The mental health of workers has become a major issue in construction in recent years. Employees’ mental and physical health are often overlooked for a variety of reasons and more firms are recognizing the need for wellness programs. Many construction professional suffer from anxiety and depression, as well as migraines and other physical pain. Here is what you need to know about self-care for construction professionals.
Why Does Self-Care Matter?
Self-care includes the actions, habits, and behaviors people do to improve their physical, emotional, and mental health. Construction work can be demanding whether you work on a job site or at a desk. Between pressing deadlines, long hours, and physical demand, there are many aspects to construction should prompt workers to care for their wellbeing. Construction work often requires professionals to spend time away from home, which can put strains on their personal relationships. If more emphasis isn’t placed on self-care, more workers will experience the effects of stress, such as increased anxiety, burnout, exhaustion, and depression.
Signs Your Team Members Need Self-Care
If your employees are feeling run down, you should become aware of the signs to look for. They may call in sick more than normal. They may show up late to work more often. You might notice they seem disconnected from their team members or disengaged in their work. Other signs to look out for include a lack of focus, irritability, and dependence on alcohol and other substances.
How to Prioritize Self-Care
The first step is to create a culture of openness. Encourage your team to talk about their emotions and to ask for help if they feel alienated or overwhelmed. Your employees may feel embarrassed to talk openly about their problems, so it will likely take perseverance to neutralize some of the stigma around mental health. Making resources readily available to your team members is essential. Create a culture that encourages your team to pursue healthy sleep and dietary habits. Finally, it is imperative you talk candidly about mental health on a regular basis. You can’t tiptoe around the issue. Acknowledge that it is a real problem and make sure your team has easy access to counseling. When you talk openly about mental health, you start to normalize self-care. This will make it easier for employees to ask for help.
Construction is one of the most stressful professions there is, so it’s no surprise workers struggle with mental health issues. Practicing self-care is important because it keeps stress under control, improves engagement, and reduces burnout.
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