Kier has become a 'company supporter' of the Lighthouse Club charity, which provides wellbeing support to construction workers and their families.
The package provides the Tier one company with access to a wide range of services including management training, critical incident support and help to create a 'Road to Wellbeing Strategy'.
Over the years, Kier has become well-known for its charity and social value work, including raising significant funds for OnSide Youth Zones, helping launch the Collaborative Learning Circle and recent work to create a social value calculator.
Kier Group’s health, safety, wellbeing and sustainability director, Chris Lilley, said: 'By supporting the construction charity, the Lighthouse Club, we’re ensuring our people and supply chain have direct and immediate access to support that is adapted to their needs, tackling issues they may be facing and giving them the best support possible.
'This includes access to mental, physical, financial and emotional wellbeing support 24/7 through the Lighthouse Club. We’re delivering joint webinars and toolbox talks alongside the Lighthouse Club for our operative and management colleagues, to help raise awareness of the support available.
'At Kier, we prioritise wellbeing in the same way as health and safety. We currently provide mental health support through a network of over 500 mental health first aiders and our employee assistance programme..'
Kier highlighted that 'in the UK two construction workers take their own life every working day and over 20% of work-related absence is caused by stress, anxiety, or depression'.
The Lighthouse Club offers a 24/7 confidential helpline with free translation for any language. For those who aren’t comfortable reaching out for help on the telephone, the charity also offers a free text support service.
The charity also provides MHFA England accredited Mental Health First Aider courses and has a network of over 350 Lighthouse Beacons which utilise existing support groups to offer a safe space to share and socialise with like-minded people face-to-face.
Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Club said: 'It’s vital that every level of our construction community knows that we have a huge variety of free and easily-accessible wellbeing support, and we are really looking forward to working together to help improve our workforce wellbeing.'
