Chicago-based Clayco says it has partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness to address the psychological effects of “burnout” in construction trades workers and examine how recognizing the signs of the illness could help reduce workplace safety risks.
How throughout the sector suicide prevention and mental health care awareness grows, Vice President of Field Culture and Inclusion Dan Lester at Clayco, one ENR’s 4th ranked design and construction company, tells ENR that there is a “business imperative” to deal with burnout– a diagnosable medical condition defined as state of severe physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress—before it progresses to mental illness. While he says it’s hard to put an exact dollar amount on the financial costs tied to burnout, Clayco found it more than a third of artisans in the industry said they had lost work due to mental health problems in the past 12 months. in a 2025 survey carried out in collaboration with the alliance.
“The nature of construction work can pose mental health challenges for workplace workers, but it is entirely realistic to improve the way we provide mental health support and prioritize psychological safety in workplaces,” says Lester. “That starts by creating a culture where burnout and depression aren’t seen as weaknesses, and talking about mental health challenges and seeking help is seen as a show of strength, not something to be ashamed of or afraid of.”
Clayo’s move to address burnout comes after his Construction industry mental health support commitment last yearcalling on AEC companies to adopt a set of best practices “to foster a culture where workers feel empowered to talk openly about mental health issues and have access to treatment and support options.” At Clayco, Lester says that promise has crystallized in Clayco Cares, which promotes the company’s Employee Assistance Program and positive mental health practices.
“This commitment includes providing the necessary resources and support to ensure that anyone—regardless of whether they work in an office or a workplace—has access to mental health treatment options,” says Lester. “It also includes providing the security and confidence to know that if they report a mental health problem to a colleague or superior, they won’t be discriminated against or treated differently at work.”
Lester says Clayco has also begun rolling out VitalCog Suicide Prevention, a training program designed to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and promote help-seeking behaviors. In support of this, he adds that the company also has a group of employees in training to obtain mental health first aid certification.
“The irony is that an overwhelming majority of construction workers (91%) we surveyed last year said they would be willing to support a fellow construction worker with mental health issues,” says Lester. However, fear and shame prevent many employees from taking steps to get help, and Clayco finds 45% of construction trades workers surveyed across the industry say they would feel embarrassed to talk about their mental health issues with co-workers. Additionally, Clayco’s survey found that 37% of workers said they had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment at work if they had sought mental health services or support.
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Combat Burnout
Because of the physically demanding nature of their construction jobs, tradespeople can find it challenging to achieve work-life balance, says Meg Delp, director of Workplace Mental Health Alliances. “Especially in very fast-paced industries with tight project deadlines, workers sometimes feel there is little or no room to pause and say they need support,” he says.
the group’s NAMI 2026 Workplace Mental Health Survey found that 53% of employees reported experiencing burnout and 37% of workers said they felt so overwhelmed at work that it was difficult for them to do their jobs.
In order to close the gap on these challenges with solutions, the industry must move forward together, says Delp. “Preventing and curing burnout is not an individual responsibility—it requires a sustainable and long-term team effort to prevent and combat”, he adds.
Last year, leaders from Bechtel, Fluor, Turner Construction Co., construction unions of North America, Kiewit, Clark Construction and Skanska convened for first meeting of CEO Advisory Council on Industry Suicide Prevention. Clayco is not a member.
Establishment guidelines
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has increasingly recognized psychological safety challenges such as stress, fatigue and poor mental health among its workplace safety issues, encouraging industries to adopt a “Total Worker Health” safety approach in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“The international standard for occupational health and safety (ISO) 45001 is also an important framework because it includes psychosocial risks as part of occupational health and safety management,” says Delp. “Organisations can use this framework to address issues such as stress, workload, fatigue, bullying and worker engagement. ISO 45003 builds on this with specific guidance on psychological health and safety at work.”
Lester adds, “While it’s important to step in and help that worker, we can’t just rely on ‘referring’ workers to treatment, as that’s often just a Band-Aid if the culture itself doesn’t change. We need to work to fix the systems that cause distress in the first place.”
