New research has revealed that SME owners in the construction industry are increasingly prone to suffering mental health issues.
The study found that 56% of SME owners in construction have experienced poor mental health over the past 12 months, marking a substantial 124% increase compared to the national average.
Financial concerns are the single most impactful factor as 50% of these workers attribute their mental health struggles to “financial worries”, according to the survey conducted by business insurer Simply Business.
Long working hours and inadequate rest are also significant, as approximately 15% of respondents claim that a lack of time off directly affects their mental health and report that they work an average of more than 46 hours per week.
The majority – 73% – of construction SME owners take fewer than 20 days of annual leave, falling significantly short of the UK statutory annual leave entitlement of 28 days. Sleep is an issue too with a third of respondents surviving on less than five hours of sleep per night.
Some 80% of individuals working in construction report having suffered from poor mental health, anxiety being the most prominent issue, affecting 59% of tradespeople, while 38% grapple with depression. Feelings of loneliness also afflict 22% of small business owners in the construction industry.
Despite this, less than half (48%) of all construction SME owners feel comfortable disclosing poor mental health as a reason for absence or delays in meeting deadlines. More than a quarter (27%) admit to not taking time off even when experiencing poor mental health.
When asked about government support, nine in 10 (89%) said that the government is failing to do enough to support the mental health of the sector. Construction small business owners, in particular, face challenges as they are usually unable to claim the same rights as employees when it comes to statutory sick pay and holiday entitlement.
Simply Business has partnered with Mental Health at Work, a programme curated by leading mental health charity Mind, and has donated £100,000 to support the mental health of the UK’s self-employed.
The report is based on a survey of 235 small business owners in the construction sector from across the UK, conducted April 2023.
