Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “Over the last few months, there have been small signs of recovery for the construction industry, but the latest ONS data is the strongest indication yet that the sector is truly getting back on its feet. “The number of employed construction workers rose by
Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect & ElectricalDirect, has commented on the latest furlough figures for the construction industry: “This morning, the Office for National Statistics released the latest figures for the government’s job retention scheme and it’s natural for them to be a bit concerning. “The number of construction
Too much work, time pressures and unprepared customers – these are the top three causes of stress at work, according to a new survey of almost 600 tradespeople by IronmongeryDirect. Work-related stress and mental illness now account for over half of all lost work days in the UK*. However, despite
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “Over the last few months, there have been small signs of recovery for the construction industry, but the latest ONS data is the strongest indication yet that the sector is truly getting back on its feet. “The number of employed construction workers rose by 15,000 between January and March to 2.155 million and this is the first time the industry has seen an increase since the equivalent period two years ago in 2019. “This was mainly driven by a staggering 9% increase in the number of women employed in UK construction, with the number rising to 309,000. “Accordingly, the number of unemployed construction workers fell by 10,000 over the quarter to 62,000, which is the lowest figure since May-July 2020. This is still higher than pre-Covid levels, but things are certainly going in the right direction. “For those who are working, job security and stability seem to be improving too. Redundancies fell by over 20% to just 7,000 – the lowest amount since April-June last year – and the average number of hours worked each week increased by two to 34.3. While still down year-on-year, this is the highest average in four months. “This uplift has led to an increase in earnings. Average weekly income for construction workers grew by £34 to £676 in March, which is the single biggest monthly increase in two years, since March 2019. “It would be naive to say that the industry is back to normal, with many of the figures yet to return to the levels we saw before the pandemic, but the data shows that in many areas, things are looking up for UK construction, and long may that continue.” For more information on IronmongeryDirect, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/
Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect & ElectricalDirect, has commented on the latest furlough figures for the construction industry: “This morning, the Office for National Statistics released the latest figures for the government’s job retention scheme and it’s natural for them to be a bit concerning. “The number of construction workers that have been furloughed has risen to 769,300, up by 17,300 from July. Three in five (60%) employees in the industry are now being paid by the scheme. “The number of employers having to sign up also rose, with 174,000 now enrolled (up from 171,400). This means that over three-quarters (76%) of construction companies are now furloughing at least some of their workforce. “As a result, the value of claims for furlough payments increased too. In August, construction employers claimed £2,931m to help pay their staff, up £324m from the previous month. “Some areas of the country are having to rely on the scheme more than others. The South West of England has furloughed the highest percentage of its construction workers (63%). The least affected is the South East of England (55%), although it experienced the UK’s equal highest rise between July and August (2%), with 2,500 more employees furloughed. “However, Scotland remains the worst hit, with a staggering 73% of its construction workforce (89,200 out of 121,500) being paid by the government. Northern Ireland is a close second, with 71% currently furloughed, with Wales and England a little behind (62% and 58% respectively). “It is positive that so many construction workers are receiving income during these difficult times, rather than companies simply making them redundant. However, when the furlough scheme ends at the end of October, we need to hope that the demand for work is great enough that employers don’t need to let staff go. “Thankfully, there are some positive signs that this might be the case, as while construction output remains around a quarter (24.8%) lower than it was pre-lockdown, it increased by 23.5% between May and June – the greatest rise since records began.” For more information about IronmongeryDirect, visit: www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/.
Too much work, time pressures and unprepared customers – these are the top three causes of stress at work, according to a new survey of almost 600 tradespeople by IronmongeryDirect. Work-related stress and mental illness now account for over half of all lost work days in the UK*. However, despite this, the survey found that only 11% of tradespeople have taken any time off work in the last year because of mental ill-health. With over a third (34%) reporting regularly feeling stressed, this research paints a worrying picture. Almost half of the 587 respondents (43%) also believe there is still a stigma in the trades surrounding mental health, with respondents citing a ‘macho culture’, embarrassment, weakness and pressure to ‘get the job done’ as some of the contributing factors. The survey also revealed some generational differences, with tradespeople aged 18 to 30 being 20% more likely to talk about their mental health at work than their peers in the 50 plus age group. Despite the pressures of the day job, over half (56%) still feel that they have a good work/life balance, which is significantly higher than the national average of 33%** for all working people. The most commonly reported ways to relax when off the job include watching TV, walking the dog, and spending time with friends and family. Commenting on the survey findings, Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director of IronmongeryDirect, said: “This survey has revealed an interesting insight into the physical and mental wellbeing of people working in the trades. Although great progress has been made across the sector when it comes to talking about workplace mental illness, it is clear that there is still a way to go and it’s vital that employers spot the signs of mental ill-health and create the right environment where staff feel they can speak up. It is very positive, however, to see that despite working in a demanding industry, many tradespeople still have a high level of job satisfaction and feel that their employer cares about their general wellbeing.” IronmongeryDirect has over 18,000 products available and in stock. Orders can be placed as late as 8pm for next day delivery from Sunday through to Friday and by 4pm on Saturdays. Free, no quibble returns are available on all products. For more information, visit IronmongeryDirect.com or call their team of specialist advisors on 0800 168 28 28.
