As seen in Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
August 30, 2026
In the steel industry, strength is part of our identity. We work with some of the strongest materials in the world, building structures designed to carry enormous weight, withstand tremendous pressure, and endure for generations. Our people solve difficult problems, perform physically demanding work, and take pride in getting the job done safely. Lexicon is more than just a steel fabrication and construction company; we’re a people company.
But real strength isn’t measured only by what we can build or how much weight we can withstand. It’s also demonstrated by our willingness to recognize when the weight we’re carrying has become too heavy to manage alone.
August is National Wellness Month, and has given us an important opportunity to talk openly about mental health. At Lexicon, we believe taking care of our people means supporting the whole person–their physical, mental and emotional needs–and we approach mental well-being with the same sense of responsibility we bring to physical safety.
The need for this level of commitment is especially urgent in our industry. Construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession, and one in four construction workers reports mental health concerns. That’s a reality we can’t ignore, and it’s one of the reasons I’ve made mental health a priority at Lexicon.
Construction and manufacturing are demanding industries. Employees may work long hours, travel frequently, spend extended periods away from their families, or operate in physically challenging environments. Workers can also face unrealistic timelines and difficult leaders. They may also be navigating personal struggles like financial pressures, relationship difficulties, health concerns, grief, substance use, depression and anxiety.
A person can put on a hard hat, arrive on time, work hard, and appear to have everything under control while privately carrying a heavy burden.
When I started in this business, I was often told to “leave my hard hat in the truck” or “don’t bring the job home.” For too long, people in industries like ours believed they should “tough it out.” They may fear that acknowledging a struggle will cause others to see them as weak, unreliable, or incapable of doing their job, or they do not want to burden those around them with the troubles they are facing. That stigma can keep someone silent in moments when a conversation or connection to professional care could make the greatest difference.
I’m on a mission to change that.
I’ll be the first to admit I’ve struggled with my mental health. I go to therapy every month. It has not only changed my life, but has made me a better father, son, brother, leader and friend to those around me.
It takes strength to speak up. It takes courage to have an honest conversation, contact a counselor, or accept support. No employee, son, daughter or spouse should ever feel that staying silent is the price of earning respect in the workplace or at home.
That belief is at the heart of Lexicon’s “Strong as Steel: Building Mental Might” initiative. We launched the campaign in August 2024 to reduce stigma, encourage honest conversations and connect employees with helpful resources. Now in its third year, Strong as Steel has become a centerpiece of our commitment to employee well-being.
Each of our campaigns centers around purpose, presence and hope. We focus on being in the moment, and emphasize to “be where your feet are” to make everyone understand the power of presence.
This year’s Strong as Steel campaign concentrates on the real-life experiences of our employees, both on and off the job. Through personal stories and educational resources, we want our people to know that mental health challenges can impact anyone.
Sharing those experiences is vital because it reminds others they aren’t alone. Sometimes hearing someone else’s story is what gives a person the courage to take the first step toward getting help.
But awareness alone isn’t enough. We have a responsibility to make support accessible and part of our everyday culture.
As part of the campaign, every Lexicon employee receives a mental health toolkit (a reusable insulated lunch box) with practical resources, stress-relief swag, hard-hat stickers, a letter from me, and information about where to turn for help. Throughout the year, they have access to our on-site health clinic, telehealth services, an Employee Assistance Program, and expanded leave options. Those resources only work if our culture encourages people to use them without fear of judgment.
That culture is built one conversation at a time. It’s checking in on a coworker who doesn’t seem like themselves. Sometimes the most important thing we can ask is simply, “Are you OK?” Then be willing to listen.
At Lexicon, our 3,000-plus employees are the foundation of everything we have accomplished. As an employee-owned company, we know our greatest strength has never been the steel we fabricate, the equipment we set, the golf courses we construct or the projects we build. It’s the people who make them possible.
National Wellness Month shines an important spotlight on mental health, but our commitment doesn’t begin and end in August. It requires honest conversations, accessible resources and a culture where people know they’re valued as team members and as individuals.
When people hear the phrase “Strong as Steel,” I hope they think about more than the material we work with every day. I hope they think about a company where people look out for one another, where asking for help is encouraged, and where no one has to carry life’s challenges alone.
Patrick Schueck is CEO of Lexicon Inc.
