Setting a standard in construction for mental health conversations

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we sat down with Annelee Roscoe, our ESG and HR Director, to answer five key questions about how mental wellbeing is addressed and supported at Premier Modular…

Why is mental health such an important topic for the construction and offsite sector?

“The construction industry continues to face serious mental health challenges, with many workers experiencing stress, anxiety and depression, often in complete silence. Demanding workloads and a history of “macho” culture means that many people do not feel comfortable speaking up about how they feel.

“Behind every building project is the people who make it come to life, and we recognise that creating a culture that protects physical and mental wellbeing helps prevent people from silently struggling. Prioritising mental health is therefore essential for sustaining a high-performing and confident workforce who feel valued and understood.”

How does Premier Modular create a culture where people feel confident to talk about their mental health should they choose to?

“A supportive culture is key to creating a safe environment for mental health. Our culture is built on five core values: family, pride, agility, challenge and togetherness, which we use to shape our everyday actions, leadership behaviours and team relationships. These values help open up the floor to discussing mental health. These conversations have led to important changes such as adjusting workloads for colleagues going through new challenges and cultivated a positive work environment across the business, so people feel supported when discussing their own mental health journeys together.

“We also use our Culture Handbook to support mental health, which is provided to team members so that they understand what we stand for as a business, and how that translates into a supportive culture. Whether they’re new joiners or long-serving team members who may have previously normalised silence around their struggles, this fosters an environment where people know they’re not alone.”

What practical steps does Premier Modular take to support mental health and wellbeing?

“We realise that not every conversation can happen in an office, and not every worker has access to private one-on-one spaces. To reach everyone, including those in factory roles or temporary work environments, we take a proactive, people-centred approach to wellbeing and leadership. All managers complete a 16-month development programme that strengthens their communication, feedback and engagement skills, helping them to recognise shifts in behaviour and support their teams with confidence.

“We also make support as easy to access as possible by discretely and confidentially signposting employees to assistance programmes, mental health first aiders and wellbeing resources whenever they may need them.

“Above all, we prioritise a people-first mindset, whether someone is an apprentice or senior leader, and everyone plays a role in creating this safe, inclusive environment where wellbeing, development and teamwork are at the forefront.”

How does Premier Modular ensure that performance expectations don’t undermine wellbeing?

“As a business, we take a lot of pride in our work, but this should never be at the cost of an individual’s wellbeing. We approach goalsetting carefully – they’re challenging but achievable, which encourages a “can-do” mindset without compromising on mental health.

“We prioritise check-ins between managers and their teams, creating an open culture where people feel comfortable raising concerns or updates early on. This ongoing dialogue helps ensure no one feels isolated or overwhelmed and it reinforces our belief that wellbeing is inseparable from high performance.

“Making sure that colleagues continue to feel confident away from site or the office is equally important. We frequently see our team getting involved in wider community events, which can help improve wellbeing, such as recent litter picks around Hornsea Beach and days spent supporting efforts to raise money for charities that are close to the heart of our business.

What is Premier Modular doing to help build a more inclusive and supportive construction industry overall?

“As a leading offsite specialist employing over 360 people, we have a responsibility to lead by example. We are committed to building a culture that champions authenticity and collaboration, including partnering teams with industry stakeholders to raise awareness and reduce stigma.

“We are dedicated to creating long-term skilled careers for young people, and those seeking career changes, with our apprenticeship programme, covering 32 skillsets and all commercial and manufacturing environments. We also consistently track our internal ED&I data to help foster a more inclusive workplace, which includes the recent addition of a neurodiversity metric, to ensure that employees in this category are supported effectively with their day-to day work.”

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