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Wellness & Well-being Highlights May 5th

Work life balance

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of May 5, 2025

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at the importance of why your voice as a worker matters when it comes to cuts at NIH and CDC—to the increase in suicides of women in the field of medicine—to the concept of “ableism” in the workplace. This week I would like to take this opportunity to examine—with May upon us—the topic of ‘psychological safety’ in the construction industry. In short, PS is based on the belief that a worker—at any level—will not be punished for speaking up with ideas, asking questions, or making mistakes.

 

The construction industry in Canada, not unlike the US, has more recently embraced the need to address mental health and white/blue-collar employee well-being in the workplace.[1] With a lack of mental health professionals available in the North American marketplace, more companies and unions are starting to develop their MH talent internally. In order to do so requires an organization to make strategic shifts in attitudes from top to bottom. Why? Because people at the top want to know that a venture of this scale must attempt to garner a positive return on investment (ROI). This cannot be achieved without first doing one’s homework.

 

Once an internal MH champion has been identified (and skilled up), s/he must begin this journey by surveying employees across the spectrum, developing targeted awareness programs, tracking inputs/outputs, and evaluating outcomes…these all come at a cost.

 

In a still male-dominated industry like construction, there are attitudes and traditions that exacerbate stigma. From physical strain of the work to insecurity brought on by seasons to the hazing (bullying) as a ‘right of passage’ to the macho notion of not asking for help, workers in this industry can be exposed to issues of anxiety…which sometimes leads to depression. So, because of the aforementioned stigma, many workers deal with these MH issues on their own…as in, self-medicate (i.e., alcohol, drugs, etc.). At first, it is just a means of ‘coping’ but, sadly, this route often results in building a (negative) habit and, eventually, an addiction.

 

Opening up discussions in safe spaces/places is one of the first steps towards building a ‘culture of care’ which emphasizes the importance of relationships and emotional support in your workplace. Organizational change requires individuals who are open to new ideas/methods. This process can begin by first acknowledging that a worker’s mental well-being is just as important as her/his physical health. Let’s commence this journey by completing and sharing MHA’s Checklist below.[2]

 

Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/

 

Sources: [1] https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/psychological-safety/breaking-ground-on-psychological-safety-in-construction/533792?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

[2] https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25.04.22_MHAM_Checklist.pdf?utm_source=marketo&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mham-2025&utm_term=mental-wellbeing-weekly&mkt_tok=NzczLU1KRi0zNzkAAAGaK_wSQklPo4tOX5mijUcWR_dUzvd9eu9UXss7vLGDV_zCD1v_HwHjWnNljNx7NMqO07ZUAYCy_fmRWZlwinhYCF5Qx4RCVTIZGzOZV1_JPe4

 

MAY is Mental Health Mon

 

Construction & Psychological Safety

 

OR / Cahoots / Trouble

 

CDC & NIOSH Cuts: Impact on Workers

 

NIH Cuts: Future Cancer, Dementia Research

 

MO / Naloxone / Misguided Politicians

 

The Rise of Cocaine

 

Drugs & Cartels: US – Mexico Differences

 

DANGER: Ketamine

 

Female MDs & Suicide (1)

 

Female MDs & Suicide (2)

 

More on NIOSH Layoffs & Worker Safety

 

Teens / Fake Nudes / Impact

 

30-Minutes / Weight Training

 

15-Minute Strength Routine

 

Building Resilience

 

Gratitude / Resilience / Hope

 

Life Experiences & Secrets

 

Another Retired NFLer & CTE

 

Defunding Public Media

 

Deaf Students & Funding Cuts

 

School Funding / MH Cuts

 

Immigration Crackdown & Worker Shortages

 

DOGE & Nuclear Secrets?

 

Musk / DOGE / Negative Polls

 

States / Paid Sick Leave / Ignoring Voters

 

Gambling on a Pope

 

Tour de France & Workers’ Strike

 

L-M Workers Strike

 

SEIU / CA /Strike

 

Google / CWU / London

 

Journalist / Russia / Death

 

Japan / Declining Population / Impact

 

Investing in Apprenticeships

 

Goal: 1m Apprentices

 

More on College v Trades

 

MWI’s ARP Rock Stars

 

STL Labor Leaders Serve New Mayor

 

Recruiting in a Flooded Market

 

What does Ableism Look Like?

 

SCOTUS / Schools / Disability & Discrimination

 

What is Duty to Cooperate?

 

Tech Workers & Dissatisfaction

 

Canada: Home-based Work

 

Construction Hiring Dips

 

Retirees & Side Gigs

 

More on Tipping

 

Viet Nam War’s Impact on US

 

Upcoming webinars, etc.

STL Foodbank

 

Change & MH (5/6)

 

Spirituality & Suicide Prevention (5/19)

 

QPR for Ag (5/22)

 

Cannabis & Ethical Dilemmas (6/3)

 

12-Minute Mindfulness Podcast

 

Supporting those Impacted by Suicide

 

Understanding Addiction: Families

 

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.

May 5, 2025/by Dr. John Gaal
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https://moworksinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/iStock-697895326.jpg 779 1345 Dr. John Gaal https://moworksinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/missouri-works-initiative-logo-new-1-300x222.png Dr. John Gaal2025-05-05 15:11:252025-05-05 15:11:25Wellness & Well-being Highlights May 5th
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