Nearly two thirds of Brits would take a pay cut for less stress

Do you work in a high-stress environment and sometimes wonder whether it’s all worth it? Over 1,500 Monster.co.uk site visitors took part in a survey on the subject of stress and pay, and the majority of respondents admitted that they would take a salary cut of up to 15% for a less stressful job. 17% of participants said they would consider taking even more of a 15% cut in their salary.

The Monster Meter asked, Would you consider taking a lower paid job for a less stressful lifestyle? 1,536 Monster.co.uk site visitors responded, revealing:

44% (674) Yes - up to a 15% cut in my salary
28% (424) No - I’d rather sacrifice to be paid more
17% (270) Yes - even more than a 15% cut in my salary
11% (168) No - I don’t have a stressful job

The findings of the 2003 Diversity in Britain research study, which was conducted by MORI and commissioned by TMP Worldwide and The Guardian, add colour to the Monster.co.uk poll results, as they revealed that:

Men are slightly more stressed than women (36% versus 32%) and non-manual workers take more stress home than their manual counterparts (37% and 30%)

Carefree under 25s feel less stressed (only a fifth say stress is affecting them outside of work), as do part-time workers

People in larger companies are more affected by stress, as are people in management (41%) and disabled people (47%)

In the UK, higher-paid jobs often entail working in high-stress environments, and many people seem to accept that a certain amount of stress is all part of the job. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) commissioned research which indicates that up to 5 million people in the UK feel very or extremely stressed by their work, and about half a million people in the UK experience it at a level they believe is making them ill. It’s no wonder that many are considering downshifting to lower-paid jobs!

Defining job-related stress can be problematic, but most would agree that causes include excessive workload, commuting, and bad people management. Joe Slavin, managing director, Monster.co.uk, points out that it’s in employers’ best interests to keep a lid on stress levels: Employers should be aware that as the job market picks up, employees who are suffering from high stress levels will eventually look elsewhere for employment. If they want to maintain and continue to attract the best talent, they need to be aware of the factors which are stress causers, and do their best to combat them.

Monster’s Top Tips for Handling Job-related Stress:

Change of scene - if you’re too busy to take a proper lunch break, take a 10 minute walk around the block. A quick blast of fresh air can make all the difference.

Get moving - it’s scientifically proven that exercise is a good stress-reliever.

Lists, Lists, Lists! - at the end of each day, make a list of tasks for the following day, so you don’t stay awake at night worrying that you’ll forget to do something.

Plan your holidays - stagger your holidays as much as possible so that you avoid any long periods of time with no breaks.