Quick answer: Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #104 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 50.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are precision and monotony and emotional demands.
Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons 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 demands46.5 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden58.5 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands60.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control15.2 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony81.8 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment40.4 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons
Compared with the average Australian occupation, motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons score furthest above the norm on precision and monotony (81.8 vs 67.7 average), emotional demands (46.5 vs 37.9 average) and pace and demands (60.5 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is importance of being exact or accurate at 82.5/100 — against an all-occupation average of 78.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (15.2 vs 24.5) and responsibility burden (58.5 vs 60), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons
- 1Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
82.5/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 2Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
82.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 3Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
81/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 4Precision and monotony
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
81/100
All-occupation average: 56.9
- 5Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
71.5/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
All 22 stress factors for motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
46.5 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People17.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People63.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations58 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
58.5 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results67.8 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety47.8 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results71.5 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error34.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others71 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
60.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure66.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week81 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment12.8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making82.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition59.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
15.2 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions12.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work18 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
81.8 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks81 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate82.5 vs 78.6
Physical environment
40.4 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable63.8 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting34.2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures36.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections0.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity67.2 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons 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.
- 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.
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
Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons: how stressful is the job?
Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons rank #104 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 50.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 67.2% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons?
The highest-scoring hazards are importance of being exact or accurate (82.5/100), frequency of decision making (82.2/100) and duration of typical work week (81/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, pace and demands, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons?
Motor Vehicle and Vehicle Parts Salespersons score below the national average for responsibility burden (58.5 vs 60 average) and lack of control (15.2 vs 24.5 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 motor vehicle and vehicle parts salespersons. 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.