Quick answer: Journalists and Other Writers are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #195 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 45.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are pace and demands and precision and monotony.
Journalists and Other Writers 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 demands35.1 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden48.6 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands68.7 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control14 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony69.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment36.6 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for journalists and other writers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, journalists and other writers score furthest above the norm on pace and demands (68.7 vs 56 average) and precision and monotony (69.8 vs 67.7 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is time pressure at 97.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 71.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for responsibility burden (48.6 vs 60), lack of control (14 vs 24.5) and emotional demands (35.1 vs 37.9), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for journalists and other writers
- 1Pace and demands
Time Pressure
97.2/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 2Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
88.5/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
84/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
75/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
72.5/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
All 22 stress factors for journalists and other writers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
35.1 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People10.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People49.5 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations45 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
48.6 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results48 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety25.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results75 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error40.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others54.2 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
68.7 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure97.2 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week72.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment17.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making84 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition72.2 vs 52.4
Lack of control
14 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions11 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work17 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
69.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks51 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate88.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
36.6 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable44.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting37.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures32 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections9.5 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity59.8 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for journalists and other writers map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- Schedule and Hours →The arrangement of working time and its effect on health and recovery.
- Learning and Stimulation →Whether work offers enough challenge, variety, and opportunity for growth.
- Work Monitoring →How worker performance is measured, observed, and reported.
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
Journalists and Other Writers: how stressful is the job?
Journalists and Other Writers rank #195 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 45.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 38.5% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for journalists and other writers?
The highest-scoring hazards are time pressure (97.2/100), importance of being exact or accurate (88.5/100) and frequency of decision making (84/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in pace and demands and precision and monotony.
Which stress factors are lower for journalists and other writers?
Journalists and Other Writers score below the national average for emotional demands (35.1 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (48.6 vs 60 average) and lack of control (14 vs 24.5 average) and physical environment (36.6 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 journalists and other writers. 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.