Driving down suicide rates among construction workers remains the key aim behind the mahi being done by MATES in Construction, which has released its latest findings on wellbeing in the sector.
The 2025 MATES Wellbeing Survey is the organisation’s strongest yet, it says, with over 3,300 workers taking part. The survey provides a broadly representative sample that reflects the size, diversity, and complexity of the industry. Its strength lies not just in the number of responses but in the reach: voices from apprentices to senior leaders, from large firms to small businesses, from Māori, Pasifika, Asian, and migrant workers, from men and women, and from both urban and rural regions. Together, this diversity gives one of the clearest pictures yet of the realities and pressures facing construction workers across Aotearoa.
The Wellbeing Survey is one of the most important ways MATES in Construction listens to workers and understands what life is really like in our industry. The report explains what they heard, why it matters and how we can all work together towards meaningful change.
The findings are based on data collected in July–early August 2025, offering one of the most up-to-date snapshots of worker wellbeing in the country. Since 2021, the Well-being survey has tracked how workers are really doing, the pressures they face, and what supports make the most significant difference. In 2025, more than 3,300 workers participated, making this one of the most extensive community-based surveys of its kind in New Zealand and the largest sample in its four-year history.
The survey was translated into seven languages and taken directly to sites throughout the motu (country). It was also available online, and workers could scan a QR code to complete the survey by phone, enabling accessible technology. This helped to remove barriers and ensure workers everywhere had the chance to be heard.
Turning the Wellbeing Survey into Support
The survey became more than data collection – for many, it was a moment of self-reflection and a step toward support. As workers paused to check in on themselves, 194 (6%) requested a follow-up wellbeing call from a MATES staff member. As one worker put it: “This is a reminder to check in on yourself – this survey has made me think about things I have just brushed aside.”
Work Satisfaction and the Hidden Struggles Behind ‘I’m Good’
Encouragingly, almost two-thirds of workers (64%) report being satisfied with their work in construction, and overall mental health has improved since 2021 – though this must be seen in the context of the COVID years, which were especially difficult for workers.
However, suicide risk remains stubbornly high. Almost one in five workers reported suicidal thoughts in the last four months (March–June 2025), with a smaller group going on to report serious thoughts, plans, or attempts. The survey revealed a paradox: many in the highest-risk groups – younger workers, apprentices, Pacific and Māori workers, and those with ongoing health challenges – rated their mental health as ‘good’ on the day of the survey, while also reporting that they were carrying high levels of stress, distress, or suicidal thoughts. Workers in the survey could feel ‘good’ in the moment while still carrying suicidal thoughts – because stressors and supports constantly push and pull against each other.
Tackling Pressures at Work and Home
This paradox – reporting good mental health on the day while still carrying distress or suicide risk – makes sense when you look at the pressures workers face. Workers are not clean slates when they arrive on site – stressors and pressures from home come with them, just as work stress follows them home.
Two out of three workers reported being worried about at least one significant stressor. At home, the most significant concerns were exhaustion and lack of sleep (42%), financial stress (30%), and health challenges (physical: 28%, mental: 15%), as well as concerns about self-care, relationships, and purpose.
When Stress Becomes Pain
These pressures do not remain “just stress” – they manifest in workers’ bodies and minds. Nearly half the workers surveyed reported living with physical or mental health challenges, more than double the national average (Stats NZ, 2023). Workers pointed most often to stress and mental strain (32%) and ageing/wear-and-tear (31%) as causes of or contributors to their poor health, followed by injury outside of work (27%), long hours and lack of rest (25%), and pre-existing conditions (24%).
Physical task factors such as awkward positions (22%) and repetitive work (19%) also featured but were less dominant than psychosocial drivers. This was not limited to one age group: from young apprentices to older workers, the pattern was consistent. Very few cited recent workplace injuries, suggesting progress on physical safety. The challenge now is addressing the next frontier – the cumulative load and psychosocial pressures that workers identify as leading causes of ill health.
The Cost of Inaction
Left unaddressed, this cycle of stress and pain is likely to lead to slower work, more mistakes, rework, churn, and higher accident risk. Tackling both physical and mental health head-on is one of the most significant opportunities for the industry to improve well-being and productivity.
Coroner statistics show construction workers are nine times more likely to die by suicide than by a workplace accident (Office of the Chief Coroner, 2025; WorkSafe, 2025). Mental health and safety must be given the same importance as physical health and safety, not only to keep workers safe, strong, and productive, but also to reduce time away from work, cut the costs of poor well-being, and unlock the industry’s full potential. The costs are first and foremost human, but also financial.
What Makes the Difference
Workers are clear about what keeps them well: time with whānau (family), wairua (G) (spirituality/faith), a good team, and trusted supports available when they need them – alongside fair pay and reasonable hours. The survey shows that when protective factors such as mateship, strong relationships, and access to trusted support are in place, the risk of suicidal distress, stress, and poor mental health drops significantly.
Engagement with MATES showed a strong protective effect: Workers with three or more touchpoints with MATES – through training, site visits, or support calls – were around 50% less likely to report suicidal behaviours. Only 2.6% of these highly engaged workers reported suicidal tendencies (many of whom have been offered or are receiving one-on-one support), compared to 4.7% with little or no MATES support. ‘Highly engaged’ means workers with three or more touchpoints with MATES – through site visits, training, or wellbeing call-backs – showing that the protective effect comes from early, ongoing support, not just Helpline use in moments of distress. In an industry of around 300,000 workers, where one in six reports suicidal thoughts, having access to a programme and support that almost halves the risk is hugely significant and lifesaving.
MATES is reaching just 22% of the workforce, showing the transformative potential if scaled to full industry coverage. The challenge now is to make these protective factors universal, so every worker has the support they need. However, workers also pointed to the barriers sitting above the site: lowest-cost tendering, unrealistic deadlines, and volatile pipelines.
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