This month, ATT has been part of the MOvember campaign which raises funds and awareness for men’s health. Through projects focused on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention, the initative raises important awareness around topics that can often be swept under the carpet or considered “taboo”. ATT has chosen to be part of MOvember to help spur action and conversation around men’s health in the trades, and ultimately change the narrative for the better.
It’s no secret that the trades industry is a hard slog. There is a lot of pressure and stress within the industry, with Radio New Zealand last year publishing a report showing workers in construction made up almost 7% of all suicides in NZ - the highest of any sector. The article went on to say that the report’s findings “provided a mandate for trades right across the construction sector to prioritise initiatives to improve mental health and wellbeing for their workforce”.
The stress and pressure is not just a result of having a physical job. The physical pressure of trades is nothing to ignore, but when accompanied with ensuring health & safety standards for your team, managing jobs & clients, seeking new / maintaining business, as well as the mentality of “manning up”, you can start to build a picture on how there are many drivers for mental health in the industry.
The “man up” philosophy generally stretches further than mental health, too. David Williams, one of ATT’s Mo-growing aficionado for the campaign, explains there’s a saying in the industry; “take your concrete pills and harden up”. Which essentially translates to; “suck it up and get on with it”. Men are naturally not good communicators, so when it comes to their health in general, it can often take a back seat. Often guys can get caught up in playing it down or brushing it off - which is a significant part of why the men’s health issues that MOvember pinpoints have such harrowing statistics.
David explains that in the trades, if there’s an issue with part of your job - you have to fix it properly, because there’s no other option. You can’t sweep it under the carpet, because that’s just not what you do - because of things such as regulations and compliance. But when it comes to your health, if there’s an issue - often it’ll get brushed off as insignificant and not worth the hassle of going to the doctor. That’s where the change has to happen. Men need to consider their health to be as significant and important as any big project they work on.
If communication is considered a big part of the roadblock for men’s health, tools and tips on how to talk it through, take action and resolve a health issue are important. MOvember has created a fantastic yet simple tool that helps to generate the conversations that men need to have the most. Called ‘Movember Conversations’, the tool auto-generates conversations that mimic those that you may encounter at work with colleagues or in your day to day life with mates. You select your own answers to see how the conversation plays out, and what can be said to offer support to a mate in need.
MOvember also offers the following four simple steps, called ‘ALEC’ which can give you the confidence to have conversations with the men in your life who might be struggling. This was a tool developed by R U OK specifically for MOvember, and is an effective way to remember how to structure important conversations you may need to have with mates, colleagues, or family.
A - Ask
Start by asking how he’s feeling. It’s worth mentioning any changes you’ve picked up on: has he stopped replying to texts? Does he sound different on the phone? Has he gone quiet in the group chat? Trust your instinct. Remember, people often say "I'm fine" when they’re not, so don't be afraid to ask twice.
- Use a prompt like, ”You haven’t seemed yourself lately – are you feeling OK?” or something specific such as, “It’s just that you haven’t been replying to my texts, and that’s not like you.”
L - Listen
Give him your full attention. Let him know you’re hearing what he’s saying and you’re not judging. You don’t have to diagnose problems or offer solutions, but asking questions lets him know you’re listening.
- Ask a question like, "That can't be easy – how long have you felt this way?"
E - Encourage action
Help him focus on simple things that might improve how he feels. Is he getting enough sleep? Is he exercising and eating well? Maybe there’s something that’s helped him in the past – it’s worth asking.
- Suggest that he share how he’s feeling with others he trusts. This will make things easier for both of you. And if he’s felt low for more than two weeks, suggest that he chat to his doctor.
C - Check In
Follow up your conversation with a phone call or FaceTime, etc. This helps to show that you care; plus, you’ll get a feel for whether he’s feeling any better. It helps to be specific when arranging a follow up. If you’re too vague, this creates an opportunity to dodge it.
- Use a prompt like, “Let’s catch up again soon. Same time next week?”
According to MOvember, men die on average six years earlier than women globally - and for reasons that are largely preventable. David and the team at ATT are raising funds and awareness to make a difference to this statistic – in prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Thus far, since its inception the MOvember campaign initiative has raised over NZD$1.2bn to fund groundbreaking men’s health projects across the world. David and the team at ATT are pleased to be part of this change, and hope to bring a little more understanding and support to men’s health overall, and specifically in the trades industry.
You can support David and ATT by visiting his MOvember page here. Any donation is greatly appreciated.