Background: Human workers are indispensable in the human-cyber-physical system in the forthcoming Industry 5.0. As inappropriate work content induces stress and harmful effects on human performance, engineering applications search for a physiological indicator for monitoring the well-being state of workers during work; thus, the work content can be modified accordingly. The primary aim of this study is to assess whether heart rate variability (HRV) can be a valid and reliable indicator of acute work-content-related stress (AWCRS) in real time during industrial work. Second, we aim to provide a broader scope of HRV usage as a stress indicator in this context. Methods: A search was conducted in Scopus, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and Web of Science between 1 January 2000 and 1 June 2022. Eligible articles are analyzed regarding study design, population, assessment of AWCRS, and its association with HRV. Results: A total of 14 stud-