Abstract:
The World Health Organization has identified stress, which can cause a devastating
effect on the emotional and physical wellbeing of a person, as the health epidemic of the
21st century. Occupational stress is a severe problem among male and female
professionals. This study aimed to compare the significant stressors of male Quantity
Surveyors (QSs) working on-site with their female counterparts. A mixed approach
consisting of a series of interviews and a questionnaire survey was adopted to collect
the data required for the study. Purposive sampling was used to select the interviewees
and questionnaire survey participants from among the QSs working on-site for
contractors. Heavy workload/overtime/inflexible work was identified as the most
significant stressor of both male and female QSs. Heavy domestic responsibilities and
inadequate earned income were the second most significant stressor of female and male
QSs, respectively. Shortcomings of the tendering process (document discrepancies,
under-priced quotations) were the third most significant stressor for male and female
QSs, though not mentioned in the literature. The study findings revealed that the
stressors affecting male and female QSs working on-site must be considered separately
