According to a new survey, depression, fatigue, and burnout were found to have the greatest negative impact on construction productivity in the UK
The survey, Britain’s Healthiest Workplace, found that 6% of construction workers suffer from depression, and 13% have experienced burnout.
UK construction productivity is also affected by fatigue, with 44% of the workforce reporting feeling ‘fatigued’ or ‘very tired’ at least once per week.
Causes of fatigue among construction workers
The primary causes of employee fatigue in the construction industry are insufficient restorative sleep and excessive work hours.
According to the survey, 18% of construction workers struggle with obtaining quality sleep, and 33% sleep less than seven hours per night.
The impact on physical health cannot be overlooked
In all industries, a poor diet (failing to eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables daily), musculoskeletal conditions, and lack of physical activity contribute to increased lost time by 14%, 54%, and 28%, respectively.
Within the construction industry, 56% of workers have a poor diet and 21% are classified as obese (BMI > 30).
The survey found that 50% suffer from at least two types of musculoskeletal conditions, and 37% are physically inactive (less than 150 minutes of activity per week).
Employees in the construction industry do not feel their workplace supports their wellbeing
Despite the clear correlation between health and construction productivity, employees in the industry feel that their workplace culture does not adequately support their wellbeing.
The survey found that 29% of construction workers believe their employer should play a more active role in helping them maintain their wellbeing.
One in four employees use health initiatives offered by employer
Companies are making efforts to address this issue, with employers providing an average of 47 ‘interventions’ to tackle health problems.
However, only 25% of surveyed individuals reported utilising these measures.
The benefits of engaging with health interventions are clear, as 85% of those who use the initiatives offered by their employer find them beneficial.
