“Boreout” at Work: How to Combat the Workplace Trend That is Draining Your Culture
Burnt Out. Bored.
If you’ve been part of the workforce for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced one or both of these feelings, even if only fleetingly. Feeling burnt out or bored in a place where you spend a third of your life is far from ideal. It can affect mental health, well-being, productivity, and much more. For organisations, signs of boredom and burnout among employees should serve as a red flag, signalling that workplace culture may need attention.
An emerging trend in the modern workplace is referred to as "boreout." This is a state of chronic boredom coupled with a high degree of overwhelm stemming from job demands. Boreout is having a significant impact on organisations globally. While demanding jobs that an individual feels passionate about can be exhausting, the emotional and tangible rewards often outweigh the temporary strain. Boreout, however, represents an ongoing state of both boredom and burnout—a toxic combination that can lead to chronic mental health issues, employee turnover, lost productivity, and more.
Wiley Workplace Intelligence surveyed 2,023 individuals to investigate whether boreout is as widespread as it seems in the headlines. They also explored whether the degree of boreout symptoms varies depending on a respondent’s role. The results provided valuable insight into this phenomenon and offered actionable recommendations for organisations experiencing signs of boreout.
Individual Contributors Report Higher Levels of Boredom
Key Statistic:
25% of non-managers report feeling bored between two times per week to daily.
14% of managers report the same frequency of boredom.
Boredom is a relatively common experience that most people encounter from time to time. Whether it was during seemingly endless school lessons when sunny afternoons beckoned or in meetings that felt irrelevant, boredom can be a natural part of life.
However, when boredom becomes frequent, it can significantly impact mental health and engagement. A key indicator of boreout, chronic boredom, can be just as damaging as burnout. While burnout may manifest as anxiety, exhaustion, and cynicism, boredom often presents as avoidance, detachment, apathy, and procrastination—all of which can harm an organisation.
The survey revealed that 25% of non-managers experienced boredom more than twice a week, compared with only 14% of managers. This discrepancy points to factors that could contribute to increased boredom among individual contributors, such as a lack of trust and autonomy, repetitive tasks, and limited opportunities for skill development and career progression.
People Managers Report Severe Levels of Stress
Key Statistic:
49% of people managers reported severe stress levels.
30% of individual contributors reported severe stress.
Nearly half of the managers surveyed reported experiencing severe stress—a striking statistic. Severe stress can lead to burnout, disengagement, turnover, and poor health. Organisations rely on managers to lead, set the tone for teams, and foster a healthy workplace culture. Without a focus on work-life balance, flexibility, and well-being, the effects of stress can ripple through teams and the broader organisation.
Although individual contributors reported lower levels of severe stress (30%), the findings suggest that managers may unintentionally act as bottlenecks. Managers who lack training may take on excessive workloads themselves, believing they are shielding their teams. This behaviour can increase their stress and contribute to boredom among team members, who may feel unchallenged or undervalued.
Encouraging regular communication between managers and their teams about workloads, career goals, and skill development can help balance boreout levels across organisations.
The Boreout Disconnect
Key Statistic:
90% of managers believe they adequately challenge their direct reports.
Only 33% of employees feel adequately challenged.
The survey revealed a substantial disconnect between managers’ perceptions and employees’ experiences. While 90% of managers believed they ensured their teams were adequately challenged, only 33% of employees reported feeling this way. This misalignment could perpetuate boreout within organisations.
Providing managers with leadership development training can empower them to foster trust and empowerment rather than relying on micromanagement. This approach can mitigate symptoms of boreout and help employees feel more engaged.
Feeling challenged at work is essential for personal and professional growth. It drives engagement, creativity, and innovation while supporting career advancement. Organisations benefit from employees who are motivated and perform at their best.
Tips for Combating Boreout
Boreout can severely damage organisational culture, but there are ways to counteract it. Respondents shared the following tips to promote engagement and reduce boreout:
Offer opportunities to learn new skills or work on passion projects.
Provide stretch opportunities to expand responsibility and autonomy.
Prioritise work-life balance.
Ensure clear and consistent communication.
Invest in leadership development opportunities.
By focusing on development, growth, and engagement, organisations can create a culture that combats boreout and supports both employee satisfaction and productivity.
How Neurodiversity Can Combat Boreout
An essential yet often overlooked aspect of addressing boreout in the workplace is recognising the value of neurodiversity. Neurodivergent employees—such as those with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia—may experience workplace challenges differently, and their unique strengths and needs must be considered when tackling boreout. By fostering a workplace culture that embraces neurodiversity, organisations can reduce boreout while unleashing the creativity and innovation neurodivergent individuals bring to the table. Here are some actionable tips to integrate neurodiversity into your strategy for combating boreout:
Customise Tasks to Align with Strengths
Assign tasks based on individual preferences and strengths. For example, neurodivergent employees who thrive on problem-solving may excel at tackling complex challenges rather than routine, repetitive work.Encourage Flexibility and Autonomy
Provide flexibility in how and when tasks are completed, allowing neurodivergent employees to work in ways that align with their natural rhythms and preferences. This can prevent boredom and increase productivity.Offer Diverse Learning and Development Opportunities
Create a variety of skill-building and career advancement programmes that cater to different learning styles and interests, ensuring neurodivergent employees feel engaged and supported in their growth.Implement Clear and Inclusive Communication Practices
Use clear, straightforward communication and provide written or visual instructions where possible. This ensures neurodivergent team members understand expectations and feel confident in their roles.Foster a Strengths-Based Culture
Highlight and celebrate the unique contributions of neurodivergent employees, promoting a culture of appreciation and engagement. When employees feel valued, they are less likely to experience symptoms of boreout.Create Sensory-Friendly Environments
Design workspaces that consider sensory sensitivities, such as providing quiet zones or adjustable lighting, to create an inclusive atmosphere that supports focus and comfort.Encourage Regular Check-Ins and Feedback
Promote open conversations between managers and neurodivergent employees to understand their needs, career goals, and potential challenges. This helps ensure tasks are engaging and aligned with their abilities.
By integrating these strategies, organisations not only combat boreout but also create a more inclusive, dynamic, and innovative workplace. A neurodiverse workforce brings fresh perspectives and approaches that can energise teams and lead to greater organisational success.
©2025 iNOMEE, John Wiley & Sons