Mental health training for the construction industry

Our CPD-accredited Mental Health Awareness for Managers course is positioned for leaders and provides practical tools for emotionally challenging situations common on sites and in project offices across the construction industry.

Safer sites

Ensure safe working environments through improved fitness‑for‑task decisions and fewer stress‑related errors.

Reduced absenteeism

Improve productivity through earlier intervention and better workload management.

Enhanced reputation

Improve staff retention and help attract the next generation into construction.

CITB members receive 50% off the Mental Health Awareness for Managers course from British Red Cross Training

1 Choose how to learn

See the Mental Health Awareness for Managers page for details on how to learn in person, virtually, or online.

2 Contact your local CITB adviser

Choose your location and date, and confirm Red Cross as your provider, on the CITB website.

3 Discount confirmation

CITB will contact us directly to book. We will confirm the booking with you and send an invoice for 50% of the cost.

Why the construction industry needs mental health training

Construction teams operate under conditions known to drive poor mental health: heavy workloads, long hours, frequent travel/working away, occupational stressors, and job insecurity. Sector evidence links these pressures to higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and a significantly elevated suicide risk among some site‑based male workers when compared to the national average. Addressing these risks is essential to improve lives, safety and project delivery.

The Construction Leadership Council calls for coordinated leadership, better evidence, and consistent, practical support across the supply chain — including SMEs and the self‑employed — so that good practice isn’t limited to main contractors.

How the British Red Cross meets the construction industry's needs

The CPD-accredited Mental Health Awareness for Managers course is explicitly positioned for leaders including those in construction. It gives practical tools for emotionally challenging situations common on sites and in project offices, with a focus on recognising issues, responding safely, and building resilient teams.

We also offer a range of other Mental Health at Work courses designed to build both team and individual resilience and to help staff members return to and maintain a state of positive mental wellbeing.

Here for Mental Health at Work: What you'll learn from the course

Recognise mental health problems early

Early identification is crucial and supports safer task allocation, reducing risk on high‑hazard activities.

Building trust, teamwork and conflict resolution

Build skills to de‑escalate and create psychologically safer teams, improve collaboration, and reduce costly disputes and absenteeism.

Having safe conversations around suicide

Site leaders need structured, confident approaches to difficult conversations, where time is tight and privacy is limited, using the CALMER framework.

Stress recognition and management

By promoting consistent, confident responses to emotionally challenging situations, the training helps create safer, more supportive site environments, nurturing productivity, teamwork, and a healthier construction workforce.

Team resilience and trauma‑informed leadership

Resilient teams recover faster, maintain quality, and communicate better across trades and subcontractors, directly impacting productivity.

Practical tools and strategies

This CPD-accredited course equips leaders with practical tools and strategies to make the content easy to learn, easy to retain and easy to recall.

Useful resources to help guide you