| Sumario: | Purpose: To examine the possible differences in psychological distress, depressive symptoms, level of stress, productivity, and anxiety among employees in blue‐collar and white‐collar occupational settings of small businesses in rural areas of the United States. Methods: Cross‐sectional surveys were employed. Data were collected in 2024 from 1910 employees aged 18 years or older working in rural small businesses across the 48 contiguous US states, randomly selected from the panel maintained by the online survey company. Multiple linear regression and a linear probability model were used to assess the association between occupational class and employees' mental well‐being. Findings: Employees in the blue‐collar industry reported more frequent depressive symptoms (0.212, p < 0.01) and a higher level of anxiety before work (0.994, p < 0.01). Employees in the white‐collar industry had a 7.9% higher probability of having work‐related stress. However, no significant differences were observed in psychological distress, productivity, or work anxiety among employees in both blue‐collar and white‐collar industries. Demographic disparities were also observed in both occupational classes. Older employees were more productive. Work‐related stress and anxiety were also significantly lower among older employees (50 to 64 years old and above). Female employees experienced depressive symptoms more frequently in blue‐collar industries and reported greater work stress in white‐collar industries. Conclusion: Occupational classes often shape employees' work perceptions, influencing their productivity and overall well‐being. Understanding these class‐based differences is essential to promoting employee well‐being in rural small business settings in the United States.
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