National Stress Awareness Day: what are the most stressful careers?

The average Brit spends 3,507 days at work over their lifetime? With this in mind, it’s important for us to enjoy our job, but unfortunately - this isn’t always the case. In fact, it’s important for us to have days like 16 April – National Stress Awareness Day.

With the classic 9-5 gradually shifting towards (unpaid but often expected) over time, and an increasing habit of working from our phones outside of the workplace – it’s no surprise that three out of five Brits (59%) are stressed out by their job. But this begs the question – is the stress worth the other benefits of your job?

Luckily, Workwear Giant have created the Job Quality Index. Made up of three dimensions - earnings, stress levels and unpaid overtime – each job sector has been scored out of 5 for each dimension, whilst using the national averages as a comparison. The final results have then revealed the most and least stressful jobs.

On average, 1,320 people per 100,000 report stress to their workplace - but how does this figure compare to specific job sectors?

Top five job sectors most likely to report stress

As part of their research, Workwear Giant uncovered which occupations are most likely to suffer with stress. On average, 1,320 people per 100,000 report stress to their workplace - but how does this figure compare to specific job sectors?

1. Customer Service Representatives – 2,770 more than national average
2. Welfare Professionals – 2,760 more than national average
3. Housing Association Professionals – 1,730 more than national average.
4. Legal Professionals – 1,720 more than national average
5. Teaching Professionals – 1,700 more than national average

Top five job sectors expected to work (unpaid) overtime

Their research also reveals which occupations are more likely to work overtime on a weekly basis, and by how much:

1. Teaching & Education Professionals – 12.5 hours extra per week
2. Legal professionals – 8.6 hours extra per week
3. Managers, Directors & Senior Officials – 9.2 hours extra per week
4. = Welfare Professionals and Housing Association Professi hours extra per week.