With 29 years of experience as a Managing Director in the construction industry, Rob has seen a lot of individuals face challenges concerning their mental health. His unique experiences have allowed him to observe firsthand the toll that the industry’s demanding nature can take on its workforce.
Through the years, Rob has seen individuals grapple with stress, anxiety, and depression, often brought on by long hours, tight deadlines, and the physically demanding nature of the work. We have been fortunate enough to speak to Rob further about his experiences with mental health within the construction industry in the next segment of our interviews.
What is your job role?
I am a Managing Director.
How long have you been working in the industry?
I have worked in the industry for 29 years.
How have you experienced mental-ill health in the industry?
I have witnessed mental ill health in others over the years. Usually signs of disengagement, agitation, lacking enthusiasm or energy.
I have also experienced mental ill health myself with all of the above symptoms.
Can you tell me about a challenging experience you’ve faced with mental-ill health?
I became aware of a change within myself. I had become anxious and stressed and found it difficult to focus.
I was persuaded to go and speak to someone about it on a weekly basis. This process helped immeasurably and it transpired that the issues were not only work related but also related to my personal life. I had been shutting the door on any stressful situation for years and the room behind the door had become too full to cope.
Seeking help enabled me to deal with the past and also any new stressful situations head on. Understanding the how and why your mind deals with these situations in the way it does is key to controlling the issue before it has the time to manifest.
How would you like to see things change in the industry to raise more awareness for those struggling with their mental health?
I would like to see mental health and wellbeing courses made mandatory for all and mental health ambassadors appointed from within the workforce.
The stigma and taboo needs to change. Noone should feel embarrassed or ashamed if they are struggling. We are all human and all of us go through tough periods in our lives. People are, as a rule, happy to listen. The more people realise that they can open up and talk about their issues, the easier it will be to normalise and control and monitor the narrative.
Why do you think this campaign is so important?
This campaign is important to raise awareness, to not only those in need of help but also for those able to help, spot the signs in order to facilitate support.
To watch Rob’s accompanying video head over to our Instagram and LinkedIn pages. We have one more video to share with you all in our ‘Spot the Signs’ campaign. This comes from one of our own employees and will round off our campaign for now. However, it is essential to acknowledge that the campaign’s objectives remain ongoing, as the issue of mental health within the construction industry continues to be of significant concern.