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Hating your job undermines your health
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists from the Australian National University have found that hating your job is comparable to unemployment and causes people to feel the same sense of hopelessness and anger.
According to experts, people with poor working conditions and low wages suffer no less than those who cannot find a job. And they complain not only about poorly lit workplaces or insufficiently comfortable conditions, but also list psychological factors that make them unhappy: a nasty boss, a responsible job and low wages, as well as a low level of safety in the workplace.
Peter Butterworth, lead author of the study, says people who are unhappy in their jobs are subject to the same psychological stresses as the unemployed.
"Our research shows that there is no difference in the rates of mental health problems such as anxiety, worry and depression between people who are unhappy in their jobs and those who are unable to find a job," says Dr Butterworth. "They are much more likely to experience stress than their more successful colleagues."
And earlier this year, scientists from University College London conducted a study in which they found that if a person is not fairly rewarded for their hard work, this leads to an increased risk of heart disease.
“If people know they have done a good job, such as doing tasks for management that are not part of their job description or working overtime, but are not rewarded for their work, this increases the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease,” says Dr Daryl O’Connor, professor of psychology at the University of Leeds. “If working conditions improve and wages increase, this has a positive effect on a person’s well-being, thereby reducing the risk of disease.”
These studies provide evidence that action needs to be taken to reduce the incidence of mental and physical illnesses that arise from psychosocial aspects.
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