Tradespeople turn to AI over colleagues for wellness support
New research has revealed that tradespeople struggling with mental health issues would rather seek wellness support from AI than their colleagues.
Marking Mental Health Awareness Week, online van retailer Vanaways surveyed 2,000 tradespeople to gauge their willingness to share wellbeing burdens at work.
It found that nine per cent said they would turn to AI platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini compared to just seven per cent who said they’d speak to their own workmates. A further 11% would rather not speak to anyone at all about their problems.
The findings highlight a widespread silence among tradespeople, with 51% lacking the confidence to discuss their mental health and 22% actively avoiding opening up.
Vulnerability
Adam Carter, director at Vanaways, said: “The fact that tradespeople feel more comfortable opening up to AI than a work colleague speaks volumes on the stigma of vulnerability in the industry. Early starts, long days, and the pressure of the job can lead to a worrying decline in mental health.
“Whether you’re a seasoned tradie or new to the job, we hope that by shining a light on this issue, we can help remove stigma and encourage tradespeople to speak up. These conversations should be as normal as talking about sports or the weather.”
