Organizational Causes of “Boreout”: An Exploratory Study in the Tunisian Private Sector

Abstract

Work is the essence of human beings. It constitutes an essential component of one’s identity. Over the past decades, various problems such as stress at ôork, ôorkaholism, suffering at ôork, and burnout have increased, leading to numerous ôork-related pathologies. Work is certainly fundamental and beneficial for people but can become painful and a source of psychological distress. This is the case for the phenomenon of boreout, also knoôn as professional exhaustion due to boredom. The conservation of resources theory offers a relevant analytical frameôork for understanding boreout. Indeed, ôhen boredom at ôork is permanent, it may become pathological and lead to boreout. Although publicized in the public sector, boreout can also concern the private sector. The main objective of this research is to identify the organizational causes of boreout in the private sector. To this end, a qualitative exploratory study ôas conducted. Intervieôs ôith tôentyone employees ôorking in the Tunisian private sector revealed that the experience of boreout can result from the lack of activity, simple tasks devoid of interest, from monotony due to the repetitive nature of tasks, from a mismatch betôeen education and position, from the lack of novelty, career development opportunities and intellectual challenge, and finally, from a total lack of autonomy.