JOIN THE ACADEMY! VISIT CONCRETESCHOOL.CO TO START LEARNING TODAY.ON THIS EPISODE OF THE CONCRETE LOGIC PODCASTDoes concrete’s culture of toughness help people handle difficult work, or does it keep them from asking for help when they need it most? Seth is joined by Mike Schneider, who spent 45 years with Baker and served as senior vice president and chief people officer. They discuss why construction workers may suffer in silence, how supervisors can recognize behavior changes, and why mental health needs the same attention the industry gives physical safety. Mike argues that changing the culture starts with stronger relationships, leaders willing to show vulnerability, and making resources such as mental-health first aid, EAPs, and 988 easier to access.WHAT YOU’LL LEARNWhy construction’s traditional tough-guy culture can discourage workers from asking for helpWhy Mike prefers framing the issue around “mental strength”How leaders can make vulnerability and asking for help more acceptable on the jobWhy relationships with crew members matter when identifying changes in behaviorWhat supervisors should notice when a normally dependable coworker begins acting differentlyWhy mental-health first-aid training can be valuable for frontline supervisionHow industry groups are addressing mental health and suicide preventionWhy long hours, travel, layoffs, physical pain, family pressure, and substance use can compound stressWhy simply offering an Employee Assistance Program is not enough if workers do not know how to use itWhy contractors should include suicide response and postvention in crisis planning CHAPTERS(00:00) Construction toughness and the mental-health question (04:01) Why construction workers suffer in silence (09:09) Changing safety culture and redefining strength (11:50) Relationships, behavior changes, and recognizing trouble (15:46) Mental-health resources for the construction industry (20:34) Opioids, overdoses, and Narcan on the jobsite (21:59) Removing stigma and talking openly about mental health (24:15) Why construction faces a difficult combination of risk factors (27:51) EAPs, 988, and making help easier to reach (29:44) Screening tools and starting the conversation (30:37) Language, crisis planning, and postvention (33:05) Mike’s closing challenge and contact informationGUEST INFOMike Schneider, Consultant Guest link: https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/mike-schneider/ Email: schneider@bakersharedservices.comRESOURCES MENTIONEDCIASP - Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention - preventconstructionsuicide.com US - United Suicide Survivors International - unitedsurvivors.com CMHA - Construction Mental Health Alliance - construction wellness.org ANSW - Alliance for Naloxone Safety in the Workplace - answ.org AFSP - American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - afsp.org  Books:         “The Anxious Generation - How the Great Rewiring of Children is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haldt         “YES, You can Talk about Mental Health at Work” by Melissa Doman         “Empire of Pain - the Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty” by Patrick Radden Keefe      &n