Low paid jobs cause more stress than unemployment

People in low-paid or high-stress jobs may experience more health problems than those who are unemployed, according to a new study. Researchers examined the health and stress levels of more than 1,000 participants aged 35-75 as they moved through different employment statuses.

Their findings revealed that the highest levels of chronic stress were among adults who moved from unemployment into poor-quality work. Unsurprisingly, those who moved from unemployment into a good-quality job had the lowest levels of stress.
Just as good work is good for health, we must also recognise that poor-quality work can be detrimental for health. If the work is not rewarding, it is just as damaging as being unemployed; being in a job where the culture is unhealthy or a heavy workload.

Young people in temporary jobs are 29% more likely to suffer mental health issues than those in full-time work, while workers who believe they have more than a 50% chance of losing their job are twice as likely to experience mental health problems compared with those who feel secure in their role.