Increasing mental health awareness at S-FABS

January is often dubbed as the ‘most depressing month’, with Blue Monday – typically the third Monday of January – supposedly the ‘most depressing day’ of the year. While these statements are totally unofficial and of course ignore how unique a person’s mental health is, most would agree it’s a pretty gloomy time. Nine times out of ten the weather is rubbish, there’s still weeks to go until payday, and the festive season feels like a distant memory. 

As we move into February, the slog of January feels like a pertinent reminder to check in with ourselves. The post-Christmas back-to-reality can hit hard, but our mental health is something we should take care of the whole year round.

As a predominantly male workforce, we’re acutely aware of the growing concern and lack of conversation around men’s mental health. Too often, there’s a tendency to brush things under the carpet and feel it’s not something we should bother about. And what’s more, while the suicide rate is considerably higher for men than women, it’s also been proven that the risk for workers in the construction industry is 3.7 times higher than the national average.

Our work involves unique pressures – whether it’s tight contracts, long hours, or high-pressure situations, coupled with the culture of silence seemingly prevalent among men.

We wouldn’t be the S-FABS we are today without each and every member of our team. Structural steel fabrication is not a one-person job. Everyone contributes something unique, and we strive to invest in initiatives that bring our team together, make their lives easier, and ensure they feel recognised. But something we can’t offer a one-stop fix for is how our employees truly feel – and who they bring to work every day.

That’s why Tom Male, our Commercial Director, recently completed the HSQE Mental Health Awareness course. As a member of our founding family whose work spans every department, we felt he was the right person to put forward.

The course covered an array of topical issues, including the most common mental health problems, the stigma surrounding them, and tips to successfully navigate conversations about someone’s mental health. Our hope was to equip Tom with new knowledge that will not only help us recognise the warning signs of a mental health issue, but feel ready to understand and actively support our staff through it. Tom came back to the office ready to share his learnings with the rest of our leadership team.

Speaking of his experience, Tom said:

“I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to learn about mental health in more depth. The course was incredibly insightful, but more than anything, it was a reminder that you often don’t know what someone is going through behind the scenes, so it never hurts to simply check in.”

We know one course isn’t enough to instigate instant, monumental change. However, it could help our staff feel supported on a deeper level than their day-to-day S-FABS role – and to us, that’s a win. They all spend a significant portion of their week at work, so the least we can do is kickstart new initiatives to ensure it’s a totally safe, comfortable space.