Tradespeople & Mental Health Problems

New research commissioned by IronmongeryDirect for Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May) has found that almost three in five (58%) of tradespeople have experienced some form of mental health problems such as stress, anxiety or depression.

Money worries is the thing that causes most stress, with 38% of tradespeople saying financial situations give them anxiety. Other issues include tension with customers (31%) and suppliers (29%).

The 10 issues which cause the most stress for tradespeople: 

1. Finances (38%)
2. Tensions with customers (31%)
3. Tensions with suppliers (29%)
4. High workload (26%)
5. Tensions with business partners (26%)
6. Job security (21%)
7. Doing the best job for customers (12%)
8. Making mistakes (11%)
9. Abuse from customers (6%)
10. Lack of work (5%)

More than half of female tradespeople (58%) are likely to experience work-related mental health issues, when compared with their male counterparts (41%). In addition to this, causes of stress and anxiety are different for women than they are for men. Women are more likely to feel stressed due to finances and tensions with business partners, at 39% and 29% respectfully; while men are more likely to be affected by high workload (39%) and tensions with suppliers (37%).

Bricklayers are the most likely tradespeople to experience mental health problems, with a shocking 73% admitting to dealing with issues such as stress and anxiety. In contrast, surveyors (18%) are the trade least likely to have poor mental health.

The trades which are most and least likely to have mental health issues are: 

1. Bricklayer (73% say they have them)
2. Joiner (62%)
3. Builder (57%)
4. Electrician (51%)
5. Plumber (50%)
6. Carpenter (49%)
7. Landscaper (42%)
8. Painter/Decorator (36%)
9. Plasterer (22%)
10. Surveyor (18%)

When dealing with mental health problems, nearly half (48%) of tradespeople said they choose to talk to friends and families about their issues. Less than a third (32%) choose to seek counselling, while more than a quarter (28%) take medication.

Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “It’s shocking and saddening to see that mental health problems are so widespread in the industry.

“We feel that it’s vital for the stigma of mental health to be removed from the industry, and whilst we understand it can be difficult to open up, we encourage all tradespeople to talk about their problems. Whether this is with friends and family, your employer, or professional counsellors, speaking about your problems can often be the first step to addressing them.”

The report can be found here.

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