NEW research has revealed that more than half of construction workers are not doing anything to relieve stress outside of work.
A survey of more than a thousand UK adults carried out by Obby.co.uk, found that workers in trades such as construction and plumbing are among the worst for taking time to relieve stress, with 51% admitting they do ‘little or nothing’ to manage stress levels.
A lack of free time was cited as the biggest obstacle, while money was a factor for a third of respondents.
Tom Batting, co-founder of Obby.co.uk, said, “It’s extremely worrying how many workers within the trades sectors, such as construction and plumbing, claim they do not prioritise getting the stress relief that is so important for maintaining their mental health. The irony is that this can actually become a vicious cycle – if we don’t make time for stress relief, this can lead to becoming more stressed or even burnout, both of which can reduce productivity further.
“It’s in the managers and bosses’ interests to ensure that employees actually do take measures to manage their stress levels – whether that’s communicating how important this, allowing them flexi-time so that they can attend whatever activity it is that they do to relieve stress, or even providing classes or workshops for their workforce.
“As well as reducing stress, this can positively impact on employees’ focus, concentration and efficiency in the workplace. We see this time and again – employers who provide workers with healthy and stress-busting ‘perks’ like yoga, meditation or even arts and craft workshops reap the rewards in a more productive – and satisfied – workforce.”
