Dartmouth, NS — Forty per cent of the construction workers in Nova Scotia are considering leaving work due to stress, reports the Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS).
The CSNS conducted a mental health survey in the spring of 2024, which polled 1,717 construction workers. The findings revealed that high stress levels are at the centre of some of the industry’s leading mental and physical health challenges.
In addition to those considering leaving due to stress, 36 per cent of respondents stated they experienced high to extremely high levels of stress, which directly affected their productivity, safety, and turnover.
Regarding safety, the report highlights that high-stress environments lead to 60 per cent more workplace incidents.
While on the job, 33 per cent of workplace stress was linked directly to manager interactions. Furthermore, 37 per cent of the respondents stated they were dissatisfied with their relationship with their manager.
The report also showed that 26 per cent of respondents regularly use alcohol or drugs to cope with stress and that 35 per cent of workers report experiencing discrimination or harassment, nearly doubling their risk of poor mental health.
Additionally, 50 per cent of workers stated they did not feel comfortable discussing their mental health challenges with co-workers.
Despite the challenges discovered regarding mental health, the report revealed that 81 per cent of workers find genuine purpose in their work, 85 per cent clearly understand their job expectations, and 74 per cent feel they are part of a cohesive team.