We’re a day early this week, but today, October 10, is World Mental Health Day, and it felt fitting to move Wellness Wednesday up.
This year’s World Mental Health Day theme is “Mental health is a universal right.” No one should have to suffer through poor mental health, and everyone deserves to be able to talk about what they’re feeling. At ICBA Wellness, we work every day to encourage our members to build a workplace culture that pushes back against the stigma of mental health, and to give time and space to talk about these issues.
Here are three questions that can be asked on site, that could spark important conversations, without being judgmental. They should come from a place of curiosity and concern, and with the understanding that the questioner should also answer honestly:
- How do you manage stress or tough days?
- Do you feel like we have enough support here when things get tough mentally?
- Have you ever felt overwhelmed or burnt out? How did you handle it?
Our construction professionals do everything they can to make sites safe. It has been heartening to see them take the same approach to mental health. There’s always more work to do, but we’re making real progress.
Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 100 companies and more than 10,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.
