Despite what employers might tell us, we all know deep down that our jobs aren’t great for our health. If they were, we’d feel better the longer we worked. And, frankly, we don’t.
However, as you might expect, some careers are worse than others. In this post, we take a look at the top offenders and why they’re so bad. Enjoy!
Banking
Bankers (and lawyers) are among the most unhappy of anyone in the workforce. The combination of menial (and often unethical work) combined with long hours sitting in chairs is a recipe for a mental health crisis. Young bankers overwhelmingly report feeling stressed and burned out by their work, particularly because they have to be constantly on call in the evenings and on the weekends. Their bodies simply don’t get any time to relax and they feel like they can never chill out.
Flight Attendant
Likewise, becoming a flight attendant seems like a great career. You get to travel the world, meet lots of interesting people and stay in exotic places.
Unfortunately, the reality – at least for the body – is very different. Because of the 24-hour nature of the work, many flight attendants don’t get the amount of sleep that they need to be happy and healthy. They routinely have to stay up all night and then work shifts the following day on the return leg, disrupting their body clocks.
The food they have access to is also below par. Much of it is heavily salted, microwaveable options – great for the odd meal here and there, but certainly not ideal.
Construction Worker
Construction is a physically dangerous job. While companies are improving their health and safety every year, trips, slips and falls are a major cause of injury and death.
But construction doesn’t just put workers at risk of serious injuries. It also potentially undermines their hearing long term. As scientists learn more about the effects of workplace noise, they’re discovering that it can have long-term effects that leave people almost deaf in the future. That’s why wearing hearing protection is so important if you are a building.
Dental Worker
If you’re a dentist, dental surgeon or assistant, you’re at an extremely high risk of getting sick because of your job. That’s because you’re regularly exposing yourself not only to chemicals but also to the bacteria lurking in patients’ mouths.
Wastewater Workers
It won’t surprise anyone to learn that working as a wastewater engineer or technician is one of the least healthy jobs. Dirty water is a magnet for dangerous diseases, such as cholera, dysentery and gastroenteritis.
What’s more, wastewater workers typically work with dangerous equipment. For instance, control boards are a well-known hazard, leading to burns, cuts and electrocutions.
Customs Inspectors
Customs inspectors are agents who protect the nation’s borders from people and materials that don’t have a right to enter the country. Their job is to inspect all merchandise that comes through ports.
Unfortunately, this is a dangerous job, primarily because of the risk of contaminant exposure. Customs agents, for instance, might come into contact with illegal substances of radioactive materials.