Introduction Despite the fact that the workforce in the Latin-American region is mainly characterised by informal work, few studies have been carried out in order to explore job psychosocial exposure and health issues. Whereas there are no standardised and validated questionnaires to explore specific psychosocial stressors in informal work, the objective of this study is to explore with a mixed method strategy (qualitative and quantitative) the psychosocial stressors and motivators in informal workers and to explore their associations with burnout, engagement and perceived health.

Methods 116 informal workers from street and small shops in Cuernavaca Morelos México were recruited so as to obtain information about psychosocial factors and health. Open questions were used to explore stressors and motivators and were qualitatively categorised. Association of these factors with burnout, engagement, mental health problems, and perceived health were analysed.

Results The most common stressors were poor physical environment, dealing with customers, and low sales. The most common motivators were comfort and pleasure, autonomy, gratifying tasks, sharing with others and attending clients. 40% of informal workers had high levels of burnout, and 49.1% have high levels of engagement. Results showed a significant association between ‘dealing with customers’ and burnout; gratifying tasks and autonomy were protector variables for burnout. Attending clients was protector for mental health problems and sharing with others with respiratory and digestive disorders.

Conclusion Given the prevalence of illnesses and diseases in this sample, engagement levels seemed to be contradictory in terms of wellbeing and comprehensive health. Particular stressors and motivators were found in this sector, which are not included in standardised questionnaires of stress. Many motivators had a substantial role as protective factors (gratifying tasks, autonomy and attending clients). Further studies are needed to understand psychosocial risks factors and motivators in informal workers.