{{ propApi.closeIcon }}
Our industry
Our industry $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Housing industry insights Economics Insights Data & forecasts Tailored research and analysis Advocacy & policy Advocacy Policy priorities Position statements Submissions News and inspiration Industry news Member alerts Media releases HOUSING Online
Business support
Business support $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
For your business Contracts Online Safety systems & solutions HIA Tradepass Advertise jobs Member perks Toyota vehicles The Good Guys Commercial Ampol fuel savings See all Industry insurance HIA Insurance Services Construction works insurance Home warranty insurance Tradies & tool insurance Apprentices Why host a HIA apprentice? Hire an apprentice Support & guidance Contracts & compliance support Building & planning services
Resources & advice
Resources & advice $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Building it right Building codes Australian standards Getting it right on site See all Building materials & products Concrete, bricks & walls Getting products approved Use the right products for the job See all Managing your business Dealing with contracts Handling disputes Managing your employees See all Managing your safety Safety rules Working with silica See all Building your business Growing your business Maintaining your business See all Other subjects Getting approval to build Sustainable homes See all
Careers & learning
Careers & learning $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
A rewarding career Become an apprentice Apprenticeships on offer How do I apply? Frequently asked questions Study with us Find a course to suit you Qualification courses Learning on demand Professional development courses A job in the industry Get your builder's licence Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Further your career Find jobs
HIA community
HIA community $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Join HIA Sign me up How do I become a member? What's in it for me? Mates rates Get involved Become an award judge Join a committee Partner with us Our initiatives HIA Building Women GreenSmart Kitchen, bathroom and design hub Get to know us Our members Our people Our partners Support for you Charitable Foundation Mental health program
Awards & events
Awards & events $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Awards Awards program People & Business Awards GreenSmart Australian Housing Awards Awards winners Regional Award winners Australian Housing Award winners 2024 Australian Home of the Year Enter online Industry events Events in the next month Economic outlook National Conference Events calendar
HIA shop
HIA shop $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Most popular products National Construction Code Vol 1 & 2 Waterproofing wet areas AS 3740:2021 HIA Guide to Waterproofing HIA Guide to NCC Livable Housing Provisions Top categories Building codes & standards Contracts & documents Guides & manuals Safety products Signage For your business Contracts Online Digital Australian Standards Digital Resource Library Forecasts & data
About Contact Newsroom
$vuetify.icons.faTimes
$vuetify.icons.faMapMarker Set my location Use the field below to update your location
Address
Change location
{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location
{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location

$vuetify.icons.faPhone1300 650 620

Small business, big worries

Small business, big worries

{{ tag.label }} {{ tag.label }} $vuetify.icons.faTimes
Running a small business and feeling the pressure? A recent HIA webinar takes a deep dive into the tailored support systems you can tap into.

Gabrielle Chariton

Content Writer

CONTENT WARNING: This article involves a discussion on mental health and substance abuse. Reading this story may be difficult, especially if you’ve had similar experiences or supported a friend or family member. If you’re feeling impacted, contact Beyond Blue for immediate support, Lifeline on 13 11 14 , Headspace, or your local GP.

If you’re the owner of a small business in the residential housing industry, you’re not just a carpenter, plumber or draftsperson – you’re the one keeping the whole boat afloat and the show on the road. It’s a lot of work and a huge responsibility. So, it will probably come as no surprise to hear, statistically, small business owners face an increased risk of developing a mental health condition.

‘Research shows that around one in three small business owners have experienced stress, anxiety or depression in the past 12 months. And over a third of small business owners will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime,’ says Greg Jennings, Chief Engagement Officer at Beyond Blue. ‘I think it comes down to the unique set of stresses that small business owners face in their daily life.’ 

With an estimated 90 per cent of the residential construction sector made up of small businesses and sole traders*, this is an issue that runs deep into our industry’s core. That’s why HIA recently convened a webinar titled Safeguarding the mental health of small business owners, providing mental health information and support to this sector of our membership base. 

During the webinar, Greg Jennings, together with David Butler, a HIA member with lived experience of mental health, and mental health coach Carly Alexander, shared tips and advice for small business owners, the warning signs to look out for, and strategies for self-care. 

They also looked in-depth at the mental health support services available to small business owners, particularly the NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) program. This has already helped countless small business owners get their lives back on track.

*Source: Housing Industry Association - Treasury Submission in response to: Supporting business adoption of eInvoicing 

Greg Jennings of Beyond Blue.
Mental health coach Carly Alexander.

The perfect storm

Greg Jennings describes running a small business as ‘a perfect storm’ of competing pressures: ‘things that are outside our control such as the economy and natural disasters, plus the realities of cashflow difficulties, feeling a sense of responsibility for your business, for your staff, for your family. All these things can start to feel like a burden for small business owners.’ 

For HIA members, this can be compounded by industry-specific factors such as long working hours and intense or physically demanding working conditions.

David Butler’s experience reflects this. After establishing his own business, Butler Building, and a new father in quick succession, life got difficult. He responded to the sudden escalation in pressure by cracking open a beer at the end of each workday.

However, he says that ‘slowly turned from three beers of an afternoon to six and then six to eight. It was a very snowball effect’.

When it comes to mental health, the terms ‘vicious cycle’ and ‘snowball effect’ crop up repeatedly. That’s because common coping mechanisms such as drinking can lead to addiction and eventually impact every part of your life – compromising your performance at work and hurting your loved ones at home. 

‘David’s drinking really created a wedge within our little family unit,’ says David’s wife, Lizelle Butler. ‘It also created a wedge with us business-wise. He almost wasn't thinking straight and had an attitude of, “Oh, bugger it”.’ 

Carly Alexander adds that when people are anxious, stressed or depressed, ‘they tend to be less logical and systematic when they make decisions. So small problems can build up and become really overwhelming.’ 

David Butler, a HIA member with lived experience of mental health, with his wife Lizelle and their young son.

When to take action

One of the core pieces of advice offered in the webinar is that mental health niggles are best addressed quickly. ‘Things don’t get better by themselves,’ Greg says. ‘While it’s never too late to get support, it's best to get support early before your problems snowball.’

Learn to recognise the early warning signs. Some red flags to look out for – in yourself and others – include:

  • a sense of emptiness
  • low motivation
  • difficulty focusing
  • feeling indifferent about life
  • feeling stuck
  • lacking a sense of purpose. 

Greg says that many small business owners’ sense of self-esteem is inextricably linked to their business, and ‘they will often prioritise their business health over their own personal mental health and wellbeing.’

But it’s impossible to run a healthy, successful business when your own health is suffering. ‘This is where the NASBO program can actually help, by educating business owners in ways to practically manage their stress,’ Carly says ‘And it’s free.’

Helping you to help yourself

While talking to a friend or family member can be helpful, NASBO’s trained mental health coaches understand the unique pressures and challenges small business owners face and their assistance is tailored accordingly.

This free, six-week program implements low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy, which, Carly explains, identifies the link between our thoughts, feelings and behaviours, ‘and specifically how positive change in one area of your life can trigger positive change in multiple other areas. And this results in an overall improvement.’

HIA award winner David Butler, with his wife Lizelle, now knows how to keep his mental health on track.

She describes it as ‘guided self-help’, with an emphasis on ‘helping participants to help themselves’.

‘It's not about solving the problems for them but helping them to build the resilience and to look at ways to change those possibly unhelpful behaviours by identifying ways they can find the answers for themselves.’ 

And the great news? The unique format of this program delivers fantastic results. Between 2021 and 2024, 90 per cent of participants felt more productive and confident to deal with future business challenges.

So, what are you waiting for?

Check out the webinar

In the webinar, Carly and Greg go into much more detail about how the NASBO program works and how to access it, along with other support resources such as Ahead for Business, the Small Business Debt Helpline, and Beyond Blue’s 24/7 Support Service

David shares some coping strategies he uses to keep his mental health on track, as well as practical tips he’s learned to reduce some of the more stressful elements of managing a small business.

Download the webinar. 

Celebrating 10 years of partnership

HIA Charitable Foundation (HIACF) is committed to the wellbeing of members of the residential construction industry and proudly supports Beyond Blue.

In the past 10 years $1.3 million has been raised, funding a world-first National Suicide Prevention Research Project and now the Beyond Blue Support Service. 

Of that, $850,000 has directly supported the Beyond Blue Support Service, helping over 16,500 people during this time.

To find out more or to make a donation, visit HIACF.

First published 27 September 2024

You might also like:

Better living Mental health Small business Wellbeing
Small business, big worries
Running a small business and feeling the pressure? A recent HIA webinar takes a deep dive into the tailored support systems you can tap into.
Sep 24
4 mins
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Better living Inspiration Mental health Wellbeing
When ADHD & addiction collide
Jess Kennedy suffered a 20-year battle with drugs and alcohol, all complicated by undiagnosed ADHD. Now a Beyond Blue speaker, she shares her journey, hoping to help others with similar issues.
Jul 24
7 mins
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Mental health Better living
Food for thought
A busy lifestyle, tight schedules and juggling priorities means that we may put our food intake last. Nutrition expert Joel Feren explains how our choices make a difference in the long run.
Jul 24
4 mins
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Safety Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Better living
Water, water everywhere
When working onsite, it’s essential to keep your fluids up but there’s more to hydration than just drinking the usual eight glasses a day. Nutrition and health experts explain how to keep your hard-working team well-quenched.
Mar 24
3 mins
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Awards Team building Inspiration Better living
North of the sun
Queensland’s tropical north is rich in rainforests, reefs, relaxation and robust adventure. For HIA members enjoying the 2024 National Conference in Cairns, this region is a slice of paradise.
Mar 24
6 min
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Better living Inspiration Mental health Wellbeing
Redefining life
Beyond Blue speaker and ex corporate athlete Peta Sitcheff has gone from being burnt-out to firing on all cylinders.
Feb 24
5 min
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Inspiration Mental health Better living
Feel better, or be better
When work stress started to turn into something more sinister, silence and denial nearly cost Tim Lacey everything. Today, he’s passionate about helping other men to speak up and get help when needed.
Feb 24
6 min
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Inspiration Mental health Better living
In the shadow of the Impossible Man
For Beyond Blue ambassador Craig Killian, a lifetime of trying to conform to unrealistic male standards eventually resulted in a mental health crisis. He chats to Housing about living with the ‘Impossible Man’ and learning how to ...
Feb 24
4 mins
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Mental health Wellbeing Silica Better living
Approaching mental health
Mental health is an issue across the construction workforce, but apprentices are particularly vulnerable. A HIA/Beyond Blue webinar explores how we can support the future of our industry.
Nov 23
4 mins
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Inspiration Mental health Residential Better living
Lessons well learnt
From a rocky start, Greg Wells has carved out an incredibly successful career. Here, he shares his highs and lows and why he wants to give young people a chance to experience the rewards the building industry can offer.
Aug 23
5 min
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Mental health Financial planning Better living
Cents and sensibility
Some say money isn’t everything but it’s a big something. It’s a burden that can cause insurmountable stress. Housing explores money, its impact on mental health and what you can do to stay healthy.
Jun 23
5 min
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight
Wellbeing Mental health Working hours Better living
Take a break
Need a holiday? Maybe the break you really need is more than just physical. Housing talks to Dr Steve Woodbury about how to respite right.
Mar 23
4 min
Read full article $vuetify.icons.faArrowRight