What are the toughest jobs to work in? (2024)

A new study has revealed which sectors are the most stressful to work in, with social work and health care taking the top spots.

In order to establish the number of stress-related illnesses caused or made worse by employment, personal injury experts at Claims.co.uk carried out a study from evaluating health, safety, and environment (HSE) data involving 100,000 workers from March 2022 to March 2023.The ranking is thereforebased on the highest number of stress illnesses.

According to a Claims.co.uk representative, there is a "mental health crisis" today’s employment climate, adding: "It's fundamental for employers to protect their employees' mental health. One of the main ways this can be done is to regularly check in with employees, aiming to create an open environment to discuss thoughts and feelings.

"Some people may assume that personal injury claims are limited to broken bones and cuts, but they also extend to what people can't see, such as mental, emotional, or psychological harm; so, if you have experienced stress at work, it is in your best interest to speak to a legal professional."

According to the report, 3,530 people per100,000 employees have experienced work-related stress. The sector tops the list of most stressful industries to work in.

Nonetheless, this sector, which employs people in occupations including medical professionals, therapists, and nursing care attendants, has one of the widest average pay ranges, ranging from £17,000 to £63,000.

Public defence, which make between £18,000 and £31,000 on average, was found to be the second most stressful industry.

The likelihood of stress-related illnesses among workers is significant for security guards and prison officials, with 3,260 out of every 100,000 workers reporting a health issue connected to stress.

Third on the list, with average salaries ranging from £28,000 to £40,000, is the education sector.

There were 2,720 reports of work-related stress for every 100,000 employees.

Occupations like attorneys and solicitors are also unsurprisingly on the list, with typical pay ranging from £25,000 to £48,000. According to the report, 2,310 employees out of every 100,000 had experienced stress at work.

Fifth on the list is the finance sector, with 2,140 employees out of 100,000 reporting a stress-related illness. However, the finance sector has a significant salary range, from £28,000 to £54,000.

Real estate didn’t fall too behind, with 2,070 employees out of 100,000 reporting a stress-related illness.

Similar to the finance sector, entry level positions start at £28,000 and can go up to £100,000.

Jobs in this sector plan, develop, and test applications and systems in addition to managing and analysing technical information and communication systems and providing user support.

For the work they are putting in, it’s no surprise they’ve made it onto the list. Out of the 100,000 employees, 1,870 workers in this industry report a stress-related illness.

Salaries start from £31,000 and go up to £52,000.

The creative industry has always been a tough cookie. 1,820 employees out of 100,000 reported a stress-related illness.

From musicians to actors to dancers, if you’re able to find consistent work in this industry, it usually pays very well but not without a price.

Wholesale and retail is a sector most of us have gone into at some point in our lives, we therefore know how hard it can be.

1,530 employees out of every 100,000 people have revealed stress-related illness. The average salary for this sector is £32,500.

The final ones to make it on the list are employees in the accommodation and food service industry. Although last on the list, 1,430 of them have reported a stress-related illness.

The starting salary for this sector is £17,204.