“You are right at the bottom of the food chain”: Exploring what matters for wellbeing among young English construction workers

“You are right at the bottom of the food chain”: Exploring what matters for wellbeing among young English construction workers | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article “You are right at the bottom of the food chain”: Exploring what matters for wellbeing among young English construction workers Carla Toro, Chloe Mitchell, Sophie Clohessy This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9213449/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract There is currently a paucity of UK-based research investigating work experiences of new entrants to the construction industry and their impact on wellbeing. This study aimed to: 1) identify the factors that young construction workers in England perceive as influencing their wellbeing, 2) examine their perceptions of support within the industry, and 3) gather their suggestions for improving workplace wellbeing for them and their young peers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 England-based construction workers aged between 18 and 25. The data were analysed using Framework analysis, with reflexive team discussion supporting analytic rigour. Post-analytic interpretation was informed by the Health and Safety Executive Management standards and the Self-Determination Theory, to strengthen policy relevance and theoretical insight. Analysis resulted in three themes: 1) Negotiating industry pressures as a young construction worker, 2) A culture of proving and persevering, 3) Towards a healthier workplace: what is working and what is needed? This study offers significant original insights feeding into evidence-informed recommendations to better support career development and wellbeing for young people as they enter construction. Recommended initiatives could improve not only wellbeing but also address employee turnover and the skills shortage within the sector. Occupational Medicine workplace wellbeing construction young construction workers Qualitative psychosocial hazards male-dominated Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9213449","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":611464838,"identity":"2d2e3484-9e57-493f-bae0-e5030153467e","order_by":0,"name":"Carla Toro","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA90lEQVRIie2Rv6rCMBSHTynUJZL1iKXPECkoouCrKBfq4t0dC4JdAq4+iZNDSsCp3SsuyoVODk7SiwX/tA4usbg55MtwhuTjd3IOgEbznRiirGZRyf0UsHeOKO+t4ccKeT6qUmgQ70UGudMJ+Bn/19KmXBinDKSrUjAas5ADc+0oXjV4KgnGvtngINsqhYEHggAbLfF3lRCxI4wCNAFkX6nQFMK8UCbpNi8V8/JWQQ9kmTKxdkVK3bceKcrGMElB2sx1kWw6F1tcCUbhvMvZWPl9uvCMw3HqOFib/bWOwhtQ/iOTbNpr+SrnOYRXDL9ikRqNRqOp4gb5/1Dbq0DwZwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6351-1340","institution":"University of Warwick","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Carla","middleName":"","lastName":"Toro","suffix":""},{"id":611466349,"identity":"8db8bc29-bb4f-4687-ab35-1d1b417f6d43","order_by":1,"name":"Chloe Mitchell","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7590-0068","institution":"University of Warwick","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Chloe","middleName":"","lastName":"Mitchell","suffix":""},{"id":611466935,"identity":"d3cc3ff8-67e7-4363-ba31-3028c48268dc","order_by":2,"name":"Sophie Clohessy","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"City University of London","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sophie","middleName":"","lastName":"Clohessy","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-24 14:47:52","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":true,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true,"humanSubjectConsent":true,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9213449/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9213449/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105435685,"identity":"b5f68b14-fe5e-4f9c-902b-d74f4e55680a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-26 03:55:17","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":967393,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"OHESD26001051.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9213449/v1_covered_3a059185-fe48-48b2-b75e-78680655859f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e“You are right at the bottom of the food chain”: Exploring what matters for wellbeing among young English construction workers\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"workplace wellbeing, construction, young construction workers, Qualitative, psychosocial hazards, male-dominated","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9213449/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9213449/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThere is currently a paucity of UK-based research investigating work experiences of new entrants to the construction industry and their impact on wellbeing. 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