US contractor Turner Construction Company and the Turner Foundation have announced a five-year, $5 million investment to advance mental health and wellbeing in the company.

Turner said that mental health is as essential as physical safety and that the investment comes at a time that the industry needs more workers to meet market demands.

The company said it would expand its mental health awareness program with a focus on:

Increasing awareness and visibility of mental health resources
Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health challenges and seeking help
Ensuring that everyone鈥攅ither those in its 13,000-strong workforce or the 110,000 people the company welcomes onto its jobsites each day鈥攌nows where to turn for support

It added that the programme aims to reshape industry culture and change the attitude among construction workers that they should 鈥渢ough it out鈥� and 鈥渒eep their head down鈥�.

Peter Davoren, chairman and CEO of Turner Construction Company, said, 鈥淭urner is a place where people can be at their best, be authentic, and be treated with respect and dignity. Mental health matters so much because it touches all of us鈥攐ur families, our coworkers, our friends. We are committed to building a workplace where every team member feels safe and supported.鈥�