Build & Thrive

Jennie Armstrong
  • 0.0 (0)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Build & Thrive is the podcast transforming occupational health and wellbeing in the construction industry. Hosted by Jennie Armstrong, founder of Construction Health & Wellbeing, each episode features inspiring conversations with experts and change-makers dedicated to creating a healthier, happier workforce. Hear interviews with inspirational individuals and experts who are leading the way in tackling the industry’s toughest challenges, from staggering health statistics to skills shortages and talent retention. Did you know construction workers are nearly 4 times more likely to take their own lives through suicide than workers in other industries? Or that they’re 100 times more likely to die from work-related health issues than safety incidents? It’s clear we need to do more. Built to Thrive is here to spark change, celebrate innovation, and inspire action for a brighter future in construction. Join us for real stories, practical advice, and the latest in health and wellbeing strategies for the construction sector. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platform, and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube to stay updated. Together, we can make construction a place where everyone can thrive.

  1. Why Sport Works: Community as a Mental Health Intervention with Steve Kerslake

    4D AGO

    Why Sport Works: Community as a Mental Health Intervention with Steve Kerslake

    In this powerful episode of Build & Thrive, Jennie Armstrong sits down with Steve Kerslake, founder of Construction Sport and long-time construction worker turned mental health campaigner. Recorded inside the Construction Sport studio, this is an honest, unfiltered conversation about trauma, pressure, suicide, sport, leadership and why the industry must go beyond awareness and into accountability. Steve shares his deeply personal journey - from surviving a violent attack early in his career, to navigating serious health challenges, to founding a charity that’s now influencing national conversations around mental health and workplace legislation. But this isn’t just about raising awareness. It’s about asking harder questions. In this episode, we cover: How a charity walk across Crossrail sparked the birth of Construction SportWhy community - not just sport - is the real interventionThe hidden cost of long hours, pressure and financial instability in constructionWhy many mental health initiatives fail on siteThe case for making suicide reportable under RIDDORWhat accountability could mean for the future of workplace mental healthHow trauma shows up physically and why “the body keeps the score”What real success looks like for the next five yearsIf you work in construction - whether on site, in leadership, in safety, HR, or policy - this conversation matters. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Plan, Do, Check, Act - Assess your systematic approach to Psychosocial Hazard Management with 12 quick questions:  https://psychsafety.scoreapp.com Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  Steve Kerslake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kerslake-650183174/Construction Sport Contracts Ltd: Website: https://www.constructionsport.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/constructionsportInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/constructionsport/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructionsportcontracts/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConSpoTVGKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Want a free 30 minute strategy call to ensure you're on the right path.  Email support@constructionhealth.co.uk

    1h 4m
  2. Psychosocial Risk in Construction: Tackling the Real Causes of Stress at Work with Stuart Mace

    FEB 18

    Psychosocial Risk in Construction: Tackling the Real Causes of Stress at Work with Stuart Mace

    In this episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong introduces a very special guest and a new voice you’ll be hearing a lot more from - Stuart Mace, the newest team member at Construction Health & Wellbeing. The conversation challenges the idea that organisations are responsible for “managing” employees’ mental health. Instead, it reframes the responsibility: managing the work environment, reducing avoidable stressors, and acting on data before issues escalate. Stuart explains that good wellbeing practice is not about eliminating all stress. It’s about managing risk - just as construction already does so effectively in physical safety. This episode covers: Why most organisations are still stuck at “awareness”The misunderstandings around stress and psychosocial riskWhy stress risk assessments feel daunting but don’t need to beThe real opportunity behind ISO 45003The evolving role of Mental Health First AidersWhy listening to your workforce is the most powerful intervention you haveIf you’re a senior leader, health and safety professional, HR lead or project manager wondering what “good” really looks like in workplace wellbeing, this episode provides a grounded and realistic starting point. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Plan, Do, Check, Act - Assess your systematic approach to Psychosocial Hazard Management with 12 quick questions:  https://psychsafety.scoreapp.com Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  Stuart Mace: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartmace/GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Want a free 30 minute strategy call to ensure you're on the right path.  Email support@constructionhealth.co.uk

    50 min
  3. What If Your Near Miss Data Is Actually Mental Health Data with Colin Whiteley

    FEB 6

    What If Your Near Miss Data Is Actually Mental Health Data with Colin Whiteley

    In this episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong is joined by Colin Whiteley, Senior SHEQ Advisor at National Grid who is a construction professional with over 22 years’ experience and a doctoral researcher examining the overlooked link between mental health and safety in construction. Colin reflects on his journey from working on the tools to senior site and client-side roles, and why his research now focuses on whether risk-taking behaviour and near misses can be early warning signs of mental health distress, not just “human error”. What we cover: Colin’s journey through construction and into researchWhy “lack of concentration” shouldn’t end an investigationHow minor incidents may signal mental health distressThe impact of long hours, fatigue and job insecurityWhy some wellbeing initiatives don’t reach site levelThe role of managers, culture and stigmaSmall, practical changes that can improve safety and wellbeingIt’s a thoughtful conversation about prevention, responsibility and why mental health needs to be treated as a core safety issue in construction. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Plan, Do, Check, Act - Assess your systematic approach to Psychosocial Hazard Management with 12 quick questions:  https://psychsafety.scoreapp.com Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  National Grid: Website: https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-grid/Facebook: https://facebook.com/nationalgridukYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/uknationalgridInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalgriduk/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/nationalgridColin Whiteley: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-whiteley-msc-5550b5137/GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Want a free 30 minute strategy call to ensure you're on the right path.  Email support@constructionhealth.co.uk

    52 min
  4. Fairness Isn’t a ‘Nice to Have’: What Really Drives Wellbeing and Productivity on Site

    JAN 23

    Fairness Isn’t a ‘Nice to Have’: What Really Drives Wellbeing and Productivity on Site

    In this episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong is joined by Stuart Wallis, Associate Director at Mace, for an open and deeply honest conversation about fairness, culture and wellbeing in the construction industry. Drawing on decades of experience across unions, contractors and major infrastructure projects, Stuart shares a frontline perspective on what genuinely shapes people’s health, dignity and psychological safety at work and why good intentions alone are not enough. From welfare standards and trust on site to leadership accountability and the realities of mental health in a transient workforce, this episode moves beyond surface-level awareness and into the practical decisions that make or break people’s experience of construction. What we cover: Why fairness and dignity on site are fundamental to wellbeing, not “nice to have” extrasThe gap between leadership intent and lived experience for the workforcePsychological safety, speaking up and the fear of job lossMental health, neurodiversity and the pressures placed on individuals at every levelWhy awareness campaigns are not the same as preventionThe role of clients, contractors and supply chains in shaping healthier outcomesThroughout the conversation, Stuart reflects candidly on his own journey, including living with anxiety, depression and neurodiversity, and why vulnerability, trust and respect are essential if the industry is serious about change. This episode is essential listening for construction leaders, health and safety professionals, HR and IR teams, and anyone involved in shaping workplace culture across projects. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  Mace: Website: https://www.macegroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mace-group/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MaceGroupInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/macegroupX (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MaceGroup Stuart Wallis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartwallis/ GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Want a free 30 minute strategy call to ensure you're on the right path.  Email: support@constructionhealth.co.uk

    1 hr
  5. The Manager’s Role: Behaviours That Protect Mental Health with Jo Yarker

    JAN 7

    The Manager’s Role: Behaviours That Protect Mental Health with Jo Yarker

    In this episode of Build & Thrive, Jennie Armstrong is joined by Jo Yarker, Professor of Occupational Psychology and Co-Managing Partner at Affinity Health at Work, to explore what it really takes to improve mental health in the workplace. Together they unpack why many organisations are still stuck at “awareness”, and what a more practical, evidence-based and preventative approach looks like in construction. Jo shares insights from research and real-world consultancy on psychosocial risk, line manager behaviours, how to choose wellbeing products without wasting budget, and why implementation and evaluation matter as much as good intent. What we cover: Why workplace mental health efforts often stall at awareness, and how to shift into preventionHow construction can apply risk management thinking to psychosocial and mental health risksThe line manager behaviours that reduce stress, support return to work, and improve retentionWhy inconsistency from managers can be more damaging than getting it wrong occasionallyHow to choose wellbeing tools and services based on evidence, not glossWhat meaningful evaluation looks like, and how organisations can prove what is workingJo also shares a powerful perspective on the role of senior leaders, clients, and project-wide consistency, plus what is coming next from Affinity, including new frameworks to support wellbeing professionals and better research engagement across industry. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  Affinity Health at Work: Website: https://www.affinityhealthatwork.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/affinity-health-at-work-ltd/ Jo Yarker: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyarker/ Supporting Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals Website: https://www.som.org.uk/som-buyers-guide-wellbeing-products-or-services GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Take our quick, free assessment to uncover how your organisation measures up in occupational health & wellbeing. Get personalised insights and actionable steps to make a real difference. 👉  Check Your Score Now

    51 min
  6. Take A Leak: Fixing Welfare for Construction Mobile Workers with Stu Drinkwater and Andrea White

    12/17/2025

    Take A Leak: Fixing Welfare for Construction Mobile Workers with Stu Drinkwater and Andrea White

    In this eye-opening episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong is joined by Stu Drinkwater, co-founder of TAL (Take A Leak), and Andrea White, Managing Director at A W Fire Ltd, fire engineer and passionate advocate for better welfare in construction. We talk about toilets but this is far more than that! For years, mobile construction workers have normalised dehydration, discomfort, and unsafe workarounds simply because adequate welfare isn’t available between sites. From rationing water to eating lunch on stairwells, the stories shared are both familiar and unacceptable. Stu explains how Take A Leak was founded after he and co-founder Nathan realised just how widespread this issue is and how a simple, scalable solution could transform workers’ health, dignity and productivity. Through TAL’s growing network of host venues, mobile workers can access clean toilets, hot water, seating and microwaves within minutes, at no personal cost. Andrea brings a powerful perspective as both an industry professional and someone who has lived the problem first-hand. She highlights how welfare is not just a compliance issue, but a barrier to inclusion, retention and safety - particularly for women in construction. Together, we explore: Why welfare is the foundation for wellbeing, safety and performanceThe hidden health impacts of dehydration and restricted toilet accessThe “unspoken culture” that prevents workers from raising welfare concernsHow TAL works, and why employers and venues are rapidly getting on boardWhy fixing welfare is a strategic opportunity for recruitment and retentionHow leaders can take action now and why they mustThis episode shines a light on a problem hidden in plain sight across the industry and offers practical, immediate solutions. If you care about people, productivity, or the future of construction, you’ll want to hear this. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  TAL - Take A Leak: Website: https://talservices.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tal-services-uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tal_servicesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575799996641 A W Fire Ltd: Website: https://awfire.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/awfire/ Stu Drinkwater: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdrinkwater/ Andrea White: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-white-fire-engineer/ GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/

    29 min
  7. Opening Your Eyes to Fatigue in Construction with Dr David Garley

    12/03/2025

    Opening Your Eyes to Fatigue in Construction with Dr David Garley

    Sleep is often treated as a personal problem - something people just need to “sort out” in their own time. In this episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong sits down with GP and sleep specialist Dr David Garley, Director of The Better Sleep Clinic, to explore why sleep is actually a critical health and safety issue for construction. Drawing on his clinical work with patients and organisations - from major employers to elite sports teams - Dr Garley unpacks how poor sleep and fatigue drive accidents, long-term illness and performance problems. Together, Jennie and David look at what this means for construction employers: from shift patterns and long hours, to workers away from home, to the “badge of honour” culture around pushing through tiredness. Most importantly, they explore what can realistically be done - at both organisational and individual level - to help people sleep better and work more safely. What we cover: The difference between tiredness, sleepiness and fatigue - and why it matters for risk on siteHow poor sleep links to heart disease, diabetes, mental health and even dementia - in real-world, practical termsWhy construction workers may have particularly high rates of insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea - and the signs leaders should look forThe hidden safety impact of fatigue: from an eight-fold rise in industrial accidents to one in five road collisions involving poor sleepWhat a sensible workplace sleep strategy looks like: anonymous assessment, targeted education, and clear referral routes for proper diagnosis and treatmentPractical steps supervisors, H&S teams and workers themselves can take to protect sleep around shift work, long hours and life outside of workThroughout the conversation, Dr David Garley makes a clear case that sleep is not a luxury or a sign of weakness - it is one of the three core pillars of performance alongside nutrition and exercise. For construction leaders who care about safety, productivity and long-term health, bringing sleep into the conversation is no longer optional. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  The Better Sleep Clinic: Website: https://www.thebettersleepclinic.co.uk/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-sleep-clinic/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebettersleepclinicuk/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBetterSleepClinicUK Dr David Garley: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-garley-tbsc/ GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Take our quick, free assessment to uncover how your organisation measures up in occupational health & wellbeing. Get personalised insights and actionable steps to make a real difference. 👉  Check Your Score Now

    38 min
  8. Building the Super Sewer, Building a Better Culture: Making Health as Visible as Safety with Andy Mitchell and Steve Hails

    11/19/2025

    Building the Super Sewer, Building a Better Culture: Making Health as Visible as Safety with Andy Mitchell and Steve Hails

    In this episode of Build & Thrive, host Jennie Armstrong is joined by Andy Mitchell, CEO of Tideway, and Steve Hails, Director of Business Services and Health, Safety & Wellbeing, to explore how one of the UK’s most ambitious engineering projects became a benchmark for culture, care, and collaboration in construction. Together, they discuss how the £4.6 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel - or “Super Sewer” - didn’t just clean up London’s river, but redefined what it means to build with purpose. From designing health and wellbeing into every contract, to creating the now-famous “RightWay” culture and industry-first Epic Induction, Tideway proved that profitability and people-first values can thrive side by side. Jennie reflects on her own seven-year journey with the project, as Andy and Steve share the honest lessons, challenges, and decisions that shaped one of the most progressive safety and wellbeing programmes in the sector - including how genuine care from leadership created trust, loyalty, and lasting change across thousands of workers and suppliers. What we cover: How Tideway combined world-class engineering with a culture of careThe vision that set new benchmarks for health, safety & wellbeingBuilding “one team” across client and contractors through trust and respectThe role of leadership in designing a healthy culture from the startWhy caring isn’t a cost - and how client-led change transforms outcomesLessons on fatigue, mental health, and the legacy of transformational leadershipAndy and Steve show that when a project starts right - with purpose, people, and partnership at its core - it becomes more than infrastructure. It becomes a legacy. If you want to understand how culture, health, and leadership can transform construction projects - this episode is essential listening. 🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app) 📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B  🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction. Episode Links: Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/  Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/  Tideway: Website: https://www.tideway.london/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tideway-london/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tidewaylondon/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/tidewaylondon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TidewayLondon YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tidewaylondon Andy Mitchell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-mitchell-cbe-b1239424/Steve Hails: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-hails-4083a118/GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/  Are you investing in a healthier and happier workforce? Take our quick, free assessment to uncover how your organisation measures up in occupational health & wellbeing. Get personalised insights and actionab

    44 min
See All (19)

Trailer

About

Build & Thrive is the podcast transforming occupational health and wellbeing in the construction industry. Hosted by Jennie Armstrong, founder of Construction Health & Wellbeing, each episode features inspiring conversations with experts and change-makers dedicated to creating a healthier, happier workforce. Hear interviews with inspirational individuals and experts who are leading the way in tackling the industry’s toughest challenges, from staggering health statistics to skills shortages and talent retention. Did you know construction workers are nearly 4 times more likely to take their own lives through suicide than workers in other industries? Or that they’re 100 times more likely to die from work-related health issues than safety incidents? It’s clear we need to do more. Built to Thrive is here to spark change, celebrate innovation, and inspire action for a brighter future in construction. Join us for real stories, practical advice, and the latest in health and wellbeing strategies for the construction sector. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platform, and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube to stay updated. Together, we can make construction a place where everyone can thrive.

Information

  • Creator
    Jennie Armstrong
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Build & Thrive
  • Show Website
    Build & Thrive