As Mental Health Awareness Week begins today, new research has revealed rising levels of burnout and mental ill-health across the finance and construction industries, with experts urging employers to take faster and more effective action to support staff.
While more organisations are offering mental health resources such as first aiders and wellbeing events, high stress levels and fatigue continue to affect large numbers of workers. Surveys of over 1,800 professionals across both sectors show an urgent need for systemic change, culture shifts and better management practices.
Finance Sector Feels the Strain
A poll of 1,000 UK finance leaders commissioned by software company iplicit has exposed alarming trends in workplace stress. Two in five say they feel stressed at work “often or all the time”, while 93% admit to regularly working beyond their contracted hours. Nearly a third say this equates to an extra unpaid day each month.
Javed Bobat, CEO of mental health non-profit F=@#! Mental Health, said stress levels in finance were unusually high. “Finance professionals report higher stress and anxiety levels than those in other industries.” He attributes it to the evolution of finance roles and a “culture of perfectionism” where even small mistakes can have major consequences.
“The finance function has evolved over the past 15-20 years and become more integral to companies. That’s led to greater pressure, demands and expectations,” he said.
Top causes of stress include lack of staff resources (28%), budget constraints (28%), responsibilities beyond finance (24%) and team management (24%). Financial uncertainty and fraud concerns also contribute to pressure, the poll found.
Construction Sector Shows Mixed Progress
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has released a new report titled Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025, based on a survey of 865 construction workers. Most, or 54%, now have access to a mental health first aider at work, up from 35% in 2020. More than three-quarters have been encouraged to join wellbeing initiatives such as Mental Health Awareness Week.
But the report also reveals worrying statistics. Twenty-eight percent of respondents admitted to experiencing suicidal thoughts in the past year, while nearly one in five said they lacked the confidence to approach a colleague who seemed to be struggling. CIOB’s Daisie Barnett called the findings “mixed”, with clear signs of progress but a continued high prevalence of anxiety, fatigue and stress.
“We know working in construction is not without its physical and mental challenges, so it’s incredibly encouraging to see the increase in support available to the workforce,” she said. “Worryingly, however, there remains a significant number of people working in the industry living through mental ill-health, including high levels of anxiety, fatigue and thoughts about suicide.”
Recognising Burnout Before It’s Too Late
Mental Health UK reports that one in three UK adults felt extreme stress or pressure “always” or “often” last year. The early signs – poor sleep, anxiety and emotional exhaustion – are frequently dismissed until it’s too late.
Experts are calling for better leadership as part of the solution. “You need to lead from the front with an air of vulnerability,” said Haydan Firth, an executive leadership coach. “If you’re not looking after yourself, you can’t be authentic. If you tell your team you don’t want anyone working long hours but then they see you logged in at 7pm, they’ll start to wonder whether they’re being tested.”
iplicit’s COO Olivia McMillan believes the pressure is contributing to a looming skills crisis, saying that “80% of UK finance leaders are now concerned about a growing lack of talent entering the accounting/finance sector. It’s important that we prioritise wellbeing in the sector now… before it’s too late.”
Concrete Recommendations from CIOB
The CIOB is urging businesses and government to act. Among its recommendations:
- Sign up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment.
- Introduce regular 1:1 wellbeing check-ins.
- Provide better mental health training for managers.
- Review the Fair Payment Code to ease stress on small businesses.
- Adopt the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, drawing on lessons from Australia.
- Ensure the Men’s Health Strategy addresses mental health in high-risk sectors like construction.
“We know that training is a crucial step in building positive mental health in and through work, in order to embed a proactive culture of prevention,” said Sam Downie, head of charity Mates in Mind. “Educating all employees and workers across your supply chain to spot the signs of mental ill-health, have the confidence to start a conversation about it and be able to signpost further support, is crucial.”
He added that it “is through normalising conversations about mental health that we’re able to address the stigma that surrounds it, and it’s education, and practice of course, that gives people the confidence to start those important conversations.”
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week centres on “community”, something Bobat believes finance professionals are missing. “I see finance people craving connection,” he said.
“In the post-Covid world, there’s still a desire for in-person interaction with our work colleagues or through events or networks. I’ve seen the benefits first-hand, having created communities for finance professionals and seeing how those have helped people professionally, personally and emotionally.”
If you are struggling with your mental wellbeing, free and confidential support is available at www.samaritans.org or by calling the NHS on 111 (UK only).