Trailing through the stormy tides of working days, many await the serenity of weekends—only to be met again with the dread of Monday. Often dismissed as Monday blues, this recurring anxiety may hint at a deeper psychological concern: ergophobia, the fear of work.
Spending nearly one-third of our lives at work, the workplace ideally should be a hub for purpose and growth. Yet, for many, it becomes a source of chronic stress and burnout. The American Psychological Association (APA) links prolonged work-related stress to physical ailments and growing mental fatigue. In extreme cases, this results in ergophobia.
The British Heart Foundation reports a 13% spike in heart attacks on Mondays, underlining the physiological toll of job stress. Contributing factors include lack of psychological safety, where fear of judgment or retaliation discourages openness and innovation. Similarly, learned helplessness—stemming from disempowering work environments—leads to passivity and stifled creativity.
Job insecurity, another major trigger, fosters constant anxiety, pushing employees to operate from fear rather than passion. This is worsened in perfectionist cultures with zero tolerance for mistakes, discouraging experimentation and slowing progress.
Additionally, many workplaces fail to truly support cognitive diversity. Neurodiverse individuals often face subtle exclusion, which can lead to feelings of incompetence and withdrawal.
As a result, employees may begin to disengage—mentally checking out, avoiding challenges, and suppressing their voices. Left unaddressed, ergophobia can transform workplaces into emotionally draining spaces, undermining both wellbeing and productivity.
Dr. Umashankar K
Professor & Director, Learning and Development
AIMST University, Malaysia
📧 umashankar@aimst.edu.my | shankartagore@gmail.com