A week on a Charlotte high-rise, an I‑85 interchange, or a Triangle data center job site is not light work. Crews start early, work in heat and humidity, manage lifts and live traffic, then drive home exhausted-if they are home at all- underscoring how closely construction growth and success across the Carolinas depends on the well-being of craft workers.
According to TELUS Mental Health Index materials, roughly 30% of construction workers fall into the high-risk mental health category compared with 23% of the broader U.S. workforce. TELUS data also reports that 13% of construction workers carry an anxiety or depression diagnosis, versus 11% nationally.
The suicide numbers are harder to ignore. Male construction workers die by suicide at a rate roughly four times the national average in some industry comparisons. CDC data also shows the construction industry has the second-highest suicide rate among major industries, with 56 men and 10.4 women per 100,000 workers, nearly double the national average of 32.0 per 100,000 for employed men. In short, mental health in the construction industry is not a side issue.
The construction workforce carries job-site trauma, chronic pain, long hours, physical strain, job insecurity, and time away from family. Several factors affect mental health: physical exhaustion, rotating shifts, long commutes, injuries, financial stress, and stigma around emotional health, making robust safety and wellness programs for construction workers a core business necessity.
Workers in the construction industry experience higher rates of psychological distress, substance abuse, substance misuse, and suicide compared to almost any other sector. A 2020 survey found that 14.3% of construction workers reported struggling with anxiety and nearly 6% reported struggling with depression, with many indicating worse mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poor mental health shows up in the field as short tempers, reduced focus, missed warning signs, rework, and safety risks. Psychological distress, anxiety, and depression severely impair cognitive function, spatial awareness, and response times in construction workers. Mental exhaustion directly degrades cognitive function, attention, and decision-making, increasing the likelihood of on-site errors and accidents.
This is the business case: untreated mental health issues become lost productivity, high turnover, lower quality, and higher incident exposure, just as gaps in expert construction safety training show up as higher incident rates and rework costs.
TELUS program data reports that construction workers who feel more stressed than before the pandemic lose 47 productivity days per year, compared with 31 days for workers who do not report increased stress. Workers actively thinking about leaving their job lose 65 productivity days per year. The sector’s work productivity score sits 8.9 points below the national average as of January 2024.
Employee turnover in the construction industry can range from 30% to 40% annually due to burnout and unmanaged stress. Mental health issues in construction can lead to increased absenteeism and reduced productivity, with the World Health Organization estimating that 12 billion working days are lost each year due to depression and anxiety, costing approximately $1 trillion annually.
For a 200-person merit shop contractor, the math gets real fast. A few distracted foremen, delayed punch lists, overtime recovery, or one lost superintendent can erase the cost of a serious workplace mental health benefit, just as investing in construction retirement and savings solutions protects long-term workforce stability and loyalty.
Many construction companies technically have employee assistance programs. Many workers never use them.
TELUS program data reports that 38% of construction workers do not have access to an EAP, compared with 31% nationally; only 28% know what an EAP is and what it covers, compared with 33% nationally; and 30% cite cost as the main barrier to mental health care.
Plan design is often the problem. Traditional EAPs may sit within a medical plan, excluding employees who have waived coverage, those who are seasonal, those who are project-based, or those still in a waiting period. Many workers also do not want to call a generic number during the day, especially when privacy is limited on construction sites.
A male-dominated culture can make it harder to talk about mental health concerns, mental health disorders, substance abuse, or self-harm. That is why construction leaders need tools that reduce stigma, destigmatize mental health, and connect workers to appropriate professional help before a mental health crisis reaches the point of suicide, including participating in events like the ABC Carolinas Safety & Health Summit that put suicide prevention and workforce wellbeing on the agenda.
ABC Insurance Trust has partnered with TELUS Health to offer a stand-alone Employee Assistance Program for ABC Carolinas member firms this May, building on customized insurance solutions for construction companies that are already tailored to the industry’s risk profile.
TELUS Health is a global workplace well-being provider covering more than 157 million healthcare lives and operating the largest clinical network in the United States, with more than 74,000 counselors averaging 17 years of experience.
Stand-alone means this is not an add-on buried inside a medical plan. It is not tied to a carrier or enrollment cycle. Field, office, seasonal, project-based, and day-one employees can access support whether or not they enroll in the company health plan.
That matters for contractors moving crews between Charlotte, Raleigh, Greenville, Rock Hill, Spartanburg County, and highway work along I‑77 and I‑95, especially as they compete for talent in construction workforce development and apprenticeship programs across the Carolinas.
When an employee calls, a live masters-level mental health clinician answers on the first call, not a call center agent. TELUS Health reports an average of 24 minutes of clinical support per interaction, compared with the industry average of 10 minutes for intake.
Workers can use 24/7 instant chat, phone, video, or in-person counseling. TELUS Health reports that 63% of new users who reach out through 24/7 instant chat would not have reached out through traditional phone-based channels.
That is critical for many workers who will text from a truck after a shift, before they will talk face-to-face about mental health struggles. Individual conversations are confidential and separate from HR or project management; employers receive only de-identified utilization trends.
The TELUS Health EAP includes:
This breadth matters because 34% of construction workers suffer from chronic pain compared with 24% nationally, and 45% use prescription medication to manage pain, versus 36%. Regional events, including construction health and safety summits in the Carolinas, increasingly address these overlapping mental health, pain management, and safety challenges. The construction industry has the highest overdose rate of any industry due to frequent injuries and self-treatment with alcohol or prescription opioids, making overdose deaths and addiction support part of workplace safety.
The TELUS Health EAP fits mobile, distributed, and physically demanding work. Coverage is not limited by job classification or health plan enrollment. Digital access lowers the barrier. Clinical depth helps workers do more than receive a referral list; it complements structured tools like the Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) that strengthen field safety systems.
It also gives supervisors, HR leaders, and safety directors a practical tool. Training leaders to spot behavioral safety signals and offering support are essential strategies for addressing mental health in construction. Training supervisors to recognize early warning signs of mental health issues is crucial because supervisors are often the first line of defense, and engaging in ABC Carolinas safety and workforce committees can reinforce those skills across the organization.
Integrating mental health support into existing physical safety protocols is the most effective approach for the construction industry. Mentally healthy workers are more focused, make better decisions, and are less likely to be involved in accidents, highlighting the critical link between mental health and workplace safety in construction.
The standard TELUS Health EAP rate through ABC Insurance Trust is $3.50 per employee per month. The ABC member discount is $3.05 PEPM during the current enrollment window.
For a 200-employee ABC Carolinas contractor, that is $610 per month, less than a single specialty coffee per craftworker per month for round-the-clock clinical mental health, financial, legal, and work-life support, layered on top of the broader ABC Carolinas membership benefits around training, networking, and advocacy.
The discount is tied to enrollment forms submitted by the May Mental Health Awareness Month deadline. Chapters that host an educational webinar can extend the discount period for participating member firms.
This is not charity. It is financial performance protection.
Implementation is straightforward and is easier when companies are already familiar with ABC Carolinas’ leadership and chapter structure:
Using daily or weekly safety briefings, often referred to as “Toolbox Talks,” to discuss mental wellness alongside physical hazards can diminish stigma around mental health. Implementing toolbox talks focused on mental health can spark conversations among workers, encouraging them to share experiences and seek help.
Companies are increasingly recognizing mental strain as a legitimate job hazard, prompting them to incorporate mental health prompts into daily safety routines. Creating a supportive workplace environment can boost team morale, improve communication, and encourage peer support among workers. Creating a culture of support from the top down is essential because leadership engagement can help destigmatize mental health discussions.
For related ABC Carolinas reading, see our resources on Building a Safety-First Culture in Construction, Effective Construction Suicide Prevention Strategies, Beyond Compliance: Top Construction Industry Safety Challenges, and Construction Company Health Insurance Solutions.
An EAP is powerful, but immediate help must be visible on every board and in every trailer.
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline offers free and confidential mental health support 24/7 in the U.S. by dialing 988, with counselors available to chat online or via text. The Crisis Text Line provides a free service available 24/7 via text message for support with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or self-harm; text HOME to 741741 in the U.S.
Construction Working Minds provides mental health training, including suicide prevention, with resources such as workplace posters and employee quizzes. The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention offers suicide-prevention resources and free toolbox talks regarding mental health and substance abuse.
Many industry publications, including those covering AGC mental health efforts, point to the same conclusion: construction industry leaders need a suicide prevention task force mindset, crisis counselor access, and practical suicide prevention resources to combat high suicide rates.
Mental health and suicide risk are already costing Carolinas contractors through absenteeism, incidents, turnover, and reduced productivity. The construction industry faces some of the highest suicide rates due to unique occupational stressors such as long hours, physical strain, and job insecurity.
Mental health awareness can reduce stigma and help workers recognize warning signs, leading to better cognitive focus and reduced job-site accidents. A reported 94% of survey respondents in the construction industry recognize the importance of sharing mental health resources with workers to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage help-seeking behavior.
For ABC Carolinas members, addressing mental health is not separate from safety training, workforce development, apprenticeship, or merit shop competitiveness. It is worker well-being, mental well-being, physical strength, respectful workplace culture, and business continuity in one move.
Primary CTA: contact ABC Insurance Trust now to enroll in the TELUS Health EAP at the $3.05 PEPM member rate before the May deadline.
Call 800-621-2993 or email insurancetrust@abc.org. Mention that you are an ABC Carolinas member interested in the stand-alone TELUS Health EAP.
Secondary CTA: contact ABC Carolinas about hosting or attending an educational webinar. Chapters that host a webinar can extend the member discount window, and interested firms can also start the ABC Carolinas membership application to access these and other member-only programs.
Loop in ownership, HR, safety, and field leaders now so this does not sit quietly on a benefits sheet. Put the TELUS Health EAP into orientations, wallet cards, QR codes, toolbox talks, and supervisor conversations.
No. The TELUS Health EAP through ABC Insurance Trust is a stand-alone, so your company can keep its current medical coverage, carrier, or self-funded arrangement.
Yes. All employees on the company payroll can be covered, including full-time, part-time, seasonal, and project-based workers, regardless of health plan enrollment.
Implementation is typically measured in weeks, not months, once enrollment materials and employee counts are submitted.
They can start with 24/7 chat, financial help, legal support, or work-life services. Those entry points often make it easier to improve mental health without forcing a first conversation that feels too clinical.
TELUS Health and ABC Insurance Trust can provide de-identified trend reporting. Company leaders should also track absenteeism, turnover, incident rates, morale, and safety observations over time.
