Mental balance and productivity in the construction industry

A very recent study shows that the mental health of construction workers around the globe is deeply influenced by very specific psychosocial hazards. These social factors represent common, but also dangerous social threats to people’s productivity and mental balance.

The mental health of the construction workforce is an important safety concern for the construction industry, so the debate on this topic is more open than ever.
According to the study, published on Safety Science in September 2021 by C. Sun (et. al), role conflict, job insecurity, and interpersonal conflict deeply affect the workers’ mental balance, causing them distress on the workplace.

Why is that so and what can we do about it?

The temporary nature of construction projects dissuades employers from offering permanent positions, which leads to job insecurity.
Role and interpersonal conflicts arise within workplaces characterized by high job demands and low job resources, which is typical of the construction industry. However, they also propagate where miscommunication and lack of information are predominant. In the short term, we cannot do much about the former, but we can do a lot about the latter.
Internationally, workers are asking for more job support, better reward and recognition systems and a higher level of job control (which is not widespread within construction teams).
Above all, they demand to be heard.

Therefore, speaking and communication skills are to be considered crucial in order to strengthen the workers’ performance and help them to develop positive coping mechanisms. They are important for both, workers and employers. Associates should learn how to work in groups, respecting the different roles and positions, but also to speak and act assertively. Employers, on the other hand, should be taught how to listen and act accordingly, to the benefit of the firm and the construction industry as a whole.

Orlando locks wishes to play an active role on such important topics, which affect the entire community’s well-being.
For this reason, our employees and management are specifically trained on communication’s topics, for the route to success of a firm is strictly connected with the personal growth of its human resources.

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