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Why team-building initiatives are crucial for employee wellbeing in the construction industry
As part of Mercury’s on-going commitment to our people we focus on key mental health initiatives each month to ensure our people are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to manage their mental health, with employee wellbeing a key element of our industry-leading safety culture and this month we are focusing on stress awareness.
We facilitate a range of activities for our people to get involved in which encourage employee wellbeing. From football to team brunches, it’s important to us that our people lead fulfilled lives and have healthy outlets to drive team culture and relieve stress.
According to the Construction Industry Federation, 68% of companies believe the construction sector has a serious problem with staff under reporting mental health issues in the workplace, and 44% of employees who experience mental health issues cite a work-related reason.
We are committed to a Mind the Team approach to ensure the workplace is a supportive environment for all employees where they can enjoy what they do, with their mental and physical wellbeing a chief priority.
Those working in the construction industry can face demanding schedules, physically intensive work, and prolonged periods away from loved ones which impact levels of stress, our focus topic this month.
As well as providing monthly training opportunities for a certified Mental Health First Aid course, hosting a variety of talks and stress-related webinars, we have partnered with the team-experience platform PepTalk to provide our people with access to regular team check-ins, fitness challenges, and a range of healthy recipe options to promote work-life balance.
We recently spoke with three Mercury people who are working on some of our dynamic projects across Europe and leading the way in driving team culture and ensuring there are supportive environments for our people to engage in a range of stress-relieving and team-bonding activities, which promote mental and physical wellbeing:
Gavin Moore, Senior Construction Manager.
Location: Frankfurt
“Being involved in Frankfurt GAA provides a much-needed outlet while working abroad. I’ve always been involved in the GAA so to have the option to keep that up while working in Germany has helped provide a bit more balance to my life. Many of my colleagues at Mercury play a part in how the club is progressively evolving on the pitch and the company are great for contributing to and supporting the club. We train every Wednesday evening and it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to meet new people and build a sense of community outside of work, while letting off some steam. We encourage all of our colleagues to come along and have some craic!’’
Hilary McDonnell, QEHS Advisor and Training Lead.
Location: Mercury BIM Hub Maynooth, Ireland.
‘‘My team prioritises wellbeing every day in work. We all take part in a five-minute daily stretch, using the Calm app which helps us to centre ourselves for the day ahead and works to relieve stress. We also do a potluck brunch every few weeks in our office where we get a chance to come together, enjoy food and connect which is a great outlet for everyone, the entire team looks forward to our brunch all week and it’s a fantastic way to end the week on a high.’’
Natalia Aguado, Health and Safety Advisor.
Location: Madrid
‘‘Through our team activities such as playing paddle and soccer we can get to know each other in a relaxed environment. It helps to strengthen the relationships between us and see our colleagues in a new light. The conversations at lunch time revolve around that week’s activity- whether it’s anticipation for the game or chatting about the best goals scored that week. It’s great that we can come together over a common interest for some fun and it’s a fantastic stress reliever after a busy day.’’
Through on-going monthly initiatives, we are committed to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and ensuring all our people are working in supportive team environments where they have the potential to realise the best version of themselves each day.
WELLBEING
At Mercury, we drive a culture of wellbeing that enables our people to succeed and thrive.
The physical and mental wellbeing of our employees is of supreme importance. By cultivating a positive and engaging working environment that supports and nurtures, we believe that our staff are better placed to deliver top-class results.
You can read more about our employee wellbeing strategy by clicking here.
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