Finding a job where stress is rarely an issue is the goal of many job seekers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and 88.3% of them would go as far as changing jobs in order to improve their work-life balance, as revealed in the Bayt.com “Work-Life Balance in the MENA” poll, September 2012. Bayt.com research has in fact shown that less stress, more flexibility and a better work-life balance are what the majority of MENA professionals are after. Whether it is to spend more time with family and friends or on sports and learning pursuits, more and more professionals want less stress and a better work-life balance. Here are just a few facts to put things into perspective and show you the importance of work-life balance and a stress-free life to professionals across the MENA:
• A good work-life balance was identified as the top motivating factor at work by MENA professionals (The Bayt.com Employee Motivation in the MENA survey, January 2013).
• 14.5% say that an uneven work-life balance is causing them high levels of stress (The Bayt.com “Work-Life Balance in the MENA” poll, September 2012).
• 33% believe a better work-life balance would cause them to feel more fulfilled overall (The Bayt.com “Happiness and Personal Fulfillment” poll, August 2015).
• 26.9% say their poor work-life balance has jeopardized their mental health and happiness (The Bayt.com “Work-Life Balance in the MENA”, September 2012).
• 71% say they are stressed on a daily basis (The Bayt.com “Happiness and Personal Fulfillment” poll, August 2015).
• 64.8% would accept a pay cut in order to have more free time on their job (The Bayt.com “Work-Life Balance in the MENA”, September 2012).
• 45% say they suffer from stress-related diseases such as depression and anxiety (The Bayt.com Happiness and Wellbeing in the MENA survey, July 2013).
• On an average working day, 46% of respondents feel either ‘under stress’ or ‘under severe stress’ (The Bayt.com Employee Motivation in the MENA survey, January 2013).
• 44% prioritize living a 'stress-free' life (The Bayt.com Career Aspirations in the MENA survey, December 2013).
As more and more professionals seek a better work-life balance, companies are also adopting more flexible policies. But how can you tell whether a job will be stress-free before you've actually spent time on the job? Using information from the Bayt.com Top Industries in the MENA survey, January 2016, we’ve ranked jobs, according to their level of stress (among other factors). See below.
From the graph above we can see that the 16 least stressful jobs in the MENA in 2016 are:
1. Charity/ volunteering
2. Internet/ E-commerce
3. Automotive
4. Human Resources
5. Management Consulting
6. Agriculture
7. Airline
8. IT/ Electronics/ Telecommunications
9. Law
10. Retail
11. Government/ Civil Service/ Utilities
12. Real Estate
13. Education/ Academia
14. Manufacturing/ Engineering
15. Hospitality/ Entertainment/ Tourism
16. Advertising/ Media/ PR/ Publishing
