Everyone thinks they have it tough at work, right? Well, thanks to an official study commissioned by Mercury Cider, we now know exactly which occupations have it the toughest.
In order to determine which jobs require that extra Aussie hard yakka, the researchers first identified what constituted a job being ‘tough’. Stamina, mental agility, clarity and the ability to remain calm under pressure were the most celebrated traits, while only just over half of the respondents regarded physical fitness a prerequisite to toughness. Interestingly, according to information released with the study, it was millennials who were more likely to link toughness with physicality.
The results showed that 93 per cent of those surveyed agreed that police officers, emergency service workers and paramedics had the toughest jobs in Australia, closely followed by defense force workers, and medical professionals.
Scoring surprisingly low on the list were footy players and personal trainers, scoring only 26 and 14 per cent respectively.
The results come off the back of another study published earlier this year in the British Journal of Sports Medicine identifying a scary “physical activity paradox”, by uncovering an instance where ‘tough’ jobs that require physicality may not actually be beneficial for your health.
According to the results of the study, which was based on data from over 25 previous studies, while exercise for leisure is beneficial, incidental exercise through work may lead to a higher risk of mortality.
“Recent evidence suggests the existence of a physical activity paradox, with beneficial health outcomes associated with leisure time physical activity, but detrimental health outcomes for those engaging in high level occupational physical activity,” say the study authors.
The results, taken from over 100,000 workers, show that men (not women) were 18 per cent more likely to die prematurely if they work in a physically demanding job, such as a labourer, landscaper, tradesperson or construction worker.
“Physical activity (PA) guidelines recommend increasing moderate intensity activity up to 300 min per week. Workers who engage in high level occupational PA are likely to exceed this duration,” explain the researchers when looking for reasoning behind their findings. The team reasons that due to a high amount of activity at work, these workers are unlikely to participate in beneficial activity during their leisure time due to tiredness and soreness. The exercise experienced at work is not necessarily conducive to positive movement towards healthy living.