How Lexicon Sparked Mental Health Conversations on Every Job Site — Using Speakap

Discover how a national construction company used its employee app to normalize mental health conversations — on job sites, in break rooms, and across 30+ project sites.

• Industry: Construction & Steel Fabrication
• Location: USA (HQ in Little Rock, Arkansas)
• Number of users: 3,000+

The challenge: employees weren’t talking about mental health — and they weren’t reaching out for support

Lexicon, Inc. is a second-generation, family-owned construction company with over 3,000+ employees working on more than 30 active projects across the U.S. Known for prioritizing safety, loyalty, and longevity, Lexicon has long championed employee safety and well-being.

But company leaders realized something was still missing: Employees weren’t talking about mental health — and they weren’t reaching out for support. Even with a fully staffed Health & Wellness Center at HQ and telemedicine options nationwide, field crews were staying silent.

And in an industry where the suicide rate is 4x higher than the national average, silence can be deadly. Cultural stigma, high-pressure roles, and dispersed teams meant mental health support was often underutilized or ignored.

We care about our people. But we weren’t hearing from them when it came to mental health. Janell Schmidt Chief Human Resources Officer at Lexicon

The solution: “Strong as Steel – Building Mental Might” campaign on their branded employee experience platform

As a response to this, Lexicon launched a 30-day internal campaign entirely focused on mental health. This wasn’t just about awareness. It was about making mental health visible, human, and part of the company culture — especially in a tough, high-risk industry where silence was often the norm. The goals of the campaign were clear:

• Break the stigma
• Encourage self-care
• Promote early intervention
• Highlight available resources
• Foster peer support across sites

The platform that made it possible? That’s LexCOMM

The good news? Lexicon didn’t need to build a communication channel from scratch. They already had one in place — and it was already working.

LexCOMM, Lexicon’s branded employee experience app powered by Speakap, had become a core part of day-to-day operations. Originally introduced to streamline safety updates and internal announcements, LexCOMM quickly evolved into a vital tool to reach every employee — wherever they were, whatever their role.

Because LexCOMM was already in daily use, the campaign didn’t have to fight for attention. It landed exactly where it needed to — on mobile phones in the field, in break rooms, and across shifts. And that’s what made it the perfect launchpad for something deeper. 

We knew the stigma is strong in construction. But with LexCOMM already embedded in our culture, we had the platform to do more than just share resources—we could start a real conversation. Janell Schmidt Chief Human Resources Officer at Lexicon

LexCOMM enabled:

• Mobile-first, role-specific communication
• Push notifications that cut through noise
• A trusted space where employees could safely engage
• Two-way dialogue that encouraged participation
• Multilingual content to reach everyone in their own language

Without Speakap, the campaign would’ve lived on posters or in scattered emails. With it, Lexicon could meet people where they were — and bring them into the conversation.

What it looked like in action:

• Daily posts with reflections, tips, and conversation starters, all posted in both English and Spanish to reach our diverse population, all with the ability for people to respond, share their experiences, and how they have overcome challenges in their lives
• Push notifications and email alerts to ensure visibility
• Personal video messages from the CEO & COO
• “Easter egg” posts to boost interaction, with weekly prizes like Carhartt jackets, lunchboxes, and gift cards
• Job site branding — breakroom banners, hardhat stickers, and lunchbox swag
• Employee-created posts that drove organic, personal engagement
• Consistent visibility of support services — both in-app and onsite

The results: record engagement and lasting impact

• LexCOMM saw its highest platform activity of the year during the 30-day campaign
• Field crews — many for the first time — engaged with posts and shared their own thoughts
• Comment sections became spaces for vulnerability, encouragement, and peer support
• Return visits to the app increased across sites
• Lexicon is now preparing for Phase II of the campaign, including deeper training

Here are some quotes from Lexicon employees:

“Some of this hits home for personal reasons. I’ve always been told not to bring your problems to work—but no one knows the story or the battle. THANK YOU.”
— Expeditor

“I suffer from anxiety and just knowing there are people around me who will and have taken the time to listen and check up on you after… it’s priceless.”
— Site Manager

“You never know what’s going on in someone’s life. This campaign ensured people knew that help is available—24/7.”
— Site Manager

“I never knew how many people had similar issues to me. Some of the stories in the posts really opened my eyes.”
— General Foreman

Thinking about Speakap for your workforce?

If LexCOMM helped Lexicon shift stigma and scale support in an industry where mental health is rarely discussed — imagine what it could do for your teams.