Quick answer: Research and Development Managers are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #245 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 42.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are responsibility burden.
Research and Development Managers 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 demands23.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden71.7 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands53.1 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control18.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony67.4 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment23 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for research and development managers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, research and development managers score furthest above the norm on responsibility burden (71.7 vs 60 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is importance of being exact or accurate at 86/100 — against an all-occupation average of 78.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for physical environment (23 vs 38.2), emotional demands (23.6 vs 37.9) and lack of control (18.5 vs 24.5), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for research and development managers
- 1Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
86/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 2Responsibility burden
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results
80.5/100
All-occupation average: 58.5
- 3Pace and demands
Duration of Typical Work Week
78/100
All-occupation average: 62.1
- 4Responsibility burden
Coordinate or Lead Others
76.8/100
All-occupation average: 64.9
- 5Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
75.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
All 22 stress factors for research and development managers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
23.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People5.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People33 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations32 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
71.7 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results80.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety72.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results75.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error53 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others76.8 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
53.1 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure57 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week78 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment5.5 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making56.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition69 vs 52.4
Lack of control
18.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions21.8 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work15.2 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
67.4 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks48.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate86 vs 78.6
Physical environment
23 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable42.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting3.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures15.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections15.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity38.8 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for research and development managers 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
Research and Development Managers: how stressful is the job?
Research and Development Managers rank #245 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 42.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 22.7% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for research and development managers?
The highest-scoring hazards are importance of being exact or accurate (86/100), responsibility for outcomes and results (80.5/100) and duration of typical work week (78/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden.
Which stress factors are lower for research and development managers?
Research and Development Managers score below the national average for emotional demands (23.6 vs 37.9 average) and pace and demands (53.1 vs 56 average) and lack of control (18.5 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (67.4 vs 67.7 average) and physical environment (23 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 research and development managers. 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.