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Insights

More than 3,000 people tragically die by suicide, and an estimated 55,000 people attempt suicide each year in Australia*, and 3 out of every 4 suicides are men.

The construction industry in Australia is one of the highest-risk sectors for suicide. In Australia, a construction worker dies by suicide roughly every two days, with male workers aged 15-24 two times more likely to die by suicide compared to other industries. Suicide in our industry is a major issue that requires an industry-led solution. Workers face unique pressures that contribute to poor mental health outcomes.

When you think about job site hazards, physical risks such as unprotected falls and unmarked zones likely come to mind. However, it’s the invisible hazards like anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts that pose just as much, if not more, danger to Australian construction workers every day. Demanding work conditions, including high workloads, poor work-life balance, excessive travel time, and poor job security, are all contributors to occupational stress and mental health issues. The construction industry is also more prone to bullying, generally creating a more hostile work environment than other industries, leading to increased rates of
chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and reduced job satisfaction.

Incolink briefed Silver Lining to develop a campaign specifically aimed at not only reducing mental health stigma but also providing the right tools to navigate a conversation with a mate who's doing it tough.

The Concept

LEGO creates a world where kids and adults alike can play, watch LEGO movies, play child-friendly LEGO computer games from adult franchises, and create their own LEGO video adventures.

And its success lies in the fact that the LEGO world is not real. Pieces can fall off, walls can tumble down, and things can be built or destroyed without consequence.

Our campaign vision of a LEGO construction world lulls you in with the same premise - a world that disguises the realities of life with imagination, adventure and possibilities. But life simply isn’t like this. Let’s use these figures as characters that can act out the everyday realities of work pressures and unearth, normalise and deconstruct mental health issues within the construction industry. The conversations we have, the culture we create, can all help those suffering seek help, brick by brick. The film uses language to convey how, sometimes, asking if someone is OK is both awkward and masked by bravado. Men can sometimes seem like they are saying a lot, but are actually saying nothing.