By Patrick Hogan, handle.com
The construction industry is built on a foundation of resilience. It designs buildings to withstand hurricanes, foundations to resist seismic shifts, and materials to endure years of wear and tear. Engineering for strength and safety is paramount, with little left to chance. Teams arrive on job sites outfitted with the best physical protection available: hardhats, high visibility vests, steel toed boots, and fall protection harnesses. Robust policies for physical safety, including toolbox talks and safety stand downs, are a non negotiable part of the daily rhythm.
Yet an essential dimension of safety often receives less focus: the resilience required to handle the psychological pressures of construction.
Construction workers consistently register among the highest suicide rates of any industry. In 2021, the suicide rate among male construction workers was 56 per 100,000, significantly higher than the 32 per 100,000 rate for all working age men, making the industry second only to mining in risk level (CDC, MMWR 2023). Another study found that almost one fifth of suicide deaths across all industries occurred within construction, despite the workforce representing only 7.4 percent of total employment (PubMed 2023).
Tight deadlines, long hours, financial pressures, physically demanding tasks and a culture of toughness create risks that policy or annual training alone cannot solve. Mental health pressures also accumulate over time, with untreated stress often leading to substance misuse, chronic fatigue, and higher turnover. Building psychological resilience demands the same level of planning and consistency applied to physical safety. It requires resilience by design.
Leadership as a Cultural Blueprint
On every job site, leaders shape culture. The actions and priorities of project managers, superintendents, and foremen influence whether workers feel pressured to hide stress or supported in speaking openly. Leadership that recognizes mental strain as a predictable factor in construction helps normalize conversations and reduces stigma. Crews that see well being addressed alongside safety are more likely to stay engaged, communicate concerns, and remain attentive to hazards.
The influence of leadership extends to company outcomes. Workers who feel supported report higher job satisfaction and are less likely to leave for competitors. Teams with clear communication and trust also experience fewer job site disruptions. In an industry where retention of skilled workers is a critical challenge, leadership’s commitment to resilience can be as important as pay or scheduling in building loyalty.
Practical Frameworks for Building Resilient Teams
Addressing mental health does not require large budgets but it does require steady leadership. Three strategies are especially effective:
- Open communication
Stigma remains the most significant barrier. Integrating mental health into toolbox talks or safety meetings signals that well being is part of overall safety. Normalizing discussion of stress during high pressure phases reinforces that stress is a manageable challenge, not an individual weakness. Even brief, consistent reminders create an environment where concerns can be raised without fear of judgment.
- Early recognition and response
Warning signs such as irritability, declining work quality, lateness, withdrawal, or near misses may indicate distress. A simple private check in can prevent escalation. Training such as Mental Health First Aid equips leaders to hold supportive conversations and connect workers with professional resources. Acting early not only helps the individual but also reduces ripple effects across crews that can slow schedules or compromise safety.
- Championing resources
Employee Assistance Programs are available in many companies but are often underused. Awareness and trust are key. Posting program contacts in break areas, adding reminders to hardhats, and reinforcing confidentiality can increase utilization. Peer mentoring programs, pairing newer workers with experienced colleagues, provide another layer of support while also strengthening skills transfer across the workforce.
Recent research confirms that leadership training improves support for employees’ mental health, increases use of resources, and enhances overall well being in construction teams (CPWR, 2023 Worker Mental Health Assessment). Embedding these practices strengthens crews and helps position companies as employers of choice in a competitive labor market.
A Foundation for Long Term Safety
Protecting mental health is inseparable from protecting physical safety. A workforce that is mentally resilient is more productive, less prone to incidents, and more likely to remain with the company. Leadership decisions define how resilience is built and sustained. Even small actions, such as acknowledging stress during project meetings, reminding teams of available resources, and modeling open communication, lay the groundwork for stronger outcomes.
Resilience in construction has always required design, planning, and discipline. The same approach applied to mental health produces measurable gains in safety performance, workforce stability, and project delivery. By treating psychological resilience as an integral part of safety management, companies strengthen their operations and secure long term results for both their projects and their people.
About the Author:
Patrick Hogan is the CEO of Handle.com, where they build software that helps contractors and material suppliers with lien management and payment compliance. The biggest names in construction use Handle on a daily basis to save time and money while improving efficiency.