A campaign to get construction workers to open up about their mental health after new research* found nearly seven in 10 have suspected a colleague was seriously depressed but felt it too difficult to talk about.

Such is the taboo around the topic that 71% of research respondents admitted to giving their employer a different reason, such as a physical illness, for taking time off for mental health. Nearly four in 10, 39%, would rather quit their job than tell someone at work.

The stark findings are released as St John Ambulance it introduces a mental health first aid course that uses real-life scenarios to train workers to spot hidden signs, start difficult conversations and create workplaces where colleagues feel safe to share their problems.

The campaign hopes to kickstart these vital conversations by sharing limited edition “Hi Vis Stress Vests” with construction companies and celebrities including TV builder Tommy Walsh and construction entrepreneur Daniel Ashville Louisy. The back of each high-visibility jacket features a statement, such as “No-one will miss me when I’m gone”, to express some of the invisible mental distress that many builders don’t feel able to talk about.

The research of 500 construction workers also revealed nearly a third, 31%, describe their current state as “struggling”, “overwhelmed” or “suicidal”, while 82% say they’ve suffered with a mental health challenge at some point in their career in the trade.

Nearly a tenth, 8% have left their job as a result of mental health challenges, while 28% have considered leaving; more than a fifth, 21%, have taken over five sick days for the same reason. Nearly half, 48%, say their current levels of stress and anxiety are having a negative impact on their work.

Peer pressure

Although nearly two-thirds of respondents, 65%, agree it is healthier to share struggles about stress, anxiety or depression, nearly half (48%) think they’ll lose the trust and respect of their colleagues if they don’t put on a brave face. More than a fifth, 22%, believe doing so would be letting the team down, a fifth are too embarrassed and 14% believe they’ll be laughed at.

However, more than half, 54%, of respondents said they would be more likely to share their problems if they had a trained mental health first aider on site. Six in 10, 60%, would like to see their employer do more to support mental health in their workplace.

*St John Ambulance campaign and research