Exposure levels of discrimination-induced psychosocial stressors and intervention strategies among the US construction practitioners: an exploratory research

Purpose Mental health concerns remain pervasive within the construction sector, yet the psychosocial risks stemming from discriminatory workplace stressors have received far less scholarly attention than conventional job-related stressors. This exploratory research examines the prevalence, interaction, and mental health consequences of discrimination-related psychosocial hazards among construction professionals in the United States, while also eliciting practitioner perspectives on coping strategies. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire distributed to construction personnel representing a broad range of organizational settings and job functions in the US. The analysis focused on six dominant discrimination-linked psychosocial hazards identified in previous literature. Findings The outcomes of the study show that a notable proportion of participants reported experiencing at least one discrimination-related stressor at jobsites, with disproportionately higher exposure reported by women, racial and ethnic minority workers, and project engineers. Participants who reported exposure also indicated higher levels of perceived workplace stress and lower levels of perceived awareness among both senior leadership and direct supervisors. The Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based thematic results highlight a strong preference for organization- and leadership-centered interventions, including fair workload allocation, transparent organizational processes, inclusive jobsite culture, and trust-oriented management to mitigate the level of exposure. Practical implications The results guide industry leaders toward prioritizing organizational- and leadership-level interventions to more effectively reduce mental health risks and improve workforce well-being. Originality/value The research advances existing psychosocial risk frameworks beyond traditional job-demand models. The findings offer actionable, evidence-based guidance for construction leadership by linking discrimination-induced stressors to perceived managerial awareness and organizational practices, thereby providing more inclusive and effective mental health strategies.