What is Canada's least stressful job?
If you asked a random sample of Canadians what the least stressful job in the country is, you’d get no answer.
Why? Because everyone thinks their job is the most stressful. It’s like a Canadian rite of passage – why have a job unless you can complain about it? (Same goes for going to school, or getting married.)
In any case, we spend so much time wondering what the most stressful job is, why not pose a question to the contrary here: what is the least stressful job in Canada?
Certainly, this wouldn’t be an exact science. Why would your job be more stressful than mine? And isn’t stress relative? What if Joe is able to compartmentalize his work as a police officer better than Betsy, an advertising executive?
Still, there are people that have tried.
PayScale.com recently commissioned a survey of a field of positions, wondering what percentage of workers suggest the job is low stress.
Their top 10:
1) Biomedical Engineer (70 per cent say it’s low stress)
2) Transportation Engineer (69 per cent)
3) Statistician (64 per cent)
4) Web Developer (58 per cent)
5) Geographic Information Systems Analyst (55.6 per cent)
6) Technical Writer (55 per cent)
7) Test Software Development Engineer (54 per cent)
8) Marketing Consultant (53.5 per cent)
9) Civil Engineer (53.3 per cent)
10) Optometrist (53.1 per cent)
You’ll notice that the word “engineer” seems to pop up a lot on that list, for reasons we’re not quite sure of. What do you make of this list? What would you add? What would you take away?
What do you think is Canada’s least stressful job?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Robert Thompson | Dec 6, 2021 3:06:42 PM
Is it a no-no giving your full name? Does the site take your last name off? I hate these sites where people say negative things about others under the cloak of anonymity....teaching for one is tremendously high stress - that's why so many leave the profession. We all went to school (some of us years ago when mothers were generally at home and kids were better supported, making teachers' jobs much easier) & I'm sure we all remember teachers being stressed to the max at times. So who are we kidding? Besides lots of people get fairly long vacation periods these days so the "perk" isn't quite what it was. Teaching is actually one of the worst jobs when you consider actual hourly pay, educational requirements, chance of even getting a job, and poor advancement potential. Youn don't walk into a class and just wing it, it takes hours of preparation. They do not "work low hours".
Everyone must have a fairly stressful life with the cost of raising families, commuting, etc. etc. At work, it only takes one strategically placed person to cause you a tremendous amount of stress no matter what your occupation and Canadian managers (mostly boomers ironically) still holds on to some pretty macho ideas at times.
Engineering school IS brutal, a number of students ended up in the psych ward or otherwise sick when I was there. So I do agree somewhat that successful technical people are relatively stress hardy. The point about not dealing with the general public is also a very good one. As is the idea that the less you get paid, the worse you are treated by both the public and the employer.
Posted by: engineer | Dec 6, 2021 3:33:08 PM
This list is a complete joke! Consider how many engineers have taken their own life because of the stress of the job and the liability of their work. Any type of engineer should not be on the list of least-stressful jobs.
Posted by: R.Jobagy | Dec 6, 2021 3:52:36 PM
Autoworker is one of the most stressfull jobs in North America.I worked like a slave in constant pain every day.Also, everyone on the outside thinks we ftd all day plus they hate us and blame us for all the problems with their cars.BTW the engineers do ftg all and have little stress when compared to the lowly assembly line worker.I have been out for three years and I am still bitter about decades spent in that HELLHOLE!
Posted by: Sig | Dec 6, 2021 5:48:11 PM
The transportation engineers make all the unrealistic procedures and goals, we just ignore them and get the job done protecting the flow of traffic and they still get the glory! Looks like the company has woke up and is getting rid of many of these redundant positions.
Posted by: Tim | Dec 6, 2021 5:49:58 PM
I have to agree with "work" Teaching is the least stressful. My mom and current girlfriend are both teachers and I would have to say the only stress they have is deciding on which coffee shop to meet there friends at and complain about how hard done by they are!
Posted by: Ted Waring | Dec 6, 2021 6:01:24 PM
Ray, you have obviously not stood in front of or worked with teenagers as a teacher, have you!
Posted by: Guy | Dec 6, 2021 6:32:36 PM
I am not a teacher but I manage a large staff. I would say that teaching certain levels would be much more stressful. At work, the 26 people I have hired must adhere to company policies and be competent to do the work. After a while, I simply can let them go if they can't do the work. I also don't have to answer to their spouses.
As a teacher, (let's say 26 students), they all learn at different levels. I would have pride in knowing that all of them have learned the materials to the best of their abilities that is acceptable to each of their families. Some parents are OK if someone has B's and C's while other parents demand A's only. Lots of stress for the kids to appease parents which puts even more stress on a teacher. This profession is way up on the list of high stress. I would say jobs like Postal Workers, Couriers, delivery drivers would not be stressful.
Posted by: teacher | Dec 6, 2021 7:36:18 PM
I guess we really cannot judge another person's job and their level of stress until we have walked in their shoes. I can tell you though, although teaching has some great "perks", I don't think anyone can say it is a "low stress" job until they have actually done it for themselves-and then they will see that there is MUCH more to the job than many realize!! Please don't judge the teaching profession until you have actually done it for yourself.
Posted by: education | Dec 6, 2021 7:44:52 PM
What the hell is a test software development engineer or a transportation engineer? These titles are made up. I hear marketing consultant engineers and dandelion picking engineers are also pretty relaxed.
Posted by: useless survey | Dec 6, 2021 7:53:44 PM
Who ever wrote this article should be held accountable! I've said this before with other internet articles these internet journalists just do not care or even think about what they write. I think internet journalism should be added to the list because apparently theres no stress with putting garbage surveys onto the internet apparently for shock value only. At least they know they have readership for all the advising companies they have sold their soul too! So much for ethics in journalism another so called noble profession gone to the gutters.
Posted by: B_Boy_007 | Dec 6, 2021 8:11:05 PM
I don't think engineering jobs are low stress. They can be very very stressful job especially at the higher levels because stakes are very high, lots of money is on the line, you have a lot of responsibility and crazy deadlines. If your company doens't win that coveted contract, well goodbye profits and possibly peoples' jobs.
Also, if things go wrong post marketing, the company's reputation takes a big hit. Just ask Toyota or a Pharma company.
My uncle worked for a major car company in a management role and when the car companies were struggling a lot, they offered him early retirement. He took it because the stress of his job was taking a big toll on his health.
Posted by: Bob | Dec 6, 2021 9:05:20 PM
To the person who said that teaching is the most stressful job...... f@$% you! You have no idea.
Posted by: recycled sixties | Dec 6, 2021 9:51:35 PM
Great comments from everybody but this is a changed world from the 60's. Life is much more complicated than it used to be as people are more demanding. Teaching is right up there for workoad and stress. Librarian might be low stress although trainees picking up books can find this tedious. Nothing is perfect. It depends on the individual. Find something u enjoy and do it can help.
Being a boss means u have more control. Work is work but to some it is not so much.
Posted by: Lisa | Dec 6, 2021 10:03:40 PM
It is the lower level employees ( like clerks )that reports to lazy and incompetent managers that have the most stressful jobs. Engineer may have stress too but at least they get paid very well... Clerks do not...
Posted by: Stressed | Dec 6, 2021 10:35:58 PM
Stress is definitely a personal choice, so a job's stress rating really depends on what sorts of people enter that particular job. For example, some low paid menial positions have the most stressed out people because they choose to focus all of their energy on stressing out, while other high skilled technical jobs (brain surgeon, astronaut) have some of the most down to earth calm and collected people in them.
If you're feeling stressed out, don't blame your job. Look inside first.
Posted by: Envy | Dec 6, 2021 10:49:12 PM
Those who are quick to criticize teachers and their benefits often have no idea what teachers actually do AND simply wish they had such benefits themselves. What happened, you couldn't get into a Faculty of Education? Low-stress, give me a break! I worked for years in the media, a definite high-stress environment built on deadlines, and it is NOTHING compared to what I deal with as a teacher. If teachers were to go on strike, watch the uproar as parents scramble to get their kids supervised during the day and, consequently, spit endless vitriol at "greedy" teachers. People don't believe that preparing lessons, delivering curriculum, attending dozens of meetings and seminars, disciplining children, coaching sports, etc. is stressful? Fine...but believe this - teachers provide an extremely important service and deserve to be paid accordingly. If you don't agree, feel free to quit your job and keep your children at home.
Posted by: got it made | Dec 6, 2021 11:00:19 PM
being a fresh air inspector was the least stressful job i've ever had
Posted by: Nick | Dec 7, 2021 12:16:28 AM
The person who put "teacher" down must be out of his/her mind. They may officially have short hours, but they have to do a LOT of work outside of those hours...especially early on in their careers.
The work outside of the classroom is the easy part. Kids fight, they don't listen, some spend their days just trying to get under their teacher's skin. Teachers are responsible for practically everything surrounding the students. Are they failing? Teacher's fault! Did they hurt themselves in gym/science lab/etc? Teacher's fault!
Try having a class of 18 year olds who are larger than you stare you down, sit back with their arms crossed, physically fight when you're not looking, and have your prinicipal breathe down your neck that that they aren't doing well enough.
Final note: Try it!
Posted by: Nick | Dec 7, 2021 12:21:49 AM
More on teachers...
They don't spend the whole summer lazing around. They unwind for a few weeks and then usually have to plan units for when they get back. There is a lot to do for paperwork, a lot of stress from the kids, parents, and supervisors, and more.
Again, try it. Take on a college-prep chemistry course full of 18 year olds who don't get math, don't like school, don't like you by default), take drugs, have problems at home, get into fights, etc.
It's not like giving a presentation to adults, or being in customer service...it's a lot more personal, and a lot tougher.
Posted by: MC | Dec 7, 2021 2:04:41 AM
Canada is the worst place for employment - its a paradox Canadians are nice people but work places and culture SUCK BIG TIME. It is one of the most oppresive work cultures Ive come across.
Also, how about a country that has not revised its minimum wages for the last eight or ten years?????