Table 3 Qualitative categories of work stressors

Quantitative demands

Including cognitive demands, workload, time pressure, overtime work, constantly being interrupted.

Emotional demands

Including emotional or psychological demands at work such as having more responsibility than one can handle, not having enough competence for one’s assignments and demanding tasks such as care-giving tasks or being responsible for clients/students.

Conflicts

Conflicts with co-workers, subordinates, managers and/or clients.

Managerial responsibility

When patients reported being in some kind of leadership position and experienced this as stressful.

Reorganisation

Stressors due to reorganisation of the workplace or a high turnover of colleagues.

Deficient leadership

Stressors related to various lack of leadership, e.g. not experiencing enough support from managers or reporting having an unpredictable manager.

Job insecurity

When experiencing an insecurity related to one’s employment, like working as a contractor or having a temporary employment. This category also included having been dismissed from work.

Irregular working hours

Work hours reported as exhausting/wearing, such as night work, overtime, irregular working hours or long-distance commuting.

Noisy work environment

Stressors associated with a loud or disturbing work environment.

Discontent

When explicitly expressing that one is not happy or satisfied with their workplace in general as a specific stressor.

Traumatic event at work

For example having a patient committing suicide (applies to those working in health care), lawsuits or being exposed in media.