Are your employees happy? How do you keep your teams mentally and physically healthy?
President Theodore Roosevelt once said: "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care".
The health and well-being of workers is rarely a topic of conversation. When it does come up, it's usually about safety and occupational health. In an industry like construction, where the physical and mental strain is higher than in most other industries, Roosevelt's words hit the mark.
Health and wellbeing in the construction industry is not talked about regularly enough, and when it is, it's usually about general safety and prevention. That's part of it, of course, but the mental health and wellbeing of individual workers is often overlooked. However, it's important that you look after your employees so that they feel safe, valued and happy - which in turn reduces the number of workplace accidents and increases morale, efficiency and profitability.
If your goal is to create a harmonious working atmosphere, it's imperative that you know the right way to do it. Even if you're a top-notch construction company, it's possible that your employees are unhappy because management is unaware of their problems or concerns. That's why we've put together a list of 6 key tips you can use to encourage your employees and improve their mental wellbeing.
1. Building a safety culture in the construction industry
When it comes to your employees, safety is the be-all and end-all.
The physical hazards associated with working in construction are an issue that needs to be addressed first. Although safety standards in the industry are improving, there is still a need for construction companies that are willing to go above and beyond the minimum requirements to ensure the safety of their workers. It is they who will win the loyalty and respect of their workers.
Ensuring safety on site starts before workers arrive on site. This includes better communication, anticipating potential risks and building a safety culture on site. Everything from machine checks to hydration breaks will help ensure the safety of your workers and show how much you care about them.
2. Focus on mental health
Don't neglect the stress levels and mental health of your employees.
Looking after the mental wellbeing of your employees is another extremely important factor in ensuring that they can do their work happily and in good health. Long, strenuous working hours under high pressure to perform take their toll on the body and mind. Recently, even more has become known about some of the lasting effects. For example, statistics on substance abuse in construction are often alarming compared to other industries and are a major problem for the industry.
Promoting a healthy work-life balance, time for recovery and a psychologically safe environment are all important factors in creating a culture of good mental health and therefore a healthy workforce.
3. Offer good salaries and benefits
A good salary and good additional benefits ensure that your teams are motivated and satisfied.
Another way to keep your employees mentally stimulated is to ensure that they receive adequate compensation for their work and the risk involved. Employees who feel that their work is not truly valued are more likely to be dissatisfied, unhappy and disruptive to the workflow. In addition, workers are struggling to provide for themselves and their families due to record inflation.
Paying higher wages has been proven to increase morale and productivity and reduce staff turnover. Paying your employees decent wages and benefits goes a long way to creating a culture of care and loyalty within the company.
4. Promoting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI)
Culturally diverse teams are often the driving force behind stronger, more successful projects.
DEI is an important factor in creating an environment that is psychologically safe and where employees can thrive. An organization that values DEI creates a culture in which all employees feel valued and in which all individual characteristics and unique qualities are encouraged. Such an organization views the integration of human differences as essential to building a healthy and innovative culture.
When DEI programs are upwardly approved by the board and properly administered, they can transform company culture, morale and productivity. Many contractors have incorporated robust DEI programs into their organizations in recent years, which have had a positive impact, both in hiring during labor shortages and in career development and diversification at the executive level.
Learn more about Trimble's DEI program here.
5. Promote professional learning and career opportunities
Continuous education, training and career development will boost both your teams' skills and morale.
Speaking of professional development, one of the best ways to show your employees that you care about them is to offer them opportunities to better themselves and their careers. In today's workplace, employees are less and less willing to stay in a stagnant job and are looking for more flexible positions that offer them the opportunity to grow and learn.
When you focus on training your employees, they will feel better prepared and more confident at work. In addition, apprenticeship programs can give your employees the opportunity to hone their skills while building loyalty. This lowers turnover and helps to build your staff from within, creating a culture that is well-connected and exudes confidence.
6. Provide the right tools and technologies
Don't let your employees torture themselves with alternately difficult tasks. Give them the right technologies and tools so they can work smarter, not harder.
The sixth way to take care of your employees is to provide them with the best tools and technology. Without these, employees are more likely to feel underprepared, mentally stressed and unappreciated. Furthermore, without the right tools or technology, overall productivity decreases. Quality tools and good technology in the form of new machines or the best connected construction software help workers perform their tasks to the best of their ability, which boosts their confidence, reduces stress and increases productivity.
Switching tools and technologies can sometimes be a daunting task for an organization, but the rewards are worth the effort. Be sure to adopt technologies that streamline traditional construction processes, making it easier for employees to do their jobs and eliminating labor-intensive processes.
Switching to a cloud-hosted project management tool, for example, can make your workflows more efficient and manageable, saving you time and money. And let your employees do their own tasks, such as certain time management tasks, or compile their own detailed data and reports using simple tools. This gives employees a greater sense of ownership and involvement in the well-functioning processes that keep your business running.
From project management to estimating, Trimble helps companies like yours succeed in many ways. Our construction software makes it easy for you to present yourself professionally and keep track of jobs, equipment and team members. But running a construction company isn't just about creating quotes, staying on budget and generating revenue. So make sure you stay in touch with your employees and promote their mental health, whether they're working in the office, out in the field or as part of the team on site.
