Quick answer: Physiotherapists are moderately stress-exposed compared with other Australian occupations — ranked #125 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 49.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are responsibility burden and emotional demands.
Physiotherapists 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 demands49.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden79 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands50.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control10.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony68 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment40.9 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for physiotherapists
Compared with the average Australian occupation, physiotherapists score furthest above the norm on responsibility burden (79 vs 60 average), emotional demands (49.6 vs 37.9 average) and physical environment (40.9 vs 38.2 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is physical proximity at 98/100 — against an all-occupation average of 61.1.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (10.5 vs 24.5) and pace and demands (50.5 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 physiotherapists
- 1Physical environment
Physical Proximity
98/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 2Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
89.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 3Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
87.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 4Responsibility burden
Coordinate or Lead Others
82.2/100
All-occupation average: 64.9
- 5Pace and demands
Time Pressure
81/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
All 22 stress factors for physiotherapists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
49.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People25 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People68.8 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations55 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
79 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results78 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety78 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results87.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error68.8 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others82.2 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
50.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure81 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week38.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment3.8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making89.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition39.2 vs 52.4
Lack of control
10.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions6.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work14.8 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
68 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks68.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate67.2 vs 78.6
Physical environment
40.9 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable31.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting4.2 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures4 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections67 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity98 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for physiotherapists 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.
- 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
Physiotherapists: how stressful is the job?
Physiotherapists rank #125 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 49.7/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 60.6% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for physiotherapists?
The highest-scoring hazards are physical proximity (98/100), frequency of decision making (89.8/100) and impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (87.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, responsibility burden, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for physiotherapists?
Physiotherapists score below the national average for pace and demands (50.5 vs 56 average) and lack of control (10.5 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 physiotherapists. 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.