Quick answer: Complementary Health Therapists are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #239 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 43.6/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are responsibility burden.
Complementary Health 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 demands37.3 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden61.8 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands53.4 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control10.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony63 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment35.7 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for complementary health therapists
Compared with the average Australian occupation, complementary health therapists score furthest above the norm on responsibility burden (61.8 vs 60 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is frequency of decision making at 86/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.7.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (10.5 vs 24.5), precision and monotony (63 vs 67.7) and pace and demands (53.4 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 complementary health therapists
- 1Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
86/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 2Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
85/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 3Physical environment
Exposed to Disease or Infections
84/100
All-occupation average: 20.2
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
81/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Physical environment
Physical Proximity
77/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
All 22 stress factors for complementary health therapists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
37.3 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People13 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People45 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations54 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
61.8 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results45 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety62 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results81 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error66.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others54 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
53.4 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure72 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week66 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment2 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making86 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition41 vs 52.4
Lack of control
10.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions8 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work13 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
63 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks41 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate85 vs 78.6
Physical environment
35.7 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable12.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures3 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections84 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity77 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for complementary health 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:
- 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
Complementary Health Therapists: how stressful is the job?
Complementary Health Therapists rank #239 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 43.6/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 24.6% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for complementary health therapists?
The highest-scoring hazards are frequency of decision making (86/100), importance of being exact or accurate (85/100) and exposed to disease or infections (84/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden.
Which stress factors are lower for complementary health therapists?
Complementary Health Therapists score below the national average for emotional demands (37.3 vs 37.9 average) and pace and demands (53.4 vs 56 average) and lack of control (10.5 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (63 vs 67.7 average) and physical environment (35.7 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 complementary health 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.