The study said site workers are less stressed than office workers

Researchers from Cambridge University study stress levels among different types of workers in the building industry. Their results show that a site job has a lower stress level than an office job. But what influences this stress level, and how can the building industry manage this?

The main source: Study finds desk jobs more stressful than site work

What were the research results?

The scientific result shows that 70% of site workers and 85% of office workers find their jobs moderately stressful, very stressful, or extremely stressful. In total, 40 people (33 men and 7 women) from 12 different employers were involved in this research. For additional purity of the experiment, workers from different specialties – mechanics, electricians, plumbers, etc.- were involved.

Was found that the main sources of additional stress are workloads, deadlines, and uncontrollable situations. Workload responsibility, especially in the safety direction also is a key factor that influences stress levels.

How the study results will be used in the future?

Thanks to this research employers may know more information about the behavior of their employees. Also, based on these points, companies can conduct a more in-depth study to find out what exactly affects the stress level of their employees.

Co-author Rachel Blair Winkler recommended tailoring support programs to the individual. “It’s essential to consider various professional responsibilities, environmental conditions, and organizational cultures when developing wellbeing initiatives,” she said. “This will be one of the next steps in the research.”

Olivia Remes, co-author of the study and a mental health researcher at the Cambridge Laing O’Rourke Centre at the Department of Engineering, emphasized the importance of effective coping mechanisms: “Opening up to family, friends, or colleagues about workplace stress can be helpful. Having a robust support network acts as a buffer against stress and is beneficial for mental health.”

Some of the participants coped with the stress by “blocking it out” or keeping it to themselves.

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