One state association has used growing concerns about workplace mental health to encourage employee conversations. Here’s how it keeps them going.
Last month, Associated General Contractors of California, which represents construction firms in the state, held its annual “Mental Health Standdown,” inviting participants to stop work for an hour to draw attention to mental wellness challenges in the industry.
Such events are nothing new for AGC-CA, which began the standdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. And other groups have held similar events tied to Mental Health Awareness Month in May, or National Suicide Prevention Week in September. But as AGC-CA Safety and Regulatory Affairs Manager Tresten T. Keys points out that familiarity adds pressure to make sure that themes are fresh and relevant.
Early on, Keys said, the messaging was statistics-heavy to alert members to risks in the field. This year, storytelling is up-front. “Now the message has shifted: We know there’s a problem, and we know the numbers,” he said. “So let’s be more resource-oriented: What can we do to change the stigma? It’s about creating an environment where you feel comfortable expressing yourself.”
Conversations around messaging begin with AGC-CA’s safety and health council, which discusses trends around worker safety and changes to regulations. Those discussions are shared with its Mental Health Subcommittee, which plans messaging and promotion of stand-down events throughout the month.
Last year nearly 200 member companies participated in the event, impacting approximately 8,000 workers.
Since 2023, the council has delivered a call to action to all member companies to plan one such event in May. Keys said that last year nearly 200 member companies participated in the event, impacting approximately 8,000 workers.
Each year, AGC-CA partners with one member company to spotlight its mental wellness activities for a media day. This year it featured Teichert Construction, which hosted a stand-down on May 22 during a highway construction project. “Safety in construction goes beyond hard hats, safety glasses, and fall protection. It also includes the mental and emotional wellbeing of the people behind the work,” said Mary Teichert, president and CEO of Teichert in a statement.
“We provide resources around it: ‘Hey, if you’re looking for talking points, here are some talking points,’” Keys said. “If you’re looking for a full guided script, we have that script for you. If you’re looking to invite subcontractors, owners, to host your own stand down, we’ll share that with you. We want to set the standard for what this looks like.”
Keys noted that understanding member backgrounds and needs are critical to the success of mental wellness initiatives. Though a stand-down is only an hour-long, a time-is-money industry that involves road closures and other inconveniences needs to demonstrate that they’re worth the while. Some firms bring in military vets to speak, knowing that many of their workers have armed-forces experience.
“It’s about finding the things that resonate with your company,” Keys said. “Because at the end of the day, we can contribute some money, or bring a stage, but you’ve got to have buy-in from your members to make this effective, because ultimately they’re the ones who are coordinating it. It’s their job sites, their people. It’s a direct reflection of them.”
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