Research carried out by Aquarius Life as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May) has found that 78% of construction employees in the Midlands experience stress that they struggle to cope with, with 2% admitting turning to alcohol or drugs to help deal with stress or pressure
While 42% of respondents confirmed that the use of alcohol or drugs is having a negative impact on their own work performance, 63% of the people surveyed also raised concerns about the negative impact of pressure and stress on the performance of their co-workers. The results of the survey found that over a quarter (28%) of respondents have suspected a colleague of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while in the workplace.
Despite these findings about the stresses and pressure, construction employees are not willing to confide in their employer about the pressure or personal issues they are experiencing, with 50% stating they do not feel comfortable confiding in anyone at work and over half (52%) are not willing to confide in their manager because they don’t want them to know about their personal struggles. In fact, 75% of respondents claim to actively mask the way they are feeling at work when struggling to cope with pressure or stress.
The research carried out by Aquarius Life highlights that organisations in the Midlands must do more to offer meaningful support to their employees to manage their overall physical and mental wellbeing. 76% of respondents said they were unsure of the support available to them at work to help them with pressure, stress or personal issues and 80% felt there wasn’t enough support at work to help them.
The stark findings of this survey have led Aquarius to set up its new service, Aquarius Life, which works in partnership with employers across the Midlands and beyond to help create a positive culture of wellbeing in the workplace and provide support to managers and their employees.
Annette Fleming, CEO of Aquarius, said: “The results of our latest research are clear – at times, most of us can find it hard to deal with the day-to-day pressures of balancing our work and personal lives. In fact, 78% of construction employees in the Midlands confirm they experience stress that they struggle to cope with. That’s why, we believe it’s time for employers to act.
“We believe that organisations play an important role in supporting their employees’ wellbeing – in and outside the workplace. By supporting employees, companies can expect to see a positive impact on their bottom line. An engaged, motivated and supported workforce can lead to improved productivity. Better job satisfaction will lead to a reduction in recruitment costs. By working with organisations to support their employees, we hope to make a real impact on the wellbeing of the workforce and the organisation’s overall performance.
“All of the support services we have developed at Aquarius over the last 40 years have been underpinned by robust research and evidence – research was where our journey began and we are proud to continue that tradition in 2018.”
To mark the launch of this new service, Aquarius Life has created a handy guide for organisations, which is downloadable from the Aquarius Life website. The guide provides a step-by-step process for creating a healthy workplace, as well as useful signs to look out for when spotting an employee who may be struggling, and outlines the money organisations could save by investing in the wellbeing of their workforce.
For more information on Aquarius Life and to download the guide, visit aquariuslife.org.uk. Alternatively, call 0121 6228181 or email aquariuslife@aquarius.org.uk.
