Nearly a third of tradespeople are considering leaving the industry1, which adds to the UK’s already critical shortage of skilled workers2, says new research.
Conducted by health and safety experts Arco, the Trade Talent Gap research1 surveyed 500 tradespeople and found that 31 per cent would consider leaving the industry.
April marks National Stress Awareness Month, which is observed annually, to increase public awareness of the negative impact of stress. The upcoming event comes as Arco’s study reveals that one in four tradespeople have reported experiencing mental health challenges linked to their work.
People working as window fabricators, bricklayers and building surveyors were among those most likely to be seeking a career switch.
When it comes to mental health support, nearly a third (31 per cent) of tradespeople believe that the industry lacks sufficient resources.
Some of the top challenges that tradespeople experience in their roles include: managing workloads (35 per cent), dealing with difficult clients (32 per cent) and health and safety (24 per cent). Finding enough work and the physically demanding nature of the job also affected nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of these workers.
Workers aged 25-34 were the most likely to have experienced work-related mental health challenges, with 35 per cent reporting such issues. The youngest employees (18-24) were most likely to believe that the industry should be doing more to support mental health (34 per cent)
Among the reasons for considering a career change, six per cent of tradespeople reported mental health concerns, one in 10 had experienced burnout and 13 per cent struggled with their work-life balance.
The team at Arco commented: “The trades industry must address these issues head-on. There needs to be better support available for tradespeople, including access to mental health resources, training on stress management and initiatives to improve work-life balance.
“Failure to do so will only exacerbate the existing mental health crisis and lead to a further decline in the workforce.
“Earlier this year we pledged to donate a share of our profits from Arco brand hard hat sales to the Mental Health Foundation, our partnership is aimed to help protect heads ‘inside and out’.
“Through this and other initiatives, we have raised over £14,000 for the UK’s leading charity for mental health and are continuing to look at what more we can do as a business to support these issues.”
Find out more information about the Arco’s partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, visit the website here.
Top ten tradespeople considering leaving the industry
1. Window fabricator – 71%
2. Bricklayer – 55%
3. Building surveyor – 54%
4. Caretaker – 41%
5. Roofer – 36%
6. Carpenter – 35%
7. Plumber – 35%
8. Locksmith – 33%
9. Landscaper – 30%
10. Plasterer – 28%
If you are struggling with your mental health, there are many resources available to help, including:
- The Mind UK support line is open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays) on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 – the helpline is available 24 hours a day/365 day a year.
- Contact NHS 111 any time to access support for your health. To get urgent mental health support, call 111 and select option 2.
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