Influence of Mental Health, Workplace Isolation, and Psychological Distress on Burnout among Construction Workers: Mediating Effect of Psychological Well-being

Abstract

Purpose: The construction industry has emerged as one of the occupational health problems due to the scanty working conditions, overworking, work-related isolation, and mounting psychological stresses. Mental health concerns and psychological distress are highly prevalent among construction workers and can have a negative impact on their mental well-being as well as lead to burnout. Thus, the research is going to explore how mental health, isolation in the workplace, and psychological distress affect burnout in construction employees and whether the mediating variable is psychological well-being.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design involved was quantitative cross- sectional research design and 505 construction workers were surveyed by providing them a structured questionnaire survey. In the study, validated measurement scales that were used to measure mental health, isolation at work, psychological distress, psychological well-being and burnout. In order to evaluate both measurement and structural model, direct and mediating relationship of the study variables, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied.

Findings: The findings revealed that the variables which significantly contribute to burnout among construction workers include mental health ( = 0.269, p < 0.001), workplace isolation ( = 0.342, p < 0.001), psychological distress ( = 0.224, p < 0.001) and psychological well-being ( = 0.357, p < 0.001). Furthermore, mental health (β = 0.399, p < 0.001), workplace isolation (β = 0.429, p < 0.001), and psychological distress (β = 0.406, p < 0.001) significantly influence psychological well-being. The mediation analysis substantiated the results that the relationship between mental health and burnout (VAF = 34.71%), workplace isolation and burnout (VAF = 30.91%), and psychological distress and burnout (VAF = 39.30) are mediated by psychological well-being. Of the variation in psychological well-being, 54.2 per cent and of the variation in burnout, 64.4 per cent, the model was able to explain.

Practical Implications: The conversation suggests that the construction companies should prioritize in management of mental health and reducing isolation in work setting and launch the psychological well-being programs to reduce the incidences of burnout among employees. To enhance the productivity of the workforce, safety, and sustainability, managers are recommended to establish favorable working environment, enhance socialization and communication, availability of counseling and mental health messages, and employee welfare interventions.

Originality/Value: This study contributes to the body of literature on construction management and occupational health by providing a sound framework involved in integrating mental health, isolation at workplace, psychological distress, psychological well being, and burnout. The study enhances the background information by pinpointing the mediating psychological well-being in the causal role of psychosocial factors on burnout among construction workers and give both theoretical and practical implications on how the psychological well being of the construction workers can be improved and the impact it has on the performance of the organization.