Quick answer: Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #285 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 39.8/100 against a national average of 47.4.
Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists 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 demands30.8 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden41.9 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands49.6 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control22.1 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony66.2 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment28.2 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for database and systems administrators, and ict security specialists
The occupation scores below the national average for responsibility burden (41.9 vs 60), physical environment (28.2 vs 38.2) and emotional demands (30.8 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 database and systems administrators, and ict security specialists
- 1Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
75/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 2Pace and demands
Time Pressure
69.8/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 3Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
66/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
57.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Precision and monotony
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
57.5/100
All-occupation average: 56.9
All 22 stress factors for database and systems administrators, and ict security specialists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
30.8 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People5.2 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People52 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations35.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
41.9 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results43.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety22.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results57.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error43 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others42.8 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
49.6 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure69.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week66 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making51.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition52.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
22.1 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions22.8 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work21.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
66.2 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks57.5 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate75 vs 78.6
Physical environment
28.2 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable54.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting14.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures16.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections2.5 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity53.8 vs 61.1
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
Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists: how stressful is the job?
Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists rank #285 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 39.8/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 10.1% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for database and systems administrators, and ict security specialists?
The highest-scoring hazards are importance of being exact or accurate (75/100), time pressure (69.8/100) and duration of typical work week (66/100).
Which stress factors are lower for database and systems administrators, and ict security specialists?
Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists score below the national average for emotional demands (30.8 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (41.9 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (49.6 vs 56 average) and lack of control (22.1 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (66.2 vs 67.7 average) and physical environment (28.2 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 database and systems administrators, and ict security specialists. 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.