Some things are known to have a detrimental impact on people’s mental health, like working long hours, excessive workloads and bad management. But some contributing factors are less obvious — like the 'fear of missing out', or FOMO.

FOMO describes the feeling of being left out of exciting or important events or experiences in life. In the context of work, it can also refer to the fear of missing out on opportunities to advance or reach goals. And importantly, the constant worry about missing out can lead to stress and anxiety.

A new study, led by Elizabeth Marsh, a psychology PhD student at the University of Nottingham, found that FOMO puts workers at increased risk of poor mental health. Employees who are worried about missing out on information — but are overloaded by it — are more likely to suffer stress and burnout, according to the study of 142 employees.

“It’s widely understood that anxiety in general has a negative impact on mental health — because FOMO involves elevated anxiety, it’s therefore not surprising that it negatively impacted mental health for our participants,” says Marsh.

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FOMO in the workplace is a distinct construct, compared to other problems such as overwhelm, according to a 2020 study by psychologists at Southern Connecticut State University. Like the recent findings, they concluded that FOMO is linked to burnout and the urge to repetitively check messages.

So why do we fear missing out at work — and what can employers do to help employees experiencing it?

Avalanche of information

There are several reasons why workers may experience FOMO at work. Although the rise of collaborative technology like Microsoft Teams (MSFT) and Slack has made communication quicker and easier, the constant flow of messages can cause problems like decision fatigue and stress.

“Where workers face an avalanche of information flowing towards them via digital channels such as email, intranets, collaboration tools and other workplace apps, it’s understandable that they might feel both overloaded by information while also worrying about missing out on it,” says Marsh.

“For example, if worried about missing out on important information, workers may subscribe to updates from news and information channels internally but then find that this actually contributes to their sense of overload.”

It’s possible to feel overloaded by information and experience the fear of missing out because these experiences are not mutually exclusive. However, these two issues can be interlinked, according to Nuala Walsh, a behavioural scientist, CEO of MindEquity and author of TUNE IN: How to make smarter decisions in a noisy world.

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“When we are physically or mentally overwhelmed, our critical thinking tends to be more compromised,” she says. “Just as we make poor decisions when tired or hungry, we may jump to false FOMO-induced reactions to what may be innocent situations. The risk of an irrational response is likely to be more heightened when we feel overwhelmed.”

Pressure to perform

The intense pressure to perform also likely contributes to FOMO. Many of us go above and beyond at work to prove our worth — to both our employers and ourselves — which can be costly to our mental health and wellbeing.

This pressure may be why we feel the need to be included in all the goings on at work, and why two-thirds of us feel pressure to check in with work when taking time off.

Constantly observing what your colleagues are doing can make FOMO worse. Being in communication with our peers 24/7 and seeing their lives play out on social media makes it far easier to compare ourselves to them. We get into the habit of evaluating our successes and achievements with those of others — and often, we aren’t kind to ourselves.

Belonging

FOMO may be rooted in our need to belong at work, says Walsh.

“We measure our self-worth based on this group membership. However, if we perceive that others reject or exclude us from critical information, it results in anxiety,” she explains.

“Over time, poor mental health will be exacerbated by a divisive and toxic climate.”

So how can employers tackle FOMO at work?

Manage information appropriately

It’s important to ensure all employees have access to the right information. However, it’s also crucial to limit the distribution of unnecessary information like irrelevant emails or meetings to avoid bombarding people.

Different apps and software can be helpful, but it’s also key to make sure workers aren’t needlessly having to switch between Zoom (ZM), Teams, Slack, email and other messaging platforms. This is often stressful, time-consuming and can lead to information getting lost.

Create an inclusive culture

It’s also important for organisations to create a safe environment for employees to speak up about problems like FOMO, stress and burnout.

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“For individuals who feel that they are experiencing information overload and/or FOMO at work in such a way that their wellbeing is suffering, they may want to talk to their manager, or reach out to someone in HR, to see what support is available to mitigate any impacts,” says Marsh.

Block out the FOMO triggers

Overcoming FOMO isn’t easy, but try to think about the reality of the situation. If you’re worried about being left out of information or decisions, consider why this is. For example, if you’re feeling insecure in your job, think about whether it is based in any kind of reality. It may be that these fears are unfounded and driven by anxiety and stress that needs to be addressed.

Finally, it can also help to block out certain triggers, like if a certain Slack channel makes your FOMO worse maybe you shouldn't be checking it regularly. If you don’t need to look at it, close it — you’ll feel better in the long run.

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