Bubble worker syndrome: what it is, symptoms, and how to fight it

The high competitiveness and the great demands of the labor market that exist today make it difficult to reconcile life personal and professional, which is why the psychological and physical problems derived from these conditions.

The bubble worker syndrome is suffered by those people who are not able to completely disconnect from their work and, therefore, During their free time they are usually constantly connected to their electronic devices to carry out tasks associated with the work or looking for new related ideas, so they experience serious problems separating professional life from work. staff.

In this article we will explain in more detail What is bubble worker syndrome? and its main features.

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What is bubble worker syndrome?

The bubble worker syndrome is a fairly recent concept that has begun to sound more and more strongly in the recent years due to the high demands that some jobs have, being increased with the new technologies. In these times, people can continue working from home or anywhere in which they cover up, so that many of them find it difficult to disconnect completely from their work.

When we talk about the bubble worker syndrome, we are referring basically to those people who constantly they feel that they do not get to disconnect from work completely, since during their free time on a daily basis and even when they are on vacation they are usually constantly connected with their electronic devices to take away carrying out tasks associated with work or trying to find new related ideas, so they experience serious problems separating professional life from work. staff.

• You may be interested in: "Work stress: causes, and how to combat it"

How to detect this problem?

Between the main characteristics of people who suffer from bubble worker syndrome the following should be highlighted:

• They often experience stress, feelings of fatigue and mood problems due to social isolation.
• They spend too much time in front of the computer and the mobile phone.
• They are very dependent on the Internet connection service and if it fails, the stress increases considerably.
• They frequently use applications related to their work and those used to carry out banking operations.
• Their high dependence on technology means that they come to resort to it even to carry out the simplest tasks.
• They have difficulty distinguishing between the time they should spend at work and the time they should spend at home.
• This excessive attachment to work has caused a disorder in their schedules and has made family reconciliation impossible.

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Tips for bubble worker syndrome

Both the bubbling worker syndrome and the rest of the occupational syndromes are suffered by a large number of people throughout the world. world and, as we have described previously, all of them can have a series of very negative consequences for all those people who suffer from them, as well as for their loved ones and even for the companies in which they work in their set.

That is why it is essential that companies use resources and put means to be able to prevent and also make a detection as early as possible of this type of syndromes with the objective that the work climate is positive and calm in the most stable way possible and in this way it is reflected in the state of mind and mental health in general of the entire staff of the company. If these types of measures are implemented effectively, this will translate into an increase in the performance of the workforce and, therefore, in the benefits of the company.

As we mentioned before, the generalization of teleworking in recent years and the hyperconnectivity through different devices electronics have favored the increase in the number of cases of the bubble worker syndrome, for this reason it is important that measures be taken to avoid it and that employees no longer have the feeling of being tied to their work throughout the day and so they are able to carry out recreational or recreational, cultural, sports and/or educational activities, both within the workplace and personal, social and family.

For this, companies should make an investment to create prevention programs that promote healthier habits both within the company and on a personal level, which can be useful some group therapies that facilitate the development and maintenance of a healthier lifestyle, promote safety and the self-confidence of the employees, and that all this helps to generate a positive climate among the workers.

In addition to therapy or group sessions within the company, it could be useful the implementation of a positive leadership system that helps inspire employees, that listens to them, teaches, supports and that is clear with the goals that must be set at the business level. In large companies, a cabinet or a department of psychologists could also be implemented health or clinicians who can provide psychological support to all workers when needed they need.

For those people who have trouble recharging their batteries during their leisure time and on vacation some departments of talent management or human resources of several companies have implemented a series of measures that promote digital disconnection outside of work in order to prevent or address cases such as those that occur when a person suffers from worker syndrome bubble.

Some of the tips that can help digital disconnection during vacations and weekly days off are as follows:

• Try to plan our vacations ahead of time and try to choose the period of the year to enjoy them.
• Leave all pending issues closed before taking vacation.
• Take vacations during the periods in which the activity of the job itself is less affected.
• Notify us in advance of the days in which we are going to be on vacation so that they do not contact us.
• If someone contacts us on those days, notify us that we are on vacation.
• Try to carry out pleasant and playful activities on vacation that allow us to disconnect.
• Avoid as far as possible using electronic devices during the holidays.