Quick answer: Human Resource Managers are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #205 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 44.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are emotional demands and responsibility burden.
Human Resource Managers stress profile vs the national average
Each occupation is scored across six categories of workplace mental health hazard, built from 22 stress factors identified in SafeWork Australia's occupational hazards data. Higher scores mean greater exposure.
- Emotional demands51.8 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden70.7 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands60.2 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control6.2 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony63.5 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment15.8 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for human resource managers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, human resource managers score furthest above the norm on emotional demands (51.8 vs 37.9 average), responsibility burden (70.7 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (60.2 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is duration of typical work week at 96/100 — against an all-occupation average of 62.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for physical environment (15.8 vs 38.2), lack of control (6.2 vs 24.5) and precision and monotony (63.5 vs 67.7), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for human resource managers
- 1Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
96/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 2Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
83.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
77/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
76/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 5Emotional demands
Frequency of Conflict Situations
73/100
All-occupation average: 49.3
All 22 stress factors for human resource managers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
51.8 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People25 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People57.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations73 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
70.7 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results70.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety66.8 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results83.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error60.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others72 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
60.2 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure69.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week96 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment3 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making77 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition55.2 vs 52.4
Lack of control
6.2 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions5.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work7.2 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
63.5 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks51 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate76 vs 78.6
Physical environment
15.8 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable24 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting4.2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures5.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections5.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity40.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for human resource managers map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Exposure to Violence →Whether workers face the risk of physical or verbal aggression at work.
- Exposure to Trauma →Whether workers encounter traumatic events or material as part of their role.
- Work Interaction →The quality of relationships and interactions within the team and organisation.
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- Role Clarity →Whether workers clearly understand what is expected of them.
- Leadership →The quality and consistency of management behaviour at all levels.
Methodology
Clearhead scored 317 occupations in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) using SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. We kept only the 22 hazard variables relating to mental health — such as conflict exposure, decision-making pressure, and time pressure — and deliberately excluded physical safety risks like working at height.
The 22 variables are grouped into six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment. An occupation's composite score is the equally weighted average of its six category scores. All scores run 0–100, where higher means more stress-inducing.
Two control-related variables are reported by SafeWork with inverted polarity (“freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”). We reverse these and present them as lack of autonomy to make decisions and amount of highly structured work, so that a higher score consistently indicates greater stress exposure.
Hazard exposure describes the average conditions of an occupation, not any individual's experience — everyone has a different tolerance for these challenges, and conditions vary between workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Human Resource Managers: how stressful is the job?
Human Resource Managers rank #205 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 44.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 35.3% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for human resource managers?
The highest-scoring hazards are duration of typical work week (96/100), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (83.2/100) and frequency of decision making (77/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, responsibility burden and pace and demands.
Which stress factors are lower for human resource managers?
Human Resource Managers score below the national average for lack of control (6.2 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (63.5 vs 67.7 average) and physical environment (15.8 vs 38.2 average), which partially offsets the higher-scoring hazards.
Where does this data come from?
Scores are derived from SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. Clearhead filtered the dataset to the 22 mental-health-related hazard variables — excluding physical safety risks — and scored 317 ANZSCO occupations across six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment.
Beyond the average
This is the average hazard exposure for human resource managers. Your workforce isn't average.
Clearhead's Psychosocial Risk Pulse measures the actual psychosocial risk in your organisation, quarterly — across 18 ISO 45003-aligned work factors.