The Glass & Glazing Federation (GGF) has become a supporter of Mates in Mind, a leading charity that aims to raise awareness of and improve mental health across the construction industry and related sectors.
According to Mates in Mind, three in five employees working in construction have experienced a mental health condition with 73% reporting that their employers do not recognise the early signs of mental health problems.
As a result, construction workers are 3.7 times more likely to take their own life compared to the average population.
Established in 2016, Mates in Mind has enabled hundreds of organisations to transform their mental health culture, developing a suite of tools and initiatives designed to enable supporting organisations to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace.
The GGF is currently undertaking its first steps of a planned, three-year process to improve its leadership around the promotion of positive mental wellbeing within Group Companies.
As a result, the Federation is offering a 10% discount to Members who also want to become a Mates in Mind supporter.
Supporting companies gain exclusive access to a range of resources, training and support that’s designed to help establish a workplace mental health program. This includes an annual assessment; a free, employee focused ‘Start the Conversation’ course; access to a dedicated Support Manager; free management level courses and discounted counselling support for staff members.
Tom Butler, Head of Sales & Marketing at the GGF, commented: “Mental health is a major issue for the construction industry and related sectors, including fenestration.
“Businesses should be doing all they can to raise awareness and understanding of mental health and to support all members of staff with help if they need it, but they need to recognise it’s even more of a challenge for employees who spend extended periods of time on site.
“That’s because moving from site to site, with no permanent place of work and in many cases having limited face-to-face contact with other people can often prevent workers from seeking help if they need it,” he continued.
“And since Covid, it’s not just those who are away on site that are vulnerable, there are plenty of workers who now operate remotely or who are required to spend extensive periods of time away from home.
“By supporting Mates In Mind, and by offering GGF Member organisations a discounted rate to become Supporters themselves, we are aiming to reduce the stigma of mental health and provide clear information to employers about the guidance available to establish more open and supportive cultures within the workplace.”
