Boreout in Blue-collar Work Environments: A Theory Innovation Review

Boreout, defined as chronic boredom, under-stimulation, and disengagement at work, is a newly analyzed phenomenon with significant implications for employee well-being and performance. While existing research has predominantly focused on white-collar jobs, or service-oriented jobs, little attention has been paid to its prevalence and impact within operations, with a high relevance of boreout due to monotonous and repetitive blue-collar tasks, for example in order-picking or last mile delivery. A literature review synthesizes insights from nine studies, to explore the gap of research in the topic of boreout. The findings reveal a lack of research directly addressing boreout in operations, despite working conditions that suggest potential vulnerability to this phenomenon. This insight is extended towards a theory innovation, two application case outlines and a method outlook addressing further research issues in this domain.