January is when everyone talks about starting things. New routines. Better habits. Good intentions for the year ahead. But for most electrotechnical contractors, the most useful change isn’t starting something new. It’s stopping putting something off.
The shoulder that’s been tight since November but still being worked around.
Sleep that dipped during the last big project push and never quite recovered.
That sense of feeling worn down, but not enough to justify making a fuss.
It’s a familiar pattern in construction. January doesn’t create that gap, but it does make it easier to notice the difference between what people mean to deal with and what they keep delaying.
The familiar pattern of delay
Putting health issues off usually isn’t about a lack of awareness. Most people have a sense when something isn’t right. The difficulty is finding the moment to deal with it.
In contracting, delay often sounds familiar:
“I’ll deal with it after this job.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“I’m managing it.”
At the time, that thinking makes sense. Work rarely slows down when you want it to, and busy spells have a habit of rolling on. It’s easy to tell yourself that if something is manageable, it can wait.
The trouble is that small problems don’t usually disappear just because they’re ignored.
Why early action is the practical choice
Dealing with a symptom earlier often means it can be simpler to sort. Recovery can be more straightforward when you haven’t been compensating for months.
Waiting rarely makes things simpler. It usually moves the problem further down the line, to a point where it’s harder to ignore and harder to work around.
Seen that way, early action isn’t about doing the right thing. It’s about reducing friction, for employees and for the business.
Support that’s there to be used
People tend to assume that health support like Private Medical Insurance (PMI) is only there for major problems. Big moments. Situations that clearly justify picking up the phone.
That assumption misses the point.
The support PMI offers is often most useful earlier on when something is still a niggle rather than a barrier to leading a normal life. That support might mean access to a digital GP or telephone consultation, some initial clinical guidance, or a referral where it’s appropriate.
For members of the ECIS PMI scheme, this kind of support is designed to be accessed directly and privately, without needing to involve anyone at work or wait for approval.
Used early, support can help employees deal with things while they’re still manageable.
What January is actually good for
January doesn’t need to be about transformation. But it does offer a pause. The calendar resets. People take stock, even briefly.
That makes it a useful moment to notice what’s been put off, without turning it into a dramatic overhaul. It’s simply asking a question: what would make the next few months easier if you dealt with it now?
The shoulder.
The sleep.
The worry.
The thing you’ve been managing.
Acting early doesn’t mean overreacting. It means dealing with something while it’s still straightforward, before it starts shaping your days more than you realise.
If you’re responsible for a team
Where healthcare support is already in place, January is often one of the least disruptive moments to remind employees that it’s available for them. Not a campaign. Not posters. Just a quiet reminder that support is available, and intended for early use.
This isn’t about starting conversations or checking in. It’s simply making sure people know support exists and that using it early is exactly what it’s there for.
And if that kind of early access isn’t in place yet at your business, it’s worth asking what delay costs over the course of a year. Not in dramatic terms, but in the day-to-day pressure created when small issues are left to run on and employees aren’t at their best.
Push through or act early?
Construction is full of people who pride themselves on getting on with the job. That’s part of the industry’s strength. But there’s a difference between pushing through and taking a moment to fix an ongoing health problem.
January doesn’t need big promises. It just needs a bit of honesty about what’s been delayed.
If you’ve got healthcare support, use it early.
If you haven’t, consider what having it might change in terms of employee morale and productivity
Small problems don’t always stay small - so don’t put it off.
Contact ECIS for more information about the ECIS Private Medical Insurance scheme:
Website: ecins.co.uk
Email: ecis@ecins.co.uk
Phone: 0330 221 0241
