Breaking Ground on Mental Health: A Conversation with Shawmut’s CEO on Prioritizing Mental Wellness in the Construction Industry

Procore’s vision is to improve the lives of everyone in construction, and I love seeing this vision come to life through the work of our customers. Shawmut Design and Construction serves as a great example as they lead the charge on bringing mental health to the forefront of construction. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Les Hiscoe, Shawmut’s CEO, to hear his thoughts on this important topic and how we can all work together to create a safer industry.

While mental health should always be a priority, Construction Safety Week and Mental Health Awareness Month in May help amplify this conversation and give it the space it deserves. The reality is that construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any industry at 53.3 per 100,000 workers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is largely due to construction being an incredibly complex, high-risk job where mental health is often stigmatized. While I’m encouraged to see the industry beginning to normalize the topic and integrate mental health into safety programs, it’s clear there’s much more work to be done. 

As a founder, I know that a business is only as successful as the people in it. The work Shawmut is doing to prioritize mental well-being is crucial to creating an environment where all employees feel connected, supported, and safe. To that end, we can all learn from their best practices and contribute to building healthier, thriving workplaces. I loved learning from Les and hope you’ll be as inspired by the conversation as I was. 

1. In recent years, I’ve seen a promising shift where more companies are prioritizing mental health as much as physical health in their safety programs. Can you give a bit of background on why there is such a critical need for mental health in construction?

Les: The industry is at a critical point. More construction workers die each year from suicide and overdose than every other workplace-related fatality combined. It’s our responsibility to provide a workplace where people feel safe and secure—both physically and psychologically. Not only will this allow people to feel and perform their best, but research shows that improving worker safety from a mental health and well-being perspective can also significantly reduce safety incidents on project sites.

2. One of the biggest challenges in changing the conversation around mental health is the stigma surrounding it. How can companies create a culture where folks feel comfortable talking about mental health and getting help if/when they need it?

Les: New programs and initiatives are only as strong and successful as the support behind them. Leaders need to address mental health stigmas head-on, lead by example, and model self-care and work-life balance. Mental health is included in all of Shawmut’s safety meetings and in our new hire orientation. We also launched an Inclusion Learning and Awareness Plan with trainings on how to understand and interrupt unconscious biases, including the stigma around mental health. Being cognizant of energy drains and managing teams’ energy levels to help them thrive is a responsibility and goal for our leaders—they’ve undergone training focused on how to avoid or manage burnout.

3. Speaking of your trainings and mental health programs, let’s talk about Shawmut’s approach to mental health. Can you help us understand the business case for mental health programs in the workplace and how you have successfully integrated them into your safety program?

Les: Employee health is business health. Engaged, supported, and energized employees perform their best, which allows the company to deliver its best. Years ago, I declared both safety and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) business imperatives. We introduced Shawmut and our industry network to the concept of safety of the entire person—which expands the notion of safety beyond physical well-being to incorporate psychological and mental health. In order to create accountability and drive progress, our executive leadership team has included safety and DEI efforts as part of our goals and KPIs.

This Safety Week, our focus was on mental health, and our Opening Ceremony—which was broadcasted company-wide and to partners on our jobsites—featured a keynote speaker who shared his struggles with suicide. We announced the launch of our Mental Health & Wellness Leadership Group, which is open to anyone who wants to join in working towards improving our company and industry. We also shared an online suicide awareness training that’s available to all employees.

4. I’d like to dive into DEI a bit more. What role does it play in mental health, and how can we all create a safer workplace where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued?

Les: Core to creating an inclusive workplace is providing an environment where people feel safe opening up about their struggles—without blame, stigma, or judgment. It needs to be integrated into the fabric of a company, with a top-down, bottom-up leadership approach—just like safety. Demonstrating the importance of DEI and affirming a company’s commitment to it is key. Our Culture of Care Toolbox Talks focus on safety from a psychological, mental health, and general well-being standpoint. Topics include empathy, mental health awareness (PTSD, suicide prevention), racism, sexism, discrimination, veteran awareness, and anti-graffiti. These are shared monthly on our jobsites—as well as company-wide—reinforcing our dedication to this work and providing resources for everyone on our sites.

Transparency is also key. As an employee-owned company, we share DEI and safety initiative progress with employees, and we celebrate successes while highlighting areas of work. This creates a sense of ownership and shared responsibility, opening channels for grassroots initiatives.

5. Lastly, what are some practical ways that we can all help improve mental health in construction?

Les: Accessible mental health benefits that are clearly and frequently communicated are so important—from an Employee Assistance Program, to free well-being webinars, to company-sponsored trainings. It can feel daunting to begin this work, but small actions mean a lot, even if the first step is attending a mental health in construction event to learn more. This is an industry-wide problem, so we should all be working together in a joint effort to eliminate stigmas and create safe, supportive environments where everyone feels seen, heard, valued, and cared for.

I want to say a big thank you to Les for sharing his thoughts and insight with me—I couldn’t be more grateful to be working alongside him and so many other incredible leaders who are working to bring mental health to the forefront of the industry. I hope Shawmut’s work will inspire you and give you hope for the future, as it has for me. 

If you’re looking to take a deeper dive on this conversation, I encourage you to check out Procore’s most recent webinar in our Foundations for Progress series: “The Connection Between Jobsite Safety, Mental Wellness, and DEIB.” The webinar features a panel of industry experts who discuss how safety programs are evolving, share emerging research on proper-fitting PPE, and identify practical tools for incorporating mental health awareness into construction safety programs. You can also browse Procore’s library of free, on-demand safety resources.