Harvard Study Identifies Jobs Types That Are Deemed Unhappiest

A Harvard study has revealed that jobs that require little human interaction and don’t offer opportunities to build meaningful relationships with co-workers are considered to be the unhappiest. It also stated that the key to happiness is positive relationships and not money or health.

An 85-year-old study conducted by Harvard researched that involves health data from over 700 participants globally since 1938. It was found that the unhappiest jobs are the ones that require little human interaction and don’t offer opportunities to build meaningful relationships with co-workers.

According to Robert Waldinger, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, “It’s a critical social need that should be met in all aspects of our lives. Plus, if you are more connected to people, you feel more satisfied with your job, and do better work.”

The study also noted that some of the most isolating jobs were the ones that required more independent work than interpersonal relationships or required overnight shifts, such as truck driving and night security. Package and food delivery-related tech industry jobs where employees on the same warehouse shift might not even know each other’s names were deemed the loneliest.

The study also noted that socializing at work is the key to reducing feelings of loneliness and boosting mental health. It added that the secret to living a happier, healthier, and longer life, is not professional success, money, exercise, or a healthy diet, it is positive relationships.

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