In 2022, the Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) carried out a mental health survey across the industry to understand the impact that daily challenges were having on both employers and employees. With Mental Health Awareness Week falling in May this year, the organisation is running a second survey and invites participants on an anonymous basis.
Faisal Hussain, DGCOS chief executive, explains: “I am still shocked at the conversation I had with an installer in 2022 in which he told me he had simply had enough of the pressures of the industry. Issues with late payments, supply chain issues, a lack of skilled installers, and juggling admin and sales had meant he had been unable to take a holiday or even go to his GP about an ongoing medical issue.
“It was this that prompted the first mental health survey that DGCOS did, and which returned some worrying results. It was obvious that there was a much wider issue to tackle, and that many respondents had experienced adverse mental health and wellbeing. In fact, we launched a series of mental health podcasts last year as a way of offering focussed support.
“It’s now time to see how much progress has been made in the last two years so we are repeating the survey as a way of finding out if real-life experiences have improved. I would urge anyone to take part, anonymously, so we can continue to assess the health of our industry. It only takes 5 minutes and the results could be invaluable in determining where we are and what still needs to be done to make our industry better.”
“I hope that the last survey brought the issue of mental health out into the open and that it made people realise they are not alone. It seems Mental Health Awareness Week in May is an ideal time to find out how well we are all doing and whether things have changed for the better.”
To have your say and take part to help us gauge the mental health and wellbeing of the glazing sector, visit: https://shorturl.at/aqrQZ
