findings, conducted by NESCAFÉ as part of the ‘Make Chat Work’ campaign, also reveal that although stress levels are high, encouragingly nearly three quarters (74%) of construction workers said they talk to colleagues about problems at work. In fact, a whopping 96% said that talking to colleagues helps relieve day to day pressures at work and nearly every single respondent (99%) said that getting together for a coffee break is important for team morale.
Workplace wellbeing doesn’t just have an impact on mental health, it also has an impact financially. The cost of poor mental health to UK employers is significant; research from Deloitte revealed the cost to employers increased to £56bn in 2020-21, compared to £45bn in 2019.
Weave wellbeing into the fabric of your business
Nadia Roberts, Brand Manager at NESCAFÉ at Nestlé Professional, says:
‘Workplace wellbeing is a fundamental part of a business operation. Looking after your staff, and putting measures in place that weave employee wellbeing into the fabric of your business, will result in not only a far happier workforce but also a more thriving business.
For small businesses, with fewer team members, staff sickness and absence is a lot more noticeable and can have a significant impact on the workflow, results and operational ability.
It’s promising to see that the vast majority of construction workers find talking to their colleagues helpful in relieving work pressures and the positive impact this has on team morale. Encouraging their teams to take breaks throughout the day, have a breather and connect and talk with their colleagues - whether that’s through a dedicated breakout area, specified break times or just a kettle, mugs and tin of coffee somewhere dry - is an easy and low-cost way for employers to help promote better workplace wellbeing.’
Bill Hill, CEO at the Lighthouse Club charity, which provides financial and emotional support to the construction community and their families, said:
‘Poor mental health doesn’t discriminate; it can affect anyone whether you’re a business owner, manager or starting out in your career. People may face different stresses within the workplace, but the outcome is the same – it can take its toll and result in serious mental health issues. Stress, anxiety and depression accounts for a fifth of all work-related illnesses and every single working day in the UK, two construction workers take their own life.
Our message is clear - there is help out there. No one is alone in this. We welcome campaigns like Make Chat Work that ignite conversation around workplace wellbeing. It’s so important for people in this industry to know they can talk and discuss their wellbeing with others.’
Free resources available to help with stress management
There are lots of resources that can help construction businesses. Recently, the FMB and NESCAFE hosted a webinar titled - How to create a culture that nurtures employees’ wellbeing – which discusses all things work-life balance and how to combat loneliness in the workplace through encouraging interactions, connections and engagement between workers.
There are also various tools, for employers looking to support workplace wellbeing, that are free for businesses to download on the Make Chat Work landing page.
*The research was conducted by 3GEM on behalf of NESCAFÉ Make Chat Work and surveyed 350 UK construction workers / tradespeople in SME companies of 5-250 employees, October 2022.
**Disclaimer: This blog post is sponsored content, which is independent of the FMB. Publication does not constitute endorsement or recommendation from the FMB
