In an industry where hard hats and steel-toed boots are standard, emotional safety and mental health support are still catching up. Mental health remains a taboo topic in many workplaces —especially in construction, where stoicism and toughness are often mistaken for strength, and challenges like chronic stress and anxiety are frequently ignored. Skanska is working to break that stigma through its Green Sticker Program, which creates safe spaces for open conversations among its workforces.

The results have been powerful. As of October 1, 2025, nearly 300 Skanska USA employees had received mental health first aid (MHFA) training. Employees are speaking up, peer support is growing, and the stigma is slowly eroding. But Skanska’s success isn’t just about one company — it’s a blueprint for the construction industry.

Construction has one of the highest suicide rates among all professions, and the risk continues to rise across job sites. Workers face long hours, physical strain, and a culture that historically stigmatizes emotional vulnerability.

In response, Skanska’s Ohio office engaged with a suite of mental health initiatives in 2020, including a partnership with TiER1 Performance on a program designed to normalize discussions around mental well-being and empower employees to seek help without fear or shame. The Start the Conversation initiative fosters open, stigma-free dialogue around mental health, helping build trust, psychological safety, and a stronger workplace culture. The program has empowered employees to seek help for themselves and others, transforming a quiet need into a powerful cultural shift.

Skanska’s Green Sticker Program, the successor to Start the Conversation, trains volunteers in mental health first aid — a skill set as vital as CPR. MHFA equips employees to recognize signs of distress, listen nonjudgmentally, and connect peers with appropriate resources. Graduates receive a green sticker for their hard hats or desk tents, signaling to colleagues that they are safe, trained listeners who can offer support and get them to professionals who can help. The sticker is more than a symbol — it’s a lifeline.

The goal is to make employees feel comfortable talking about mental health. This support should extend to subcontractors and partners, too. MHFA programs are successful when someone who needs help approaches an MHFA volunteer and says, “I’m struggling. Can you help me?”

Mental health support must be visible, accessible, and inclusive. Shifting job site culture toward openness and empathy requires more than good intentions — it demands a structured, proactive approach.

1. Train Mental Health First Aiders
Collaborate with a mental health provider (Skanska partnered with the Lindner Center of Hope and TiER1 Performance) to implement a curriculum tailored to organizational needs. Offer education to volunteers across all levels and use visual identifiers like stickers or badges to make support visible.

2. Start the Conversation
Launch awareness campaigns that encourage open dialogue. Share personal stories from leadership to model vulnerability and build trust. Normalize phrases like, “It’s OK to not be OK.”

3. Integrate Mental Health into Safety Culture
Treat mental wellness as essential as personal protective equipment. Include mental health resources in orientations, toolbox talks, and safety briefings. Post signage with helplines and support services around job sites and identify trained MHFA team members.

4. Partner with Local Experts
Collaborate with local mental health organizations or national groups such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. These partnerships provide ongoing training, resources, and credibility.

5. Measure and Evolve
Use surveys, feedback loops, and wellness check-ins to assess program impact. Adjust based on employee needs and industry trends. Make mental health a strategic priority, not a side initiative.

Any construction company — or its partners — can establish an MHFA initiative using the steps above. Skanska’s Green Sticker Program is proof that small symbols can spark big change. By embedding mental health into its culture, Skanska is not only protecting its workers — it’s leading a movement that could save lives across the construction industry.

If you're interested in starting a mental health first aid program or learning more about how to support emotional safety in construction, reach out to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing (mentalhealthfirstaid.org) for more information. Skanska is committed to assisting other companies and organizations in advocating for mental health support and safety.

Chris Hopper is Executive Vice President and General Manager for Skanska USA’s operations across Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana, where he leads strategic growth and champions a culture of safety and innovation. He is also an advocate for mental health and played a key role in expanding the Green Sticker Program throughout Skanska’s offices across the U.S.