Quick answer: Vocational Education Teachers (Aus) \ Polytechnic Teachers (NZ) are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #277 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 40.5/100 against a national average of 47.4.
Vocational Education Teachers (Aus) \ Polytechnic Teachers (NZ) 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 demands29.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden56.1 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands43.8 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control16.4 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony62.9 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment34.3 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for vocational education teachers (aus) \ polytechnic teachers (nz)
The occupation scores below the national average for pace and demands (43.8 vs 56), emotional demands (29.6 vs 37.9) and lack of control (16.4 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 vocational education teachers (aus) \ polytechnic teachers (nz)
- 1Responsibility burden
Coordinate or Lead Others
76.8/100
All-occupation average: 64.9
- 2Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
76.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 3Physical environment
Physical Proximity
75.8/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 4Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
64/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 5Pace and demands
Time Pressure
63/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
All 22 stress factors for vocational education teachers (aus) \ polytechnic teachers (nz)
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
29.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People10.2 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People36.5 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations42 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
56.1 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results51.2 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety54.5 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results61 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error37 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others76.8 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
43.8 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure63 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week41.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment9 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making64 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition41.5 vs 52.4
Lack of control
16.4 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions15.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work17.2 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
62.9 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks49 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate76.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
34.3 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable42.2 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting20.5 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures16.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections16.8 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity75.8 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
Vocational Education Teachers (Aus) \ Polytechnic Teachers (NZ): how stressful is the job?
Vocational Education Teachers (Aus) \ Polytechnic Teachers (NZ) rank #277 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 40.5/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 12.6% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for vocational education teachers (aus) \ polytechnic teachers (nz)?
The highest-scoring hazards are coordinate or lead others (76.8/100), importance of being exact or accurate (76.8/100) and physical proximity (75.8/100).
Which stress factors are lower for vocational education teachers (aus) \ polytechnic teachers (nz)?
Vocational Education Teachers (Aus) \ Polytechnic Teachers (NZ) score below the national average for emotional demands (29.6 vs 37.9 average) and responsibility burden (56.1 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (43.8 vs 56 average) and lack of control (16.4 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (62.9 vs 67.7 average) and physical environment (34.3 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 vocational education teachers (aus) \ polytechnic teachers (nz). 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.