“BOREOUT”

Why Chronic Boredom at Work Is Quietly Crushing Your Team (And What to Do About It)

As I travel the country speaking on emotional intelligence and the power of positive emotions, two critical themes keep surfacing in employee engagement conversations: burnout and boreout.

We’ve all heard the alarming stats on burnout—McKinsey reports skyrocketing stress levels, and 74% of HR leaders now prioritize mental health. But here’s the real question: What if burnout isn’t the biggest threat?

What if the silent killer of engagement is actually its opposite—boreout?

The Hidden Danger of Boreout

“Boreout” is chronic workplace boredom—a state of emotional stagnation where employees feel under-stimulated, disengaged, and mentally checked out. And the research is clear: boreout isn’t just annoying… it’s dangerous. Studies link it to:

  • Hopelessness & depression
  • Chronic anxiety & stress (hello, cortisol spikes)
  • Insomnia & poor health habits (self-medicating through scrolling, snacking, or worse)

At its core, boreout is an emotional crisis—a lack of stimulation that leaves people unfocused, restless, and utterly disengaged.

This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about intentional leadership—creating cultures where people feel alive in their work. Here’s how:

Question for Reflection:
Where is boreout silently draining your team’s potential?

Boreout isn’t inevitable. With open dialogue, emotional intelligence, and intentional leadership, we can pivot teams from stagnation to inspiration.

Here’s to reigniting the fire in your team!
–Steve

Equip your team with the right tools to combat "boreout" for better engagement
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“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”

About the Author

Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a premier leadership development company based in Scottsdale. As a dynamic and highly sought-after speaker, Steve has delivered over 2,500 impactful presentations to renowned organizations such as Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Spotify, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

A published author and thought leader on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve lives near Scottsdale with his wife, Julie. Together, they cherish time spent with their three adult children and six grandchildren.