| | DECEMBER - 2022MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM19"People think it's a personal issue and not a business issue. But it's absolutely a business issue," she also said. "From an economic perspective, it's been indicated that by 2030, depression will be the leading cause of lost productivity in all economically advanced countries."The construction industry is one of the highest industries when it comes to rates of suicide attempts, suicides and substance abuse. Combined with that information is that the construction industry is welcoming and encouraging former military personnel to join the ranks of craft personnel and project management. Suicide rates among persons with a military background has been reported to be as many as 22 persons per day. That alone should be alarming and a call to action. The mindset for both construction and the military is similar ­ you have to be tough; you have to be strong; you have to be stoic. There are many other contributing factors, but these three alone should be enough for managers in human resources or operations to be concerned. As in the case of my company, the HR department assures that we receive training in our corporate code of conduct, drug-free workplace policies, non-discrimination, sexual harassment, workplace bullying and more, but there are no required courses in mental health, mental well-being, awareness of psychological issues or more. Salaried employees have access to career educational opportunities, but these are not typically something that a field worker would be aware of. As I was researching for this article I quickly found a half dozen programs, books, and videos on prevention of psychological problems in the workplace, asking for help with mental health, a first aid guide to mental health awareness, a practical guide for mental health and well-being and emotional intelligence, but we had not looked at what was going on outside the corporate offices. In 2021, NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) listed some facts:· One in five adults experience a mental health condition each year. (personal note: I believe that during the height of the pandemic, that proportion was significantly higher ­ in fact, a study conducted by Vida Health in late 2020, 88 percent of the participants said they had experienced one or more of the depression symptoms during Covid-19. Of the 88 percent, 52 percent said they had lost interest in doing things, 52 percent had trouble sleeping, and 51 percent said they felt hopeless. One out of six participants said they started therapy, and 15 percent have begun taking medication, while another 15 percent have increased medication dosage during the pandemic. A surprisingly 47 percent noted that they felt getting mental health help was a sign of weakness.)· Less than half adults (43 percent) with a mental health condition receive care.Organizations need to advocate for mental health reform, including easier access to care, and more than anything, creating access to programs and resources to educate people about mental illness
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