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“Challenge accepted” is a call to action. It’s a commitment to growth, innovation and excellence. It’s about pushing boundaries, embracing new ideas and not shying away from obstacles.​

Our people accept the challenge every single day – and we’re showcasing a few of their stories. Today, we connected with Kaitlyn Mammay, our wellbeing lead at the Pittsburgh International Airport in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., to discuss how she's fostering a culture where workers can openly access mental health support.

The challenge: The construction industry ranks second in suicides among major industries in the U.S. Despite advancements in physical safety, mental health issues persist – leading to a decrease in productivity while workplace accidents, suicides, substance abuse and employee turnover increase.

Tell us more about this challenge.

The construction industry typically employs strong, hard-working individuals working long hours to meet changing deadlines. The focus of the leadership and the supervisors is solely on getting the work done. Physically demanding work causes chronic pain, which can lead to sleep deprivation and, as a result, issues such as depression and anxiety. Leaders often dismiss wellbeing initiatives as costly and time consuming, and delegate them to HR personnel, using a hands-off approach.

Mental health stigma prevents workers from expressing concerns, fearing mockery or facing professional repercussions, further aggravating the issue. This creates barriers to effective conversations, prevents people from opening up, and increases the incidence of workplace accidents or injuries. Compared to other industries, the construction industry faces high turnover, suicides, and substance abuse. Construction workers are at a higher risk than others because of the nature of their work and the culture that surrounds it. Without support, workers turn to opioids and alcohol to manage stress and burnout, creating a “silent epidemic” of untreated mental health issues.

Can you share an example of how you’re approaching this?

The biggest challenge is encouraging construction workers to open up and communicate their issues. It’s hard to convince them that they need support since most deny issues or won’t talk about them. Both the leadership team as well as the workers were unsure how a mental health program would help them.

What’s the hardest part of this?

As a Wellbeing Lead for the Pittsburgh International Airport – Terminal Modernization Program, I drew on my experience in corporate wellbeing to create a plan to instill a culture of caring and create a safe space for people to open up. I presented a comprehensive project plan to the client’s leadership team on conducting mental health awareness activities and the importance of prioritizing employee wellbeing – sharing facts and figures for greater impact.
Once I received approval, I started by conducting a mental health awareness session for a small group of employees. The session received an overwhelmingly positive response from the participants, leading me to expand the program.

I developed educational courses and organized a mental health awareness panel discussion. I brought in speakers from YouTurn Health, Master Builders Association of Western Pennsylvania and even a few from my target audience. The panel was powerful – employees shared impactful stories of struggles with mental health, which prompted many in the audience to share their own struggles openly.

The impact of the session is still felt throughout the program. Employees are less hesitant to speak up when facing problems and managers realize the importance of prioritizing mental health. I received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the session and was credited with helping people become more open. The client has shared our success with industry peers – potentially sparking wider cultural change in the entire industry and the onset of a culture of caring.

How do you define success?

Although I’m glad about making the large-scale event a success, my focus is on sustaining these efforts. I’ve worked with our client to create long-term plans to continue to encourage people to speak up, inducing a culture of caring where people are not afraid to share their troubles. Our client has promised to continue in the same vein and be a part of the cultural shift – empowering employees to speak up and support each other.