As the construction industry evolves, it’s imperative to recognize critical issues that have historically been unaddressed, such as mental health. While physical or nutritional health are big contributors to the makeup of who we are as beings and are often easier to talk about, we at Nox Group feel that mental health is as equally important to discuss. Our enterprise is proud of our ongoing efforts to create spaces for conversations around mental health to make them a more common occurrence, destigmatizing and humanizing our workforce in the process.
Resources
One initiative we have to support this goal is ensuring our teammates are aware of the many mental health resources available while providing options to make them easily accessible. We hand out resource stickers at new employee orientation and during onsite visits made by our Wellness Team. We encourage our teammates to attach them to their ID badges, inside their helmets, on their toolboxes, or anywhere else that allows quick access when needed. The sticker lists the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number (988) and includes a QR code that opens to a page detailing our Employee Assistance Program, phone numbers in the Crisis Response Network, and ways to download the Clever Health and the Mindfulness Coach apps.
Mental Health Champions
In the expansion of these resources was the development of our Mental Health Champions program. Each job site and office location throughout Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas will soon have an appointed champion; a teammate who is trained in Mental Health First Aid. These champions are prepared to listen, connect our teams to resources, and be reliable sources so people throughout our enterprise know who they can go to should any needs arise. Our champions all come from different backgrounds, with a few who are bilingual to accommodate our Spanish-speaking workforce.
The Champions meet quarterly to discuss topics that have been addressed to better serve our teammates and guarantee we are prioritizing resources. Fostering a culture where we promote open conversations allows us to build a stronger, healthier future for our teammates. Together, we are determined to lay the foundation for a new age where mental health is a vital component of overall safety and success.