Blocking out stressful problems may lead to feelings of helplessness or other negative consequences. In fact, self-disclosure and sharing your thoughts with a close family member, friend, or colleague has been linked to greater resilience.

Dr Olivia Remes

The study, published in the journal Healthcare, investigated stress experiences and the management of stress in office-based and on-site workers in the UK building construction sector. It also investigated the influence that stress has on job performance and personal life.

The construction industry is the largest sector worldwide, and the study’s findings highlight an urgent need for effective strategies to combat workplace stress in this sector.

Job stress is estimated to cost the UK economy £28 billion annually, while in the United States and other parts of the world, the financial toll is also high. Stress can lead to decreased productivity, increased sickness, and higher employee turnover. If left unmanaged, chronic stress poses serious risks to physical and mental health, and can lead to chronic illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.

The study gathered data from participants in the UK building construction sector. Key findings indicate that 70% of participants reported their jobs as being either moderately stressful, very stressful, or extremely stressful. Meanwhile, 80% of people signalled that work stress can negatively impact their jobs, and 75% indicated that stress can negatively impact their personal lives. The major sources of stress were found to be high workloads, tight deadlines, and situations not being under one’s control.

The study showed that people coped with stress differently. Some participants tried “blocking it out”, while others tried to find solutions or relied on close others.

Dr Olivia Remes, study co-author and a mental health researcher at the Cambridge Laing O’Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering and Technology in the Department of Engineering, indicated the importance of coping mechanisms:

“Blocking out stressful problems may lead to feelings of helplessness or other negative consequences,” she said. “Instead, connecting with supportive others during stressful times can be more effective. In fact, self-disclosure and sharing your thoughts with a close family member, friend, or colleague has been linked to greater resilience.”   

Study co-author Rachel Blair Winkler, a University of Cambridge Construction Engineering Masters alumna and Executive MBA candidate at the University of Oxford, further advised on the necessity of tailored programmes that consider the individual and also the context; in particular, the environment and company culture:

“It’s essential to consider various professional responsibilities, environmental conditions, and organisational cultures when developing wellbeing initiatives,” she said. “This will be one of the next steps in the research.”

Reference:
Rachel Blair Winkler; Campbell Middleton; Olivia Remes. ‘Work-related stress and coping: a comparative analysis of on-site and office-based workers in UK building construction’. Healthcare (2024). DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12212117