Underemployment

The term "underemployment" describes the situation in which a person is working at a job requiring lower skills or credentials than they possess, or is working fewer hours than they need or desire.

I wonder how many people of ergophobic histories, if able to work, are working in jobs below their capacities. I would suspect that this is often the case. It has been true for me.

Of course, in an economic climate of high unemployment, many people consider themselves fortunate to have any job at all.

There is a widely-held belief that people with mental health concerns are better off working in less demanding   jobs. The idea is that these jobs are less stressful. While this may sometimes be the case, I think that sometimes there is actually more stress in working at a job below one's capabilities. This stress comes in the form of boredom, physical or mental fatigue caused by repetitive tasks, lowered self-esteem, coping with problems associated with lower socioeconomic status, and other difficulties associated with low-paying or low-status jobs.

Here are links to articles on underemployment. These articles may or may not address the relationship of underemployment to work satisfaction or ergophobia.

22 Million Americans Are Unemployed Or Underemployed

Study Says Many College Students Underemployed After Graduation

Overeducated and underemployed

Face of the new economy: the underemployed