A CONSTRUCTION boss who has battled through anxiety has called for an improvement in mental health in the construction industry, by involving employers and staff alike.
Joining forces with West Kent Mind for Mental Health Awareness Week (May 15-21), Andrew Mann urged people to understand and address the symptoms of anxiety and develop coping mechanisms to support their mental wellbeing.
The founder of Clarity Homes and Commercial said: “Having suffered with anxiety myself, I am fully aware of the effect it can have on people and have seen first-hand how some of the dated attitudes within construction can make it a challenging industry, due to mental health being a hard topic to talk about, and difficult for people to find the support they need.”
The local mental health charity had helped him with his own difficulties, he said.
“Since addressing the issues I was facing I have enjoyed great personal and professional growth and I cannot thank the team at West Kent Mind enough.
“I’m now keen to encourage other leaders within the construction industry to start a positive dialogue about the sector’s culture and how we can change this to create better outcomes for individuals and businesses.
“After all, happy teams are productive teams.”
In his own company, Mr Mann has offered Clarity colleagues access to West Kent Mind’s mental health awareness training and has organised fundraising events.
The charity’s Training and Development Manager, Ceri Hodgkiss said: “Working with Andrew is a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the construction industry in particular – especially given the relatively high risk of poor mental health within this sector.
“We are grateful to have Andrew’s support and experience to help us to create mentally healthy workplaces within the construction industry.”
The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week (May 15-21) this year is anxiety, with a focus on preventing anxiety from getting out of control and becoming a mental health problem.
West Kent Mind offers local services and support, including affordable counselling and training at: westkentmind.org.uk
