Quick answer: Audiologists and Speech Pathologists \ Therapists are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #244 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 43/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment.
Audiologists and Speech Pathologists \ Therapists 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 demands35.5 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden57.1 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands52.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control9.6 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony57.2 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment45.9 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists
Compared with the average Australian occupation, audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists score furthest above the norm on physical environment (45.9 vs 38.2 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is physical proximity at 94.5/100 — against an all-occupation average of 61.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (9.6 vs 24.5), precision and monotony (57.2 vs 67.7) and pace and demands (52.5 vs 56), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists
- 1Physical environment
Physical Proximity
94.5/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 2Pace and demands
Time Pressure
89.8/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
81.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
75.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
73.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
All 22 stress factors for audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
35.5 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People20.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People41.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations44.5 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
57.1 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results40.2 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety49.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results75.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error54.5 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others66.2 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
52.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure89.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week38.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment11.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making81.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition41.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
9.6 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions9.8 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work9.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
57.2 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks40.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate73.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
45.9 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable58.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting0 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures14.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections61.8 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity94.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Physical Environment →How the physical conditions of work affect psychological wellbeing.
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
Audiologists and Speech Pathologists \ Therapists: how stressful is the job?
Audiologists and Speech Pathologists \ Therapists rank #244 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 43/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 23.0% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists?
The highest-scoring hazards are physical proximity (94.5/100), time pressure (89.8/100) and frequency of decision making (81.2/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists?
Audiologists and Speech Pathologists \ Therapists score below the national average for emotional demands (35.5 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (57.1 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (52.5 vs 56 average) and lack of control (9.6 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (57.2 vs 67.7 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 audiologists and speech pathologists \ therapists. 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.