Why You Need to Lead Your Culture - Before It Leads You.
The construction industry faces a stark reality: it has one of the highest suicide rates of any sector, with workers three times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Yet within this challenging landscape, innovative approaches to workplace wellbeing are emerging - approaches that don't just react to crisis, but proactively build resilience from day one.
By Eileen Donnelly
Military precision meets construction pragmatism
In our latest episode of the Work and Wellbeing Podcast, I spoke with Michael Fitzgibbon, Health and Wellbeing Manager for Balfour Beatty Power Transmission & Distribution in Scotland. Michael's journey from 2,9 Commando to construction wellbeing management offers a unique lens on what actually works when supporting people in high-stress, remote environments.
Michael's approach is grounded in what he calls the four pillars of wellbeing, instilled during his military training from age 16: physical exercise, movement, spending time outdoors, and social connection. "If one of those points is removed, then obviously I could struggle a little bit," he explains. This systematic approach to self-care, typically absent in civilian onboarding, represents a fundamental shift in how we might prepare workers for challenging environments.
Working across some of Scotland's most remote locations from Argyll to the Isle of Skye, Michael demonstrates remarkable creativity in maintaining these pillars. Rather than seeing isolation as a barrier, he leverages natural environments for team building: organising paddle boarding sessions in harbours, trail running through stunning landscapes, and sunset activities that draw colleagues together. "Sometimes you start on your own," he notes, "but when people see the pictures and the joy, they want to be part of it."
From reactive support to proactive onboarding
Perhaps most significantly, Michael advocates for wellbeing onboarding alongside traditional safety and technical training. This preventative approach addresses remote lifestyle challenges, relationship management, conflict resolution, and financial wellbeing before problems emerge, a stark contrast to the reactive mental health support that dominates many industries.
The impact of this approach became evident during COVID, when a senior project manager approved a wellbeing day that allowed teams to explore mountains and try new activities. This single decision catalysed a movement that spread across the entire Scottish operation, demonstrating how leadership buy-in can transform isolated initiatives into organisation-wide culture change.
Michael's insights into peer support particularly resonate with current research on workplace belonging. Rather than formal mental health conversations, he creates "campfire conversations" informal settings where genuine connections naturally develop. The story he shares of Dave and Kane, a line manager and overhead linesman who discovered their shared experiences as fathers during a mountain walk, perfectly illustrates how understanding the human side of colleagues transforms workplace dynamics.
The power of structured reflection in finding purpose
One of Michael's most compelling insights centres on the critical role of reflection in helping workers find meaning and purpose in their roles. "The fundamentals of getting purpose, getting value and understanding the impact of what you are doing is embedding time into reflection," he explains.
Michael describes a common scenario in construction: "If you have 200 foundations to install and you don't stop until 200 are done, you feel like you are just there to deliver." Without structured reflection time, even meaningful work can feel like mere task completion, leading to disconnection and potential mental health struggles.
His solution involves regular, meaningful conversations between managers and team members that go beyond the standard twice-yearly performance reviews. "If my boss came up to me and said, 'You know what I've noticed you're really good at engaging with people. I'd like to build on that for your next six months objectives,' but equally say, 'I don't think your computer skills are up to the standard, so I really want to help you get those computer skills so that you can be at that balanced level,'" Michael explains.
This approach immediately communicates several crucial messages: the manager is paying attention, they care about development, they've noticed meaningful contributions, and the work has an impact. "Straight away I know my boss got an eye on me. He cares about my development. He's noticed what I'm doing. And I know what I'm doing is meaningful and is impactful."
Tailoring reflection to individual needs
Michael emphasises that reflection needs vary significantly between individuals. Some workers are self-directed and need minimal check-ins, whilst others can "get stuck inside their head and think, am I doing a good job? Am I not doing a good job? And internally they can struggle from that perspective."
The key is asking people directly: "How often do you like to be communicated with? How important is this to you?" This personalised approach ensures that reflection and feedback serve each individual's wellbeing needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all model.
The future of wellbeing in high-risk industries
Michael's work aligns with emerging evidence that the most effective wellbeing strategies are those embedded in organisational systems rather than bolt-on programmes. His emphasis on reflection time - opportunities for workers to understand their impact and receive meaningful feedback - addresses the fundamental human need for purpose that research consistently links to resilience and job satisfaction.
As industries grapple with rising mental health challenges and skills shortages, Michael's military-informed approach offers a blueprint for proactive wellbeing that goes beyond crisis intervention. His integration of structured reflection into daily work processes demonstrates that effective workplace wellbeing isn't about expensive programmes or grand gestures. It's about understanding human needs for purpose, recognition, and growth, then creating systematic approaches to meet those needs.
You can listen to the full conversation with Michael Fitzgibbon on the Work and Wellbeing Podcast, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.