What is Ergophobia?

Ergophobia, (also referred to as ergasiophobia or ponophobia) is an abnormal and persistent fear of work (manual labor, non-manual labor, etc.) or fear of finding employment. It may be considered a form of social phobia or performance anxiety. The condition is recognised as a derivative of Occupational burnout, derived from a persisting sense of pressure or excessive expectations in a workplace.

People with ergophobia experience irrational undue anxiety about the work and the workplace environment. For example, fear of failing at assigned tasks, public speaking at the workplace (both of which are types of performance anxiety), socialising with co-workers (a type of social phobia), and fear of emotional, psychological and or physical injuries.

The term ergophobia comes from the Greek "ergon" (work) and "phobos" (fear).

Ergophobia can manifest in both physical and psychological symptoms, and prominently presents itself as a sense of vocational or emotional burnout. There have been several studies focusing on burnout among teachers, finding that those experiencing ergophobia performed significantly worse on a physical health index compared to their colleagues.

There are recognised links between a diminished physical and mental health and "burnout", where physical symptoms include rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, excessive sweating, general uneasiness, and panic attacks.