Silent Suffering in Male Dominated Industries: How to Protect this Valuable Sector by Leveraging Strategic Initiatives

Global research demonstrates that male dominated industries face specific challenges, indicating the strong need this sector has for a progressive approach to work wellness supports. By tailoring initiatives to challenges being faced in this demographic, and leveraging relevant research, it is possible to design strategies that fortify the resilience of workers and businesses in this sector.


Abstract

This article explores insights from research focused on male dominated industries (MDI) in order to highlight where more support is needed, and identify strategies that can be implemented by organizations in order to support this demographic. This article reviews research from across the globe which focuses on the struggle of MDI in areas of return-to-work, mental health, implications of painful conditions, age-related risk factors, and substance use in the workplace. With a clear picture of the varied needs in this sector, the article moves into analyzing a highly successful initiative based in four work-camp sites of Northern British Columbia. After a close look at the data, this information is applied to recommendations for creating a successful work wellness initiative in MDI.

 

Introduction

Businesses within MDI are experiencing specific pressures in part due to the changes we have seen to the economic climate, external circumstances, and business landscape in recent years. This has led to telltale workplace symptoms seen when males work in close quarters, day after day and sometimes year after year without adequate supports, systems, and mentoring. This results in issues like interpersonal friction, unproductive dynamics, high absence and turnover rates, substance use issues impacting work, and overall team dysfunction. Certain factors may be hindering our workers in MDI from accessing the support they need to thrive, which creates multipe levels of impact. This puts workers, their employers, and our economy at risk, considering our global reliance on MDI—a sector that includes construction, manufacturing, agriculture, transport, mining, and utilities. In a time where we have hyper-focused on feminist dialogue, we have failed to acknowledge an important question: how are we supporting males to fulfill the roles we wish to see them playing? Without creating a culture where we promote a caliber of support that reflects these standards, we expect a high skill level without providing the necessary training and safe environment in which to practice (and sometimes fail) while building these skills.

  

The information contained within this article paints a picture of a global workforce problem: too much weight is being placed on the backs of certain industries world-wide without adequate support systems. This demographic is not being provided with the support required; an issue that comes under the microscope in the context of the workplace where pressures are high, and resources are low. Workplaces in MDI are indicative of the challenges being faced not just in this sector, but may also paint a picture of challenges being faced by males in the workplace at large. The research in this sector presents compelling reasons for better supporting these highly valuable workers, especially considering that MDI span crucial workplaces which are heavily relied upon in the global economy.


Discussion

While different industries carry different risks, certain themes can be identified throughout multiple studies which focus on MDI. Male mental health is taking a hit and substance use (whether illicit, prescription, or otherwise) is a safety-factor and cause for concern in MDI worldwide. Exacerbating challenges faced by this demographic is the issue of breaking stereotypes that suggest strong men do not ask for outside help, and the prevailing culture of MDI work environments which have normalized a tone of low self-care and even risky behaviour.

 

Return-to-Work

As demonstrated in this peer-reviewed article, What’s gender got to do with it? Examining masculinities, health and safety and return to work in male dominated skilled trades, workers in MDI are at risk of returning to the job too soon after illness or injury (Stergiou-Kita et al., 2016). Although the rates of work-related injury in male dominated skilled trades is relatively high, this inclination for preemptive return is due to a combination of factors including the desire to be viewed as strong, responsible, or resilient, in conjunction with fear of job loss, and strong identity ties to the worker role (Stergiou-Kita et al., 2016). Adjacent factors can also contribute to lack of disclosure regarding challenges being faced after returning to the job, making it difficult to request workplace or health supports when needed (Stergiou-Kita et al., 2016). This means that workers in MDI are more likely to return too soon after illness or injury, and may not have access to the supports they need to make their return sustainable. The prevalence of workplace injury within MDI, and the negative impacts felt as a result of mismanagement work health incidents demonstrates that this is an area which requires more attention.


Mental Health & Holistic Factors

One systematic review, Workplace risk factors for anxiety and depression in male-dominated industries, found that risk categories for these workers were predominantly work conditions, team environment, individual factors, and work-home interference (Battams et al., 2014). More specifically, this translated as poor health and lifestyle, unsupportive workplace relationships, job overload, and high job demands—perhaps demonstrating why higher than average rates of anxiety and mood disorders exist in MDI (Battams et al., 2014). This systematic review points to the importance of social supports, team environment, and moderating job demands as crucial areas that employers can control that can support this demographic (Battams et al., 2014). The findings in this systematic review suggests that the risk factors for anxiety and depression in this demographic can largely be influenced via work environment, organizational culture, and relevant work wellness initiatives.  

 

Implications of Pain in MDI

In a study of US construction workers, the use of prescription opioid and non-opioid analgesic was examined with regard to pain conditions and socioeconomic factors (Dong et al., 2022). This study looked to create a higher quality of understanding around the use of prescription analgesics, risk factors, and implications in MDI. It was found that musculoskeletal disorders and injuries (whether work related or not) significantly increased prescription opioid use, also finding that nearly 28% of surveyed workers (blue and white collar) work overtime—adding to the list of risk factors (Dong et al., 2022). Another concerning statistic—while less than 4% of respondents self-rated their mental health as fair or poor, 11.6% reported mental health disorders (Dong et al., 2022). This study also found that 1 in 4 construction workers has a pain-related condition, with 16% on prescription analgesics, and 10% on prescription opioids (Dong et al., 2022).

 

Age-Related Risk Factors

Higher ratios of prescription drug use were found in workers over 55 years of age, as this demographic was more likely to have musculoskeletal disorders and chronic conditions—which is reflective of widely accepted work wellness norms in this demographic (Dong et al., 2022). The longer you are alive, the more you have faced exposure to risk and health challenges, and have likely experienced both acute (such as strained back) and chronic (such as ongoing back issues) concerns, some of which likely compound into a comorbidity or multi-injury health circumstance. Given the increased likelihood of complex health history, this age group presents particular risks, considering the potential for adverse event due to opioid use. The data elucidated in this study may help to explain why construction workers in particular are at risk for high injury rates and increased likelihood of opioid overdose (Dong et al., 2022).

 

Substance Use in the Workplace

An appraisal of the use of cannabis on construction sites, a systematic review originating in South Africa estimates that 15% of workers on site are using cannabis to the extent of resulting in impacts like high absentee rates, loss of productivity, unpredictable behaviour, decline to work quality, difficulty with prolonged concentration, poor safety decision making, and high turnover rates (Haupt, 2019). Meanwhile, an Australian study found that MDI use of alcohol, cocaine, and meth/amphetamine was up to 5 times higher than the national average—highlighting the importance of multi-component interventions such as culture change and individual supports to minimize harm (Chapman et al., 2020). Concerningly, up to 45% of respondents reported that it would be easy to use cannabis, cocaine, or meth/amphetamine in the workplace, also citing that they were aware of others using substances at work—one of the indicators that the culture in MDI can be permissive of workplace substance use despite the associated risks (Chapman et al., 2020).

 

This study also found that reported drug use within the past year was found to correlate with lower general health scores, psychological distress, and higher job stress (Chapman et al,. 2020). Given that drug use is a significant contributor to workplace fatalities and traumatic injuries, these findings should be of utmost concern (Chapman et al., 2020). This study postulates that certain kinds of drug use (such as cocaine which was found to have extremely high rates of use) may be related to high demands faced in MDI where the heightened-performance effect of certain substances can assist with attempting to meet workplace requirements (Chapman et al., 2020). The findings from this study suggest that high rates of substance use found within this demographic are likely the result of multiple factors in the workplace, not limited to organizational culture. It is clear that extreme challenges, including substance use in safety-sensitive environments, are being faced in MDI worldwide; is not just occurring in localized sites or in a single continent, this is a global problem.  

 

Limitations of Highlighted Literature

It is typical of workplace research to focus in on specific sectors while under-representing others. While this is not ideal, insights found in the highly studied sectors (such as construction) help us to understand the male dominated industry as a whole. Unfortunately, it means that we may lack specific data in certain sectors which do not receive as much attention from the academic world. For instance, sales is not a highly studied industry regarding workplace wellbeing, but is a male dominated industry where the stress and mental pressure is high, meaning it would likely face similar challenges as demonstrated within the literature regarding other MDI.

 

Discussion Summary

The highlighted studies speak to multiple concerns within male-dominated industries worldwide. Trends and statistics show that workers are not disclosing the need for support, demonstrating the shortcomings of culture within MDI where it does not feel safe to discuss these challenges. These issues are not limited to location, with several studies indicating global themes being faced by working men, as seen in the data collected on different continents. This paints a picture of understanding the multi-faceted risk male workers may be facing, especially regarding those who are returning to work after illness or injury, and may feel uncomfortable to request workplace supports, and using prescription (or other substance) as part of a coping mechanism to succeed in the workplace, even if only temporarily.

 

Analyzing Successful Initiatives in MDI

A holistic understanding of the issues being faced in MDI is an excellent foundation for analyzing the success of related initiatives. The research highlighted so far has indicated the way males are perceived by their peers can be extremely important to them, and tailoring an initiative that matches the context may allow males to participate in workplace health interventions in a way which leverages this cultural dynamic. One workplace health promotion program in the male-dominated worksites of northern British Columbia took a progressive approach that speaks directly to their workers, leading to an objectively successful initiative. This study was called, Acceptability of the POWERPLAY Program: A Workplace Health Promotion Intervention for Men, and was published in the American Journal of Men’s Health (Seaton et al., 2017).

 

By leveraging whole group involvement, and even including aspects like prizes and competitions, this program tapped into an aspect of play and teamwork that allowed the workers to circumvent perceived weakness in reaching out to access health services (Seaton et al., 2017). This demonstrates the power in addressing the needs of your team, and leveraging their strengths to promote increased well-being, consequently improving workplace and business outcomes. While the highlighted research initiative focused on physical wellbeing with healthy eating and physical activity taking the spotlight, this evidence suggests that this same approach could be beneficial for supporting mental wellbeing in this demographic. Let’s take a look at what made this initiative successful, and examine how this information can be leveraged in other organizations.



Leveraging Peer Champions

This initiative made use of tactics such as peer champions which can help to encourage communication and learning, since barriers to accessing communication can be reduced (Seaton et al., 2017). Research highlighted earlier in this article pointed to workers in MDI minimizing their bids for support due to concerns relating to job security and being seen as strong or capable (Stergiou-Kita et al., 2016).  Factors like these may make it more difficult for a worker to approach their higher-up for support or information if there is a concern about how that bid for assistance will be received, and how it may colour the perception of their value as a worker and generally capable man.

 

The Influence of Current Workplace Dynamics

This study indicated that employee engagement and receptivity to the work wellness program was influenced by the perceived importance to leadership and existing relationship quality in the workplace (Seaton et al., 2017). In the worksites where collective bargaining was ongoing throughout the program, initiatives were impacted by this climate, especially when bargaining escalated workplace tensions (Seaton et al., 2017). This suggests that while a program may have the necessary components to be successful, the context and environment where it is introduced has the potential to influence the results.

 

Initiating Lasting Change

The potential for lasting change was captured with this initiative, as men were seen to continue using the pedometers supplied for this initiative even after the challenges had been completed, with feedback including that some workers had quit drinking and smoking permanently as a result of these temporary initiatives (Seaton et al., 2017). The program even encouraged some participants to begin organizing their own activities once the challenges were complete, such as hiking and organizing sports to play in friendly competition—and most importantly, starting a collective conversation about wellness that turned into a shared endeavour with common goals (Seaton et al., 2017).

 

Participant Insights

Feedback from the participating men regarding how to improve upon the program noted the importance of entertainment value, competition and team spirit, reminders to participate, and incentives for doing so (Seaton et al., 2017). Other aspects that did not work so well in the program pointed to the necessity of clarity and consistency, especially ensuring that initiatives are simple, and easy to understand to make it accessible for workers to continue participating (Seaton et al., 2017).


Opportunities for Improvement

Respondents contended that improvements to the program could be seen by increasing clarity of instruction, focusing on competitive spirit, and program flexibility (Seaton et al., 2017). Other suggestions from those implementing the program include the potential benefits of utilizing a committee with mixed, relevant stakeholders (ie., employees, management, union representatives, etc.) as well as including outside expertise to assist with imparting the importance of teachings (Seaton et al., 2017).


Worker Capacity to Participate 

Another stand out aspect of feedback from participants was the deterrent of overly complicated goals that did not resonate with personal meaning for them—to elaborate, the challenge of meeting an unclear goal was not worth the work when the goal didn’t translate as important or make sense as to why it applied to the worker’s situation (Seaton et al., 2017).  This study made note that the desire for simplicity may be more than just a preference, but a personal resources requirement considering the demanding nature of the roles in MDI and likelihood of significant overtime which cuts into the bandwidth workers have available to make participation possible (Seaton et al., 2017). Other postulation from this study includes that workplace may be a particularly beneficial environment to promote health for men due to the nature of participating in the workplace that can help to circumvent feelings of weakness that may be related to reaching out for health support via other avenues (Seaton et al., 2017).

 

Recommendations

The research highlighted in this article has pointed to some very concise themes.

Keep Initiatives Easy to Participate In

Making initiatives overly complicated for participants to join or keep up with is a deterrent. When designing your initiative, keep your target audience in mind and be intentional about the program. When you make it easy for workers to engage in the program, it is more likely your initiative will be successful. Remember that most workers are already occupied with their job role and tasks, likely not leaving much bandwidth to care about something new or add more to their plate.

 

Tie Engagement to Personal Meaning

When participants don’t have a strong why behind the goals of an initiative, it makes it harder for them to maintain consistency and overcome barriers to accomplishing the goal. Successful change management begins with attaching personal meaning to shared goals—focus on why the worker should care about this goal and elicit their personal meaning. Tapping into this change management strategy will promote greater success.

 

Convey Value of Initiatives thru Consistent Messaging

When presenting or delivering an initiative, impressions are extremely important for how the workers will receive this new concept. By delivering a consistent message across the organization, such as demonstrating the importance in leadership, management, across departments, and with all relevant stakeholders it helps workers to grasp that this is an important initiative and they should value it, too. When there is inconsistency in messaging or delivery, it creates an uncertainty about if this is something the worker needs to care about, especially when they are likely already quite busy with their work.

 

Leverage Play and Team Spirit Mentality

Play is powerful for all humans but in male dominated workplaces, this can be a particularly potent approach to harness. Building a team mentality where workers feel like part of a group that they have the safety to participate and play in without fear of judgment or appearing less manly may be able to super-charge your initiative. In this play-state energy it is possible for workers to tap into curiostiy and integrate learning more easily. Leveraging this type of approach may assist with cultivating a culture that promotes not only self-care but a sense that the whole group cares about the wellbeing of the individuals and shared goals of the group, translating into a stronger team, better coping and competence skills in the workplace.

 

Build Common Goals as A Bridge to Culture Change

By looking towards goals in common, the organizational culture can take on a new feeling. By feeling like part of the group, and caring about what others in the group care about, workers can be encouraged to be part of something larger than themselves which provides an intrinsic reward. While this seems like an extremely simple approach, creating the feeling that everyone is on the same team and finding meaning in shared goals promotes a culture where workers care and have an intrinsic desire to contribute. Creating the feeling that all workers are part of the team, and that this team is working together to accomplish a shared goal can overhaul the tone of your organization with relatively little input.

 

Organizational Culture Sets the Tone for Everything

When workers don’t feel heard, there is excessive interpersonal friction, problems go unsolved, tensions are high, there is consensus that suggest leadership doesn’t care, workload is tough to keep up with—this sets the tone. When the culture of an organization needs work, every initiative introduced into this environment will be coloured by existing dynamics. If the foundation for success has not been set, initiatives do not have their best chance at a successful outcome because existing dysfunction creates barriers.

 

Provide Resources Workers Can Lean on Long Term

Look at resources available to workers as tools in their toolbox—it can be really helpful to have a few solid tools at your disposal when you have a need for them. Often times, certain situations may favour one tool over another and it is a real asset when a worker has the ability to choose a resource which matches their circumstance. When initiatives can look toward incorporating elements that can be resources for workers time and again, this better equips them for resilience in the face of adversity whether in work or home life. You create an initiative that will pay off in the long term when the value you bring can continue to serve your team once the initial push for the program ends.

 

Encourage Workers to Get Back on Track

It is natural to fall off the wagon when making changes—how does your initiative handle setbacks and encourage your workers to give it another shot? When initiatives or challenges pinalize workers for falling off their participation, it can accidentally derail them permanently rather than incentivize. Setbacks will happen, especially in a long-term commitment to new, healthier behaviours (especially when it comes to less tangible skills like setting healthy boundaries, or improving communication skills). Taking a “try again” approach encourages a human-centered framework that doesn’t discourage participation in initiatives despite inevitable slip ups. By placing the importance on participating rather than focusing on setbacks, workers are encouraged to just give it another try and participate in something that is good for them and the team at large.

 

Forming the Right Committee

Initiatives are more likely to be successful when they are shaped by the perspectives of relevant stakeholders who have dedicated time to enact the project. Having the right representatives allows an organization to leverage the value of differing perspectives in designing a well mapped strategy. By including all relevant parties and allowing them to contribute their thoughts, it can not only help to cover all the bases with the strategy, but helps everyone to feel like their voices are heard and they are part of a team with a common goal. In addition to crafting a strategic mix of stakeholders, providing dedicated time to work on any projects or initiatives will contribute to successful outcomes. If facilitators lack adequate resources, which includes time, program delivery will undoubtedly suffer.

 

Honour Bandwidth Limitations for Workers

Creating initiatives with your target audience in mind will ultimately promote worker engagement with the initiative, and these considerations should be women into the framework of the program. What bandwidth and capacity is available after job tasks in the worker population you’d like to see participating in your initiative—how much time and energy do they have available to contribute? You should ensure that program goals align with the bandwidth projections. In other words, if it is likely workers have limited time and mental capacity, realistic goals of the program may be more about encouraging more conversations around wellness, building a culture that values team spirit, and planting a seed around healthy behaviours—and less about highly aspirational goals and changes.

 

Translating Insights for Application

There are many aspects to consider when implementing work wellness initiatives, programs and systems in MDI. Looking toward published, peer-reviewed literature in this space can help to develop a better understanding of the existing risks being faced by workers in the industry, as well as the opportunities to improve the wellness in these workplaces. By analyzing initiatives that have been successful, it is possible to translate successful aspects into a strategy that is tailored to your organization’s context and needs. While the areas highlighted above in the recommendations sections are not entirely comprehensive, the are the most relevant insights translated from the research which has been featured in this artcile.


Harmonizing Data Within the Larger Picture

Respondent feedback on areas to improve initiatives makes sense within the larger context of available workplace data and relevant expertise. While there are several highlighted recommendations, they may not all be applicable to your circumstances. It can be confusing to harmonize so many different aspects into an effective strategy, which is where expert guidance can be extremely valuable. If you need some straight forward (or comprehensive) guidance to perfectly execute your strategy, let’s talk. Book a strategy session with me or reach out at workwellnessboutique@gmail.com and I will personally make a recommendation for your exact needs, with zero obligation—just a comfortable and confidentiality conversation that gives you the insights you need.

 

Conclusion

While we like to think of physical and mental health as separate entities, the reality is that holistic human health is both and more. In work wellness contexts, it is being seen that physical and mental health are inextricably linked. As time goes on, we are witnessing that the whole human in the workplace needs attention, and one-dimensional health management approaches fall short now more than ever. This link between mental and physical health in MDI can be seen throughout research that looks at holistic indicators of work wellness alongside the challenges being faced by this demographic of workers. By analyzing the current conditions against the relevant evidence for potential solutions, and matching strategy to goals with regard to context, it is possible to design health initiatives to meet the needs of the modern organization.

 

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References

Battams, S., Roche, A. M., Fischer, J. A., Lee, N. K., Cameron, J., & Kostadinov, V. (2014). Workplace risk factors for anxiety and depression in male-dominated industries: a systematic review. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine2(1), 983–1008. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2014.954579


Chapman, J., Roche, A. M., Duraisingam, V., Phillips, B., Finnane, J., & Pidd, K. (2020). Working at heights: patterns and predictors of illicit drug use in construction workers. Drugs Education Prevention and Policy28(1), 67–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2020.1743645


Dong, X. S., Brooks, R. D., Rodman, C., Rinehart, R., & Brown, S. (2022). Pain and Prescription Opioid Use Among US Construction Workers: Findings From the 2011‒2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. American Journal of Public Health112(S1), S77–S87. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2021.306510


Haupt, T. (2019). An appraisal of the use of cannabis on construction sites. Acta Structilia26(1), 148–166.https://doi.org/10.18820/24150487/as26i1.6


Seaton, C. L., Bottorff, J. L., Oliffe, J. L., Jones-Bricker, M., Caperchione, C. M., Johnson, S. T., & Sharp, P. (2017). Acceptability of the POWERPLAY Program: A Workplace Health Promotion Intervention for Men. American Journal of Men S Health11(6), 1809–1822. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988317728354


Stergiou-Kita, M., Mansfield, E., Colantonio, A., Moody, J., & Mantis, S. (2016). What’s gender got to do with it? Examining masculinities, health and safety and return to work in male dominated skilled trades. Work54(3), 721–733. https://doi.org/10.3233/wor-162322

 

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