People With A Specific Personality Type Are More Susceptible To Work Stress, But Employers Tend To Depend On Them More

No one is exempt from dealing with work stress and burnout. Feeling overwhelmed by your workload, your employers' expectations, and unclear policies about work-life balance are something we can all sadly relate to.

However, a study from Osaka University in Japan revealed that people with a specific type of personality might experience feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, and burnt out at much higher rates than others. Unfortunately, this often works against them because it also makes them dependable employees, which leads employers to think it's alright to put even more on their plates.

The study found highly sensitive people are more susceptible to work stress than others.

A highly sensitive person, or HSP, is someone who has a greater sensitivity to external stimuli. The researchers found that HSPs experience higher levels of stress in the workplace than the average employee does. 

They compared the HSP Scale, a method used to measure these traits, with general scores for work-related stress, and concluded that there was definitely a connection. However, the researchers discovered that HSPs also tend to feel deeper levels of empathy for those around them, including their co-workers.

Inside Creative House | Shutterstock

Tomohiro Ioku, the lead author of the study, explained how meaningful these findings were. "Our study found that HSPs in the workplace tend to feel more stress, and approximately 26% of working adults could be classified as HSPs," Ioku said. "This is surprising because it suggests a substantial portion of the workforce might be experiencing higher levels of stress."

While the prevalence of high stress levels among employees considered to be HSPs may be surprising, the fact that they're easily stressed itself really isn't. Psychologist Elaine Aron, who originally coined the term, described HSPs as being "more easily overwhelmed" due to the way "your brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply."

RELATED: Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Completely Different Ideas Of What Hard Work Means

While higher stress levels aren't ideal, the increased empathy HSPs feel can help them in the workplace.

Despite HSPs getting easily overwhelmed and experiencing high levels of work stress, there's also a silver lining. Most people work in environments where they have to get along with others and work cohesively as a team, which can be a strength for HSPs.

Vitaly Gariev | Pexels

Eiichiro Watamura, another senior author of the study, said, "Our findings indicate that while HSPs are more susceptible to stress, their high levels of empathy can be a valuable asset to organizations, particularly in roles that require strong interpersonal skills."

A good relationship with your co-workers might not be entirely necessary to get your job done, but it does make it easier. More people have come to consider work an important social outlet, making them feel like having strong bonds with those they work alongside is essential.

RELATED: You Can Usually Tell How Empathic Someone Is By The Types Of People They Go Out Of Their Way To Avoid

Employers know HSPs are good workers, so they depend on them more, which just makes their stress worse.

It's like highly sensitive people just can't catch a break from the vicious cycle of stress that work creates for them. Psychotherapist Julie Bjelland, the author of "The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person: How to Harness Your Sensitivity Into Strength in a Chaotic World," told Fortune that HSPs are often caught between wanting to do the best work they can and also feeling overwhelmed by everything that goes into that.

It's not uncommon for HSPs to feel more comfortable working alone or to overthink their interactions with colleagues, which can cause difficult emotions to come up. But their heightened sense of awareness means that HSPs are incredibly valuable work partners, leaders, and mentors, according to Bjelland. 

Zamrznuti tonovi | Shutterstock

She explained that they tend to be high performers whose creativity and innovation make them integral to a team. That's why HSPs often have to be protected from burnout, which can be difficult considering how dependable they are and how easily they can become overwhelmed and stressed. 

The researchers at Osaka University hoped their findings would lead to the creation of a workplace that is more welcoming of HSPs. It's important for HSPs to advocate for themselves, but equally important for employers to understand what they need to do to help employees who are HSPs from becoming completely overwhelmed.

RELATED: Bosses Who Micromanage Usually Don’t Realize What It Says About Them Vs. Their Workers

Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.