Mental Floss

Attention Job Hunters: Here Are the Least Stressful Companies in America

By Michele Debczak

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Feeling stressed at work can seem unavoidable at times. According to an American Psychological Association report released last year [PDF], 60 percent of Americans cited their jobs as a significant source of stress. But not every company is sending their employees' stress levels through the roof.

Business Insider recently collaborated with PayScale to determine the 50 best companies to work for in America, based on factors job satisfaction, meaningfulness, fair pay, and the freedom to telecommute. From that list, Business Insider honed in on the number of respondents at each company who reported their job as "relaxing" or "not stressful" in order to determine the least stressful companies to work for.

Based on this criteria, the electric utility company Southern Co. in Atlanta, Georgia, claimed the top rank. Twenty-eight percent of the company's surveyed employees reported low stress and 88 percent reported high levels of job satisfaction. PPL in Allentown, Pennsylvania, also an electric company, ranked number two on the list. See the top five below, and click over to Business Insider for the full list of 14.

1. Southern Co.
Based in: Atlanta, Georgia 
Experienced median pay: $85,100
Employees reporting low stress: 28%

2. PPL
Based in: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Experienced median pay: $103,000
Employees reporting low stress: 19%

3. Biogen
Based in: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Experienced median pay: $93,400
Employees reporting low stress: 18%

4. St. Jude Medical
Based in: St. Paul, Minnesota
Experienced median pay: $85,700
Employees reporting low stress: 18%

5. Advanced Micro Devices
Based in: Sunnyvale, California
Experienced median pay: $102,000
Employees reporting low stress: 17%

Not only does stress make work less fun, it can also wreak havoc on your health. Increased levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream can lead to problems like muscle tension, hair loss, heartburn, and irritable bowel syndrome. But even if you aren't in a position to switch companies right now, smaller changes like getting a plant for your desk can help improve your mood in the short term.

[h/t Business Insider]