Boron out describes going around in the office and getting bored to the point of suffering mentally and psychologically. A societal problem that affects many employees and yet remains taboo. What are the symptoms of boredom at work? How to get out? Explanations.
Theorized in 2007 by two Swiss consultants, Peter Werder and Philippe Rothlin, boron-out literally corresponds to boredom at work. This anglicism quite simply designates professional exhaustion through boredom. Boron-out occurs when an employee has an underload of work, too few tasks to perform and / or extremely boring and meaningless.
Less publicized than burn-out, it is nevertheless a taboo subject (admitting that one is bored at work when one is paid is often frowned upon) which represents real suffering at work: around 30 % of people say they are bored at work but the boron-out would affect "only" 6% of employees (1).
Burnout corresponds to mental and physical exhaustion from too much work and stress. Conversely, boron-out is exhaustion from lack of work and boredom. There is also a "brown-out" which indicates a loss of meaning in work. To summarize :
– The burnout is defined by the French National Authority for Health (HAS) as a state of "physical, emotional and mental exhaustion which results from prolonged investment in emotionally demanding work situations"
– The boron-out is a psychological disorder caused by lack of work, boredom and, therefore, lack of satisfaction in the workplace
– The brown-out literally translates to "lack of power". It is a loss of meaning at work which leads to weariness and reduced motivation
In addition to boredom at work, the first symptoms of boron–out are feelings of demotivation, anxiety, isolation, guilt, sadness and sometimes shame that arise in the workplace. Somatically, boron-out can manifest itself as weight gain, disturbed sleep or insomnia, eczema and other skin disorders, amenorrhea in women and unusual tiredness.
According to the book Boreout Diagnosis of two consultants who theorized this phenomenon, this boredom burnout syndrome would be the consequence of several elements:
– putting in the closet, sort of harassment by the vacuum
– the matrix structure of the company
– a mismatch between skill and level of requirement
– repetitive tasks
– lack of recognition
– the impression of being underused
How do you know if you're suffering from boron-out?
- You feel useless at work
- You find no meaning in your work
- You feel deep boredom
- Your day seems endless
- Your work no longer represents a challenge, you no longer have any objectives
- You work in slow motion to keep tasks going throughout the day
- You multiply the coffee breaks
- You stagnate in your work and have no possibility of evolution
- You are ashamed of your job
- You devalue yourself
Bore-out: how to get out?
People with boron out sometimes dare not talk about it because they feel ashamed and guilty about "complaining" about being bored at work when millions of unemployed people look for work . In a society where it is rather valued to stay late at work and to be overwhelmed, admitting that one is bored in the office is not always obvious.
The first thing to do is to accept the situation and recognize that it is not normal. Do not hesitate to talk about it to your entourage, a family member, a friend or a health professional (psychologist, general practitioner, occupational doctor …).
Then, take stock of your situation: what are the causes of your boron-out? When did this happen? Is this related to your business or more generally to your industry?
If you are affected by symptoms such as anxiety, sadness or demotivation, contact an occupational doctor who can prescribe sick leave. This will allow you to take stock of all of this, to refocus on yourself and your expectations and to preserve your mental and physical health.
You can also request a point with your manager to discuss it and find a solution (new functions, internal mobility, etc.). If this does not lead to anything, you have several possibilities: consider a change of company or request a conventional break or take advantage of this vacuum to devote yourself to personal projects (blog, new learning, etc.). If the boron-out is linked to your profession, you can consider retraining.
Excessive boredom at work recognized by the courts
Since June 2, professional boredom has been recognized as a form of moral harassment by French justice. This is a great first in France which will allow employees to turn to justice to have this morally difficult situation recognized. The Paris Court of Appeal ordered Interparfums to pay more than 50,000 euros to one of its former employees in June. Seeing fewer and fewer assignments, or subordinate tasks not matching his qualification, he felt sidelined and depressed.
Boron-out should not be taken lightly. We spend a large part of our time at work, so it is essential that we feel good and valued there.
See also: 5 tips to be as effective at home as in the office