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Mental Health in the Trades: 2024 Report | Ironmongery
In line with Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, we once again surveyed UK tradespeople to highlight the issue of work-related stress within the industry. This report reveals the scale of the problem, how things have changed since last year, the most common causes of stress, the impact it has on tradespeople's lives and, crucially, what you can do if this affects you.
Who’s affected?
Worryingly, more than four in five UK tradespeople (82%) say they’ve experienced some form of mental health problem due to work, such as stress, anxiety or depression. Many of these individuals experience such issues on a regular basis, with more than a quarter (27%) reporting symptoms every week and two in five (40%) every fortnight. Shockingly, more than half (56%) experience work- related stress at least once a month.
Some tradespeople are more likely to experience mental health issues than others.
Regarding age, the younger generations are more likely to face these challenges, with 93% of millennials (25-34 years old) reporting some form of mental health issue, and 91% of Gen Z (18-24). However, it is those aged 35 to 44 who face such conditions most often, with one in eight (13%) struggling daily.
Causes
The causes of these mental health issues are incredibly varied and will differ for every individual. However, the ongoing Cost of Living crisis is once more the number one concern, as it was last year, with more than a third (34%) saying it's a major cause of stress. One in six (16%) say the situation has made their mental health worse.
The rising cost of materials also continues to be second main stressor (32%), followed by other financial factors (25%).
Poor work-life balance (24%), the physical demand of jobs (12%) and long workdays (10%) all featured higher up the list this year than in previous reports, as did the lack of sleep (8%). Earlier this year, our study explored the physical toll of a life in the trades, with more than one in five (21%) workers experiencing hearing problems.
Workload is on the mind of young tradespeople, with a third of Gen Z workers (33%) feeling unsettled by the scale of their workload. Our recent research found that the average trade waiting list in 2024 is five weeks, largely due to staff and skill shortages.
What’s the impact?
These stressors have a significant impact, and 8% of UK tradespeople have taken or are taking anti-depressants or some form of similar medication, up from 6% last year. Moreover, 5% have needed professional help from a counsellor or therapist. This number should probably be higher too, as nine in ten (90%) workers say they don’t know how to access mental health support services.
Mental health issues have also caused one in six (16%) to take time off work, and this is another statistic that has risen over the last 12 months (from 14%). This is most common amongst Millennial tradespeople, with more than a quarter (28%) having taken a leave of absence due to stress.
These figures are also lower than they should be, as more than a quarter (26%) of tradespeople say they feel like they can't take time off work for mental health reasons.
By trade
Mental health issues are far more common in some trades than others. Joiners are the most likely tradespeople to experience problems, with almost all of those surveyed (92%) admitting symptoms. The rising cost of materials is their main cause of anxiety (41%).
They are followed by bricklayers (90%), who primarily worry about the Cost of Living crisis (27%).
What can you do?
One of the most positive ways to begin addressing mental health issues is to open up and talk to someone about what you are going through, no matter how difficult that may be. Unfortunately, just one in ten (10%) tradespeople have spoken to friends or family about their problems, down from 17% last year, with Gen Z (6%) and Millennials (8%) the least likely to do so.
Almost nine in ten (88%) say they don't feel comfortable talking about their mental health with others.
Furthermore, 7% of UK tradespeople say they worry what others would think if they told them about their mental health situation.
To help break this stigma, be sure to check in on your colleagues, employees, friends and family and ask how they are. Do this regularly to show your support and open up the conversation for you to both discuss worries if necessary.
Employers should make an effort to invest in mental health training, so you know what signs to look for and how to help anyone who needs support.
*[1] Survey of 500 UK tradespeople conducted by The Leadership Factor on behalf of IronmongeryDirect in 2024
Source: Ironmongery
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