Creating a culture of care from the top down

By Jenny Yu. 

The NRCA calls for the roofing industry to make a holistic shift toward viewing mental well-being as part of worker safety. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips^®, Megan R. Ellsworth spoke with Cheryl Ambrose, vice president of enterprise risk management for the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), about how the organization is advocating for more awareness around mental health in the roofing industry.  

Cheryl said that creating a culture of care starts from senior leadership being willing to have conversations within the company and break down stigmas around issues of mental health and safety. 

“Visible senior leadership support is huge,” Cheryl stated. “Having senior leaders who show that they actively support mental health, suicide prevention and creating a culture that supports that without a stigma being attached — that is one of the strongest things a company can start doing to create long-term change.” 

After establishing a unified front, the company can strategize how to make employees feel comfortable bringing mental health issues up. Cheryl offered some starting points, from authoring clear health and safety policies to planning consistent internal and external messaging that invites open conversations. The NRCA collaborates with organizations like the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), which curates resources that companies can adapt to establish official policies and frameworks. 

Beyond ensuring that a company has clear outward-facing materials and resources, Cheryl emphasized the importance of everyday, interpersonal interactions that may be unrelated to the job but ultimately normalize the willingness to seek help. “Maybe it's asking how people are and how your weekend was,” Cheryl offered. “Share stories of recovery or resilience that demonstrate that seeking help is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness. Well-being is as much a part of the job, not something personal that they need to hide and keep tucked away.” 

Cheryl shared an example of one NRCA member whose company prioritizes authentic relationships. “They're not allowed to walk up to somebody and talk to them about a safety issue until they talk to them about how they are,” she retold. 

Other ideas Cheryl shared included providing a crew lunch on the job site, creating a space for relaxed but intentional conversations. These small steps can make people feel more seen and more comfortable, so if they ever do have a more serious issue or safety concern, they know they will be heard and supported.  

Finally, Cheryl emphasized that safety and mental health can and should be a larger community effort. “Involve trade partners, vendors and clients. Get them in the conversation,” Cheryl stated. “You'd be surprised how many of them really want to do more. They're looking for ways to get involved.” 

Read the previous article in this series or Listen to the podcast to learn more about ways companies can prioritize the mental health of their crews. Visit NRCA’s mental health webpage for more resources!