Rust out: A new buzzword among underwhelmed corporate employees
A recent revelation in the corporate sector has brought about a new trend called rust out, which is now making waves on social media. Rusting out in a workplace environment means feeling undervalued and unutilized in your job which affects productivity and leads to tiredness, depression, and anxiety. It simply means that an employee is bored and fed up with their workplace.
What does rust out exactly mean?
Rust out is the feeling between burnout and boredom where employees are dissatisfied with how they are treated at the workplace rather than their job role. In this scenario, employees feel that their work is not getting recognition and they are just being used as a prop in the company with no hope for progress. This makes them feel alienated and disinterested.
What causes an employee to rust out?
Employees can go through rust out at work due to a variety of reasons. You can experience rust out if you are overqualified for the job and get assigned low-level jobs that can be performed by an employee junior to you. It can occur if your ideas are undervalued, you have to do regular meetings, or perform repetitive tasks.
How can rust out affect your mental health?
Rusting out at work can affect an employee's physical and mental health to a large extent as they lose a sense of purpose in the work they do. The employee does not feel the need to make an extra effort to satisfy their boss due to extreme boredom. Rusting out can lead to depression, anxiety, sleepiness, an increase in risk-taking behaviors, and weight gain.
How to eliminate rust out
If you are experiencing rust out at your workplace, it is time to look for a new job and work in a different environment, embracing a fresh start. You can also join a course to develop your skill set. Companies must also identify the worth of employees and make them feel valued and recognized so that don't experience such boredom.