In this episode of Build & Thrive, Jennie Armstrong is joined by Jo Yarker, Professor of Occupational Psychology and Co-Managing Partner at Affinity Health at Work, to explore what it really takes to improve mental health in the workplace.

Together they unpack why many organisations are still stuck at “awareness”, and what a more practical, evidence-based and preventative approach looks like in construction. Jo shares insights from research and real-world consultancy on psychosocial risk, line manager behaviours, how to choose wellbeing products without wasting budget, and why implementation and evaluation matter as much as good intent.

What we cover:

• Why workplace mental health efforts often stall at awareness, and how to shift into prevention
• How construction can apply risk management thinking to psychosocial and mental health risks
• The line manager behaviours that reduce stress, support return to work, and improve retention
• Why inconsistency from managers can be more damaging than getting it wrong occasionally
• How to choose wellbeing tools and services based on evidence, not gloss
• What meaningful evaluation looks like, and how organisations can prove what is working

Jo also shares a powerful perspective on the role of senior leaders, clients, and project-wide consistency, plus what is coming next from Affinity, including new frameworks to support wellbeing professionals and better research engagement across industry.

🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app)

📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B

🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction.

Episode Links:

Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/

Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/

Affinity Health at Work:

• Website: https://www.affinityhealthatwork.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/affinity-health-at-work-ltd/
  
  
  

Jo Yarker:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyarker/

Supporting Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals

• Website: https://www.som.org.uk/som-buyers-guide-wellbeing-products-or-services

GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/

Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Take our quick, free assessment to uncover how your organisation measures up in occupational health & wellbeing. Get personalised insights and actionable steps to make a real difference.

👉 Check Your Score Now

In this eye-opening episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong is joined by Stu Drinkwater, co-founder of TAL (Take A Leak), and Andrea White, Managing Director at A W Fire Ltd, fire engineer and passionate advocate for better welfare in construction.

We talk about toilets but this is far more than that!

For years, mobile construction workers have normalised dehydration, discomfort, and unsafe workarounds simply because adequate welfare isn’t available between sites. From rationing water to eating lunch on stairwells, the stories shared are both familiar and unacceptable.

Stu explains how Take A Leak was founded after he and co-founder Nathan realised just how widespread this issue is and how a simple, scalable solution could transform workers’ health, dignity and productivity. Through TAL’s growing network of host venues, mobile workers can access clean toilets, hot water, seating and microwaves within minutes, at no personal cost.

Andrea brings a powerful perspective as both an industry professional and someone who has lived the problem first-hand. She highlights how welfare is not just a compliance issue, but a barrier to inclusion, retention and safety - particularly for women in construction.

Together, we explore:

• Why welfare is the foundation for wellbeing, safety and performance
• The hidden health impacts of dehydration and restricted toilet access
• The “unspoken culture” that prevents workers from raising welfare concerns
• How TAL works, and why employers and venues are rapidly getting on board
• Why fixing welfare is a strategic opportunity for recruitment and retention
• How leaders can take action now and why they must

This episode shines a light on a problem hidden in plain sight across the industry and offers practical, immediate solutions.

If you care about people, productivity, or the future of construction, you’ll want to hear this.

🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app)

📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B

🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction.

Episode Links:

Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/

Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/

TAL - Take A Leak:

• Website: https://talservices.co.uk/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tal-services-uk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tal_services
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575799996641

A W Fire Ltd:

• Website: https://awfire.co.uk/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/awfire/

Stu Drinkwater:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdrinkwater/

Andrea White:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-white-fire-engineer/

GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/

Sleep is often treated as a personal problem - something people just need to “sort out” in their own time. In this episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong sits down with GP and sleep specialist Dr David Garley, Director of The Better Sleep Clinic, to explore why sleep is actually a critical health and safety issue for construction.

Drawing on his clinical work with patients and organisations - from major employers to elite sports teams - Dr Garley unpacks how poor sleep and fatigue drive accidents, long-term illness and performance problems. Together, Jennie and David look at what this means for construction employers: from shift patterns and long hours, to workers away from home, to the “badge of honour” culture around pushing through tiredness. Most importantly, they explore what can realistically be done - at both organisational and individual level - to help people sleep better and work more safely.

What we cover:

• The difference between tiredness, sleepiness and fatigue - and why it matters for risk on site
• How poor sleep links to heart disease, diabetes, mental health and even dementia - in real-world, practical terms
• Why construction workers may have particularly high rates of insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea - and the signs leaders should look for
• The hidden safety impact of fatigue: from an eight-fold rise in industrial accidents to one in five road collisions involving poor sleep
• What a sensible workplace sleep strategy looks like: anonymous assessment, targeted education, and clear referral routes for proper diagnosis and treatment
• Practical steps supervisors, H&S teams and workers themselves can take to protect sleep around shift work, long hours and life outside of work

Throughout the conversation, Dr David Garley makes a clear case that sleep is not a luxury or a sign of weakness - it is one of the three core pillars of performance alongside nutrition and exercise. For construction leaders who care about safety, productivity and long-term health, bringing sleep into the conversation is no longer optional.

🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app)

📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B

Episode Links:

Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/

Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/

The Better Sleep Clinic:

• Website: https://www.thebettersleepclinic.co.uk/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-sleep-clinic/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebettersleepclinicuk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBetterSleepClinicUK

Dr David Garley:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-garley-tbsc/

GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/

Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Take our quick, free assessment to uncover how your organisation measures up in occupational health & wellbeing. Get personalised insights and actionable steps to make a real difference.

👉 Check Your Score Now