We’re putting on our walking boots here at gcp. In the Brecon Beacons on 11 August we shall attempt to complete the 32km route between 8am and 6pm.
Beyond the simple fun, we are making it count by fundraising for the fantastic work done by Mind, the mental health charity. Please click here to make contributions to our just giving collection, however small, to help with the really important work they do.
Here at gcp we recognise the importance of supporting mental health in the workplace and have a number of training sessions scheduled for later in the year.
Whilst there is always more work to be done, we are encouraging our employees to strive for the ever-elusive work-life balance and have supported many flexible working options, cycle schemes, further education and extended annual leave for bucket-list-inspiring trips around the World.
We are delighted to support staff-suggested initiatives such as job shares, daily quizzes, group visits to local buildings of interests and lunches at the local pub. We have model making and hand-sketching lunchtimes on the agenda, as well as volleyball matches and mindfulness Lego.
On a day-to-day basis in the office, it is really important to us that we align as much of the work our people do with their personal interests and the things that give them joy.
gcp has a family feel, our summer events include all partners and children. Our staff turnover is incredibly low - we are proud that most of our employees have been with us six or more years - keep your eye on socials over the coming months for interviews with our team members.
We hope you can join us in supporting Mind and the great work they do - if you are unable to donate then why not like our posts and share our just giving page. Join the conversation on socials by following Mind and using the #mindcharity hashtag.
Read on for some statistics and sources of information around mental health and the construction industry.
“Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. They range from common problems, such as depression and anxiety, to rarer problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.”
“Male site workers in construction are three times more likely to commit suicide than the average UK male [...] The statistics as they stand are clearly unacceptable – mental health needs to be made an urgent priority by all employers in the construction industry. ”
and there is so much more still to do across all industries to address this.
“IOSH’s speech highlighted how work-related stress, depression and anxiety have overtaken musculoskeletal disorders as the most reported workplace health issue in the construction industry. the construction industry has more suicides than any other profession, with 454 construction workers taking their own lives in 2016.”