14 Nov, 2022/ by National Accident Helpline /News
In the UK, work-related stress is unfortunately commonly experienced among 79 per cent of British adult employees. So, for now, take a deep breath away from your job, sit back and read our guide to the most stressful jobs in the UK.
What are the most stressful jobs?
Have you ever wondered what the most stressful jobs are? Perhaps you believe you work in one of the most stressful jobs, or are hoping our article will reveal yours as potentially one of the least stressful jobs.
Below we've listed some of the most stressful jobs in the UK - take a look:
Teachers
You don't need to be top of the class to guess that teaching can be one of the most stressful jobs. Teachers play a huge role in our society and without them, you and I are unlikely to be in the job we are in now (stressful or not).
However, to some, teaching may appear to be a stress-free job or one of the least stressful jobs. This is because teachers have a lot of holiday time, but in reality, teachers often work outside of work hours so potentially in their holiday time.
Teachers can face stress such as:
- pressure from OFSTED inspections
- lots of class work to mark
- class preparation to carry out
- pressure to improve grades
- conflict with teachers
- conflict with parents
The latter two are believed to be the main reason for the stress teachers endure.
Customer services
No doubt you know the saying: “the customer's always right”? Well, while this isn't necessarily the case, working in customer services is certainly one of the most stressful jobs in the UK. Customer service jobs can involve telephone and face-to-face work, where stress can be caused due to:
- the nature of the job
- needing to reach targets
- lower rates of pay
Journalists
Being a journalist can count as one of the most stressful jobs in the UK. However, this does not necessarily apply to all aspects of journalism, rather to the ‘frontline' reporters. This stressful job involves reporting on stories such as those about a crime which could cause anxiety.
Librarians
You may have imagined that being a librarian is one of the least stressful jobs in the UK. Apparently not. One in three librarians has reported stress from their job.
Stress can arise due to:
- repetition in the work
- lack of challenges
- low wages
- the inability to have control over their career
Recruitment consultants
Being a recruitment consultant is one of the most stressful jobs in the UK! In fact, 82 per cent of recruitment consultants have admitted to suffering regular stress from their job. Reasons this can be such a stressful job can include:
- the pressure of working in a highly competitive atmosphere
- long work hours
- strict targets
- poor pay
- dealing with the public
Workplace accidents in offices are more common than you think. If you're injured by a slip, trip, fall or any other accident in an office environment and it wasn't your fault, you could be entitled to compensation.
PR and marketing professionals
Marketing and public relations jobs are amongst the biggest culprits when it comes to the most stressful jobs. In such roles, stress can be caused by, for example:
- pressures due to deadlines
- growth potential
- interaction with members of the public
Legal professionals
Working as a legal professional, such as a lawyer, is renowned for coming hand in hand with long hours and lots of stress. Sadly, this job has the highest suicide rate of any other type of job. Working in the legal field often means the pressures of achieving results and making a profit for the firm. Stress from this job can be a result of demanding work and irregular hours.
Welfare professionals
Being a welfare professional can take many shapes and forms. One of these is working as a social/support worker. This is one of the most stressful jobs. It can involve working:
- long hours
- anti-social hours
- in tricky working conditions
- with potential aggression and abuse, both verbal and physical
Pharmacists
The pharmacy profession is one of the most stressful jobs, particularly due to a lack of funding that is putting independent pharmacies at risk.
GP and health professionals
Working as a healthcare professional can, whilst often rewarding, also be one of the most stressful jobs. Healthcare budgets are often the subject of cuts, yet the workload can be massive and health professionals often have to work long hours. Added to this, the nature of the job can, for example, cause emotional stress through regularly witnessing tragic accidents and even fatalities.
Nurses for example can suffer from high levels of stress for reasons such as:
- poor teamwork
- being unsure about a patient's treatment
- working night shifts
- pressures relating to time
What other stressful jobs are there?
There are unfortunately many other stressful jobs in the UK, some of which include, for example:
- banking and city trading
- being a head chef
- IT helpdesk advisers
What about the least stressful jobs?
So now you have a fair idea about the most stressful jobs in the UK, you may understandably ask yourself what stress-free jobs exist. Well fortunately there are plenty of lower-stress jobs out there.
The top three least stressful jobs in the UK are:
1. Enterprise Architect
2. Product Manager
3. Operations Manager
Other least stressful jobs are:
- hair stylists
- dental technicians
- jewellers
- system software designers
- landscapers
- bloggers
- HR managers
What could be the impact of stress on mental health?
Stress at work certainly has an impact on your mental health. Working in one of the most stressful jobs in the UK can impact your mental health, with around 60 per cent of doctor visits in the UK being due to stress.
Long-term stress can cause:
- high blood pressure leading to a risk of heart attack and stroke
- heart problems due to overeating, smoking and little physical activity in a bid to cope with stress
Is it possible to make a mental health claim?
If you work in a stressful job and it has affected your mental health or caused you stress, you may be able to make a mental health claim.
How could a mental health claim help me with my stress?
If you experience stress at work and make a mental health claim, it can help you with your stress. A claim can:
- award you the compensation you are due to help you pay for any mental health support you need as a result of your stressful job
- give you a sense of relief that your employer has acknowledged the unnecessary stress you endured when carrying out your stressful job
- make you feel satisfied that you did something about your mental health and reduced your stress levels caused by your stressful job
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How do I claim mental health compensation?
If you want to claim mental health compensation you simply need to start your claim with us to get the process rolling.
You may also be able to make your compensation claim on a no-win no fee basis. Therefore, you can make the mental health claim with no risk if, in fact, it was not your stressful job which caused your poor mental health and stress.
Do you work in one of the most stressful jobs in the UK and are feeling the impact of stress and its effects on your mental health?
Working in a stressful job, particularly if it is one of the most stressful jobs in the UK, can have an impact on your mental health and stress levels. This means you may be owed money so call us now on . We may be able to help you to make a mental health compensation claim.
At the National Accident Helpline, we understand that your job is a massive part of your daily life so if it is causing you stress and problems with your mental health, this is a huge burden to live with. Simply carrying out your job is what you are paid for so having the added pressure to bear can take its toll. We, therefore, ensure your claim process is as straightforward and stress-free as possible. We also provide a facility to calculate the potential compensation you may be due online by using our compensation calculator.
Poor mental health and unnecessary stress can take over your life. At the National Accident Helpline, we appreciate that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Our advisors will ultimately listen to your situation, showing sympathy. They will help you with the compensation you may be able to claim and then place you in the safe hands of one of our specialist solicitors.
Let National Accident Helpline help you today - Call today, request a call back here or begin your claim online.
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Last updated 23.03.23