Most Stressful Jobs Revealed
13 October 2014 at 10:23 am
Legal, social and welfare professionals have one of the most stressful jobs in Australia, along with carers and aid workers, new research has found.
Coinciding with Mental Health Week, Roy Morgan Research released data on the most stress inducing jobs in the country.
“Affecting almost one quarter of the population (or 4,640,000 people) in the 12 months to June 2014, stress is the most common mental health issue in Australia,” the report said.
According to the report 35 per cent of legal, social and welfare professionals experienced stress in the past year, the third highest amount of any career.
Carers and aides were not far behind with 34.6 per cent experiencing stress while health and welfare support workers had the fifth most stressful jobs with 33.9 per cent finding their jobs stressful.
Professions most likely to have experienced stress in past year
Group Account Director at Roy Morgan Research Angela Smith stress in the workplace was on the rise.
“In the last five years, stress has risen slightly among Australians, with almost one quarter of the population experiencing it in the past year. Among working Aussies, Sales Support Workers reported the highest incidence of stress, ahead of those employed in the Hospitality industry at a non-managerial level,” Smith said.
“People working in the caring professions are also more likely to suffer from stress, which is not surprising given their exposure to people in trying, sometimes tragic circumstances.
“Stress is unpleasant enough in its own right, but of greater concern is the potential impact it can have on our health. Anxiety is also increasing among the population, with some 16 per cent of Australians reporting anxiety, so awareness-raising events like Mental Health Week serve a very important purpose.”
Among the occupations least likely to be affected by stress are Skilled Animal and Horticultural Workers (7.1 per cent), Clerical and Office Support Workers (11.6 per cent) and Storepersons (13.1 per cent), all of whom are even less prone to stress than retirees (14.3%).
