22nd April 2025
Mental health challenges have reached crisis levels in the construction industry, far exceeding those in many other sectors. A PBC Today study found that as many as 83% of construction workers have struggled with mental health issues related to work. Tragically, this has translated into alarmingly high suicide rates. Men in the UK construction sector are three times more likely to die by suicide than the average UK male – equating to roughly two construction worker suicides every working day, according to HSE Network. In 2021 alone, 507 construction workers in the UK took their own lives, meaning a construction employee is about ten times more likely to die by suicide than from a jobsite accident.
Impact on safety, productivity and HR
The hidden struggle with mental health carries heavy implications for safety, productivity and workforce management. Construction sites are hazardous at the best of times, and mental distress can make them even more dangerous. Workers suffering from chronic stress, anxiety or depression may be fatigued or distracted on the job, increasing the likelihood of accidents and injuries. In a 2024 survey, more than one in five UK construction workers (22%) admitted they had suffered an injury at work because of poor mental health. In fact, half of all construction workers – roughly 1.5 million people – report having continued to work in unsafe conditions despite feeling mentally unwell, a scenario that clearly elevates risk.
Beyond immediate safety concerns, the toll on productivity and attendance is stark. Poor mental health is now the leading cause of sickness absence across the UK workforce, accounting for about 54% of all working days lost. Construction is particularly hard-hit: an estimated 5.1 million working days were lost to mental health issues in construction last year. Over a quarter of construction employees (27%) say they took time off in the past 12 months due to mental health struggles – and nearly half of those needed a week or more off to recover.
One insurance analysis puts the cost of poor mental health to the UK construction industry at £1.2bn per year. For HR leaders, this means higher turnover, more difficulty retaining talent and additional strain in workforce planning. Indeed, mental health issues often remain hidden – over one-third of absent construction workers admit they lied about the reason, citing a physical ailment when the real cause was psychological.
Cultural and structural causes
Why are mental health challenges so acute in construction? The causes are systemic, cultural and structural, creating a perfect storm of risk factors. Key contributors include:
- High stress and pressure
Construction projects often involve tight deadlines, demanding workloads and pressure to meet budgets and targets. Workers across roles – from tradespeople to site managers – face intense performance stress. Unrealistic deadlines and long backlogs of work are routinely cited by over 90% of construction staff as major stressors.
- Physical strain
The work is physically arduous. Long hours of manual labour in difficult conditions take a toll, and this chronic strain often spills over into mental health issues. Managing pain impacts mood.
- Job insecurity and volatility
Many workers are on short-term or project-based contracts. Those on productivity-based pay are at higher risk of stress and mental health issues. Additionally, when a high percentage of a construction site includes contractual employees, it’s often harder to establish who holds the responsibility for mental health and how it’s communicated.
- Long hours and remote work
Frequent travel and separation from family are common, leading to isolation and stress.
- Stigma and “tough guy” culture
The macho culture of the sector often discourages workers from seeking help. Mental health challenges are seen as a weakness, reinforcing silence.
Surveys also show that one in five UK construction workers have experienced bullying at work, and those individuals are twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts. Often disguised as ‘banter’, this is particularly common in certain workplaces, and in construction specifically – with younger members often more vulnerable to its effects. Studies have shown that in the long-term it can be extremely damaging to mental health, productivity and relationships at work. Indeed, some employers have created a ‘banter safety checklist’, outlining the topics that are off limits – such as weight, appearance, gender and culture. This checklist, usually co-created with colleagues, can be a powerful way to counteract workplace tension.
In tandem with company-level efforts, industry bodies and governments are pushing systemic solutions. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) now provides a stress management toolkit tailored to construction firms. Charities like the Lighthouse Club and Mates in Mind have expanded their outreach with on-site visits, training and awareness campaigns to tackle the “silent epidemic” of mental ill-health in construction.
The data is unambiguous and the consequences are too severe to ignore. For the construction industry, mental health is no longer a peripheral concern – it is a strategic, operational and human imperative. The sector must now show the same resolve in addressing mental health as it does in tackling physical safety. Anything less risks leaving the industry structurally unsound at its very foundation.
