Evaluation of multi-level intervention strategies for a psychologically healthy construction workplace in Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose - The need to improve the mental health of construction personnel has increased owing to high rates of mental health problems. Hence, a proper evaluation of a mix of implementable intervention strategies in the workplace will assist in achieving good mental health. Although there are recommendations in occupational health literature on strategies that can be adopted, it is unknown how they fit appropriately into the construction industry. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the mix of strategies for the construction industry and their criticality. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing from the context of developing countries with Nigeria as a case study, data was collected using the quantitative technique. A questionnaire survey consisting of 31 intervention strategies was administered to a purposive sample of 45 experts in the Nigerian construction industry. The data collected was analyzed using mean score analysis and fuzzy synthetic evaluation. Findings - The study revealed that strategies focused on boosting employee morale and engagement and interpersonal relationship offer higher chances of improving mental health among construction personnel. The study showed that implementing job crafting and sculpting may benefit the industry. The analysis showed that the overall criticality of the intervention strategies to the Nigerian construction workplace is high, suggesting that if implemented, the mental health of construction personnel can be improved. Originality/value - The study provides an initial understanding of the most critical multi-level intervention strategies to enhance good mental health among construction personnel in Nigeria and the global construction industry. These findings serve as a guide to policymakers and advocate the implementation of strategies to adopt for a psychologically healthy construction workplace in developing countries.