The construction industry is fast-paced and high-pressure, regardless of what sector you work in. Long days, early morning, overtime, and minimal rest typically equate to one thing: stress and burnout. 

While stress is an inevitable part of the construction industry, managing it doesn’t have to be complicated—stay hydrated, focus on your nutrition, get enough sleep, and prioritize open communication. 

In this article, we’ll break down the top factors that contribute to workplace stress and give you our best tips to manage stress and improve your overall health and well-being. 

Quick look

• Tight deadlines, budget restrictions, physical demands, and layoffs are some of the most common reasons for stress among construction workers.
• The construction industry ranked second place for suicides among all occupations, with a 65% higher suicide rate than workers in all other job sectors.
• Decreased focus, poor productivity, poor sleep, reduced reaction times, and low morale characterize stress in construction workers.
• Construction workers can manage stress by focusing on proper hydration, good nutrition, sleep, and communication.

Stress and construction workers: What causes it?

You’ll find stressful situations no matter what industry you’re working in, but there are unique factors that contribute to heightened stress levels among workers in the construction industry. 

• Tight deadlines: Deadlines are standard in the construction industry—tasks must be completed within a certain timeframe for projects to move forward, which puts immense stress on workers. A delay in one construction area causes a ripple effect that delays any of the work to follow. Add to that weather delays, material shortages, and the like, and deadlines can quickly go out the window. 
• Budget restrictions: Tight profit margins or limited financial resources to complete a job can increase stress for everyone involved. Financial departments will typically implement tight cost-control measures to ensure the job stays within the allotted budget before work commences; this could mean opting for alternative sources of materials and services or layoffs to save money. Unpredictability can also lead to major project modifications, adding more stress to workers as they must adhere to new financial restrictions.
• Physical demands: Construction workers are subject to high physical demands. Long hours, unfavorable weather conditions, and dangerous work all factor into how much stress a worker is under.
• Layoffs and off-seasons: Financial security is never guaranteed for any industry, but the trade industries tend to see layoffs and seasonal work more often than others. Not only does this impact a worker’s emotional and mental health, but a lack of job security can lead to financial constraints and stress.

4 tips for construction workers to manage stress

Eliminating stress in the construction industry may be unrealistic, but there are several strategies to help cope with and reduce stress whenever possible. Less stress not only improves worker health and well-being, but it also contributes to more productivity and better quality work for employers. 

Below are our top 4 tips to help construction workers manage stress.

1. Stay hydrated

The link between dehydration and stress isn’t new, but it’s one that most people aren’t aware of. The human body is composed of more than 60% water, and being in a dehydrated—or even a euhydrated—state leads to suboptimal function of several body systems and can lead to increased levels of physical stress. 

Several studies have shown that hydration state regulates stress responsiveness and social behaviors. In response to physical and mental stress, the brain coordinates the appropriate neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses. In most cases, this results in elevated circulating glucocorticoids, namely cortisol, resulting from activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). 

Stress also creates a shift in autonomic tone toward increased sympathetic (fight or flight) and decreased parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity, ultimately leading to changes in behavior.

While water might not cure budget constraints and tight deadlines, staying hydrated can help reduce physiological stress and optimize physical and mental performance.

2. Focus on nutrition

Physical stress in construction is inevitable, but proper nutrition can keep your body from deteriorating. Manual labor exerts a lot of energy, and making healthy food choices can give your body the energy it needs to perform mentally and physically. What you eat also profoundly influences long-term health, including chronic disease risk.

A high sugar intake has been recognized as a potential environmental risk factor for an increased incidence of several non-communicable diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes—construction workers are already at risk for many of these. Eliminating or drastically reducing sugar intake can prevent short and long-term health issues and decrease the risk of chronic disease. 

Rather than chowing down on simple carbs to supply energy, consider a balanced plate. That means:

• High-quality lean proteins 
• Starchy complex carbohydrates
• Healthy fats
• Vegetables

Sufficient protein intake is important for optimal body function, weight management, energy levels, and more. But while some experts suggest reducing carb intake, starchy carbs supply the bulk of energy for construction workers—it’s just about choosing the right kinds. 

Sweet potatoes (and other root vegetables), whole grain rice, quinoa, and other gluten-free grains provide various nutrients, fiber, and carbohydrates to increase satiation and energy without dealing with blood sugar issues.

3. Prioritize communication

Besides diet and lifestyle changes, communication is one of the most important factors in reducing stress. While some companies offer stress leave, time off work can often trigger more stress for some people. That’s where communication comes into the picture. 

Talking to co-workers or your partner can help vent frustrations that often remain internalized. If need be, speaking with management can help reduce feelings of stress over specific situations. When you keep the lines of communication open, it helps to free up space and reduce anxiety, worry, and stress.

But while communication from workers is key for reducing stress, company leadership also plays a big role—they must stay tuned in to the needs of their workers. Even if stress levels are normal, having an open conversation and sharing insight into how employees feel can help keep things on track and build rapport between employers and their workers.

4. Get enough sleep

We can’t emphasize the importance of sleep enough. While overtime and early mornings aren’t necessarily conducive to a good night’s sleep—and that may not be under your control—it’s about finding things within your control that can improve sleep quality. 

According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation increases the likelihood of a workplace accident by 70%. In the construction industry, injuries can be fatal. Not only does sleep deprivation increase injury risk, but it also reduces productivity immensely. 

Here are six ways to improve your sleep:

1. Reduce blue light exposure at night: Swap out your fluorescent bulbs for red or orange hues to reduce the impact on melatonin production.
2. Avoid stimulating activities before bed: Instead, opt for relaxing activities like reading, deep breathing, or meditation to calm the mind and slow down brain activity.
3. Keep your room cool: Body temperature naturally falls at night. Facilitate this drop by keeping your bedroom between 68 and 72°F. 
4. Turn off electronic devices 2 hours before bed: Set an electronics curfew. The blue light emitted from screens interrupts melatonin synthesis and increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
5. Cut back on caffeine: The half-life of caffeine ranges from 1.5 to 9 hours. In people sensitive to caffeine, consuming it in the afternoon or evening can impair sleep. Keep caffeine consumption to the morning hours.
6. Don’t smoke: Nicotine stimulates the body in ways that interfere with sleep. Studies show that smoking is linked with increased insomnia severity and shorter sleep duration.

How stress affects construction workers

It’s no surprise that construction workers undergo immense amounts of pressure. How workers handle stress varies based on the individual, but some of the most common symptoms include: 

• Decreased focus
• Poor productivity
• Less interaction with other workers
• Excessive worry
• Disrupted or poor-quality sleep
• Reduced reaction times
• Low morale
• Headaches
• Anxiety and depression
• Suicidal tendencies
• Panic attacks
• Increased risk of chronic health problems (heart attack, stroke, etc.)
• Absenteeism
• Musculoskeletal disorders 
• Workplace errors
• Irritability

This isn’t a conclusive list, but high stress levels among workers can manifest in various ways. If not resolved, it can lead to long-term health consequences. 

Prolonged stress and suicide

Slips, trips, and falls are often cited as the biggest safety issues for workers at construction sites, but the mental health of workers is equally as important—-and far less discussed. 

Stress is an inherent part of life in the construction industry (and most industries), but constant stress can be mentally and physically detrimental to workers. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the construction industry ranked second place for suicides among all occupations—it’s the biggest silent killer there is. They have a 65% higher suicide rate than workers in all other job sectors.

Why such a high rate? 

The construction industry is male-dominated and comes with a “tough guy” mentality that makes talking about mental health frowned upon; men are given the message that it’s weak to talk about their feelings. 

Other risk factors for suicide in the construction industry include: 

• Chronic pain
• Sleep problems
• Isolation 
• Layoffs and seasonal work (financial insecurity)
• Drug/opioid and alcohol abuse 
• High-pressure and demanding schedules 
• Lack of leadership training
• Reluctance to seek help

Mental health has traditionally been a taboo subject, especially in the trade industries. Although much of the onus stems from the industry itself, suicide prevention hinges on the cooperation of multiple sectors—government, healthcare systems, education, businesses, and the community.

While the construction industry has endured one of the biggest challenges when it comes to suicide rates, risk factors of workers in the construction industry can be recognized, and treatment can be sought.

The CDC’s national comprehensive approach to preventing suicide is a good starting place—it’s built around several strategies:

• Strengthening economic supports
• Improving access to and delivery of suicide care
• Creating protective environments
• Promoting connectedness 
• Education on coping and problem-solving skills
• Identifying and supporting at-risk people  
• Reducing harm and preventing future risk

In the construction industry, this means having open conversations and destigmatizing mental health conditions to create a protective and supportive environment for workers to feel safe to talk and seek help. 

Additionally, having the appropriate resources available to promote better mental health and prevent suicide is important. The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) offers helpful resources for companies to evaluate their mental health and suicide prevention preparedness. Workplace Suicide Prevention and National Action Alliance also offer other resources.

Strategies to limit stress on the job

Stress in construction workers will often trigger altered behaviors, indicating something is wrong. It’s important that people at the top of the chain and all the way down the ladder are aware of signs of stress in construction workers and take action to mitigate stress.

While workers are responsible for managing their own physical and mental states, it’s also on employers to provide support and minimize stress as much as possible. Here are some strategies employers can implement to reduce workplace-related stress: 

• Ensure clear job roles and tasks
• Provide realistic deadlines
• Reduce overtime
• Avoid overloading employees
• Allow employee breaks
• Encourage adequate rest
• Increase employee control over specific aspects of their jobs
• Recognize and award employee performance
• Treat employees with respect
• Reduce exposure to noise, dust, and toxic substances

Thousands of job-related accidents happen each year, and protecting the health and safety of workers should be a top priority. 

Final thoughts

Stress happens, and in most cases, there’s nothing you can do to avoid it. But it’s not about avoiding stress altogether—it’s about knowing how to handle it to minimize its effect on you mentally and physically. 

The construction industry is known for its high-stress environment—long work hours, overtime, extreme weather conditions—that take a big toll on workers. To reduce your stress, prioritize stress management techniques like sleep, proper nutrition, hydration, and communication.