<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The world&rsquo;s leading recruiter interviews three industry experts about mental health, diversity and technology in construction.</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">69% believe that companies aren't doing enough to support workers facing mental health challenges</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Over half feel that construction companies aren't doing enough to support diversity</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Samantha shares her experience of coming out as a transgender female in a typically male dominated industry</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: left;">The construction industry has experienced a series of uncertainties and labour shortages over the past few years. Looking into what factors are directly affecting the nation, world leading recruiter Randstad has interviewed some of the construction industry&rsquo;s key players, to find out what needs to be done to future-proof the workforce.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<a href="/future-of-the-construction-workforce/" target="_blank">The series of videos</a> explore three topics; mental health, diversity and technology, bringing to life the impact they have on the construction workforce, while demonstrating forward-thinking tactics to educate employers and help raise awareness of industry issues to workers.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Viewers can hear first hand from the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity&rsquo;s CEO Bill on the importance of mental health, Vinci Construction&rsquo;s Commercial Director Samantha speaking on diversity and her experience of coming out as a transgender female within the industry, and Costain&rsquo;s Group Innovation and Knowledge Manager Tim, who explains the benefits of using modern technology in construction.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The underlying message behind the latest campaign is that there is still a long way to go before today&rsquo;s construction workforce feel confident in their employers when it comes to diversity and mental health. While some employers are leading by example, a 2019 survey of over 1,000 construction workers carried out by Randstad revealed that over half (54%) don&rsquo;t feel that construction companies are doing enough to support diversity within the industry. When it comes to mental health the stats are even more alarming. 69% of construction workers surveyed this year by Randstad* believe that construction companies aren't doing enough to support workers facing mental health challenges.<br />
<br />
Randstad UK Construction, Property and Engineering Managing Director, Owen Goodhead said: &ldquo;There has been some positive steps in the right direction to help educate and inform the future construction workforce, however there is still a long way to go. We&rsquo;ve been working hard to get mental health on the agenda for many employers through a series of campaigns over the years, however we recognise that more needs to be done in other areas to attract more to our industry to help plug the skills gap.<br />
<br />
By tapping into the minds of some the industry&rsquo;s key experts, we&rsquo;ve been able to hear directly from those who are really driving change within their organisations and moving the workforce in the right direction. We need to act fast to drive change and influence other employers, while at the same time educating and inspiring the future workforce by bringing these sometimes unspoken discussion areas to the surface.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
With construction being one of the biggest contributors to the UK&rsquo;s GDP, accounting for <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/ar…; target="_blank">6.3%</a> in 2017 and employing 10% the UK&rsquo;s workforce, any negative changes to productivity are a real cause for concern. Key learnings must be shared in order to promote the importance of construction to the upcoming generation of workers and attract skilled individuals.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
To hear more from the industry experts, visit:&nbsp;<br />
https://www.randstad.co.uk/future-of-the-construction-workforce/ />
<strong><br />
Notes to editors<br />
<br />
about Randstad</strong><br />
Randstad is the global leader in the HR services industry. We support people and organisations in realising their true potential. We do this by combining the power of today&rsquo;s technology with our passion for people. We call it Human Forward. Our services range from regular temporary Staffing and permanent placements to Inhouse Services, Professionals, and HR Solutions, including Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Managed Services Programs and&nbsp; outplacement. Randstad is active in 38 countries around the world and has top-three positions in almost half of these. In 2018, Randstad had on average 38,820 corporate employees and 4,826 branches and Inhouse locations. In 2018, Randstad generated revenue of &euro; 23.8 billion and holds the world&rsquo;s number one position in its industry since November 2018. Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. Randstad N.V. is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam, where options for stocks in Randstad are also traded. For more information, see
https://www.randstad.com/. />
<br />
Randstad.co.uk February 2019 poll results:<br />
<br />
*Do you feel construction companies are doing enough to support workers facing mental health challenges?&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">No (747 votes, 69%)<br />
Yes (328 votes, 31%)<br />
<br />
Do you feel construction companies are doing enough to support diversity within the industry?<br />
No (599 votes, 54%)<br />
Yes (503 votes, 46%)<br />
<br />
<br />
</p>