Mental health problems affect one in four, yet people are still afraid to talk about it and the construction industry stats are even scarier. More than 1,400 construction workers took their own lives between 2011 and 2015. Of the 13,232 in-work suicides recorded by the Office for National Statistics, those within the skilled construction and building trades made up 13.2 per cent – despite construction accounting for little over 7 per cent of the UK workforce. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to talk about mental health with the aim to bring these figures down and change the way we think about mental health.
This years’ Time to Talk Day theme is ‘Would you rather?’ the charity Time to Change know that talking about mental health can feel awkward, but it doesn't have to. This year, they are using the popular game 'Would you rather?' to help break the ice and get the conversation flowing.
Kimberley Clay, PR Coordinator at E G Carter & Co Ltd said “If we can get our employees to spend just 10 minutes supporting one another around issues regarding mental health then we are slowly, but surely breaking that stigma. Mental health is something that E G Carter & Co Ltd take very seriously and if we can support days like this on a regular basis then we know we are supporting our employee’s welfare.”
www.time-to-change.org.uk
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/data/data-news/suicide-statistics-a-wake-up-call-for-construction-28-03-2017/