{
  "id": 4590547,
  "title": "Kündigung: „Ich langweile mich zu Tode in meinem Job“ – Die Gefahr der inneren Kündigung",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/kundigung-ich-langweile-mich-zu-tode-in-meinem-job-die-gefahr-der",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-31T07:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/karriere/kuendigung-warum-viele-mitarbeiter-unzufrieden-im-job-ausharren/100244699.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Johanna Kohler, a 36-year-old marketing executive, is struggling with a lack of motivation in her job. She finds herself staring at her computer screen each morning, waiting for someone to write, and then engaging in her own activities to avoid boredom. This situation has been affecting her emotional well-being, causing her to dread going to work, despite having a positive attitude towards her profession. She has been on the lookout for a new job since the beginning of the year, but despite her impressive references and experience, she has yet to find a suitable position. The uncertainty surrounding her current employment has led her to remain at her job, even though she is increasingly dissatisfied with her work. This phenomenon, known as \"inner termination\" or \"burnout,\" is affecting many employees across various industries. While Germans continue to be a highly mobile workforce, many are hesitant to make the move. A survey conducted by the job portal Xing earlier this year revealed that over a third of the 3,400 respondents plan to change employers. However, only eight percent of those surveyed have concrete plans to do so. The primary reason cited for staying put is job security, with only 39 percent valuing appreciation from their employer more. Career expert Stefanie Bickert, from job platform Indeed, notes that security has become a more significant factor in people's decision-making processes. \"In difficult times, we prefer the familiar, even if it may not be good for us.\" The job market has also become more challenging, with Indeed's job index showing a 3.9 percent decline in job offers in the second quarter of this year, the lowest level in five years. Companies are not only hiring fewer people but also cutting jobs altogether. It is not an ideal time to be job hunting. Bickert warns that quitting without having another job lined up puts one at a significant disadvantage compared to recent years. For those who want to change jobs but see no prospects, Johanna Kohler is in a unique situation. She has changed jobs before, not because she had to, but because she sought new challenges. Under her previous employer, she held a leadership position, managing a team of 20 people and reporting directly to the management. When she joined her current employer through a headhunter, things seemed promising. She was happy and felt valued. However, everything changed when her employer was acquired. The company culture shifted, and her responsibilities were reduced. Despite her efforts, she found herself with little to do. She began applying for job after job, but most of her applications received no response. Kohler started doubting herself. \"I increasingly feel that my good resume and performance mean nothing,\" she admits. Self-doubt is a common outcome of such situations. Maria Bergler, a career coach and former McKinsey consultant, frequently encounters this issue. Many of her clients are currently looking for new opportunities. However, in middle management, particularly in the industrial sector, options are currently very limited. According to a recent exclusive analysis by market research firm Civey for the Handelsblatt, 40 percent of companies have reduced positions in middle management over the past year. \"The fear of unemployment is great,\" says Bergler. \"Many remain in their jobs despite them no longer being a good fit.\" Bergler describes this as a vicious cycle: scarce good jobs make the search more challenging. \"Even if it's not necessarily about one's own abilities, the lack of responses dampens self-esteem,\" she explains. This can lead individuals to undervalue their market worth and believe they cannot find better opportunities elsewhere. Thomas Rigotti, an organizational psychologist and director of the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, speaks of a \"workplace login.\" \"Psychologically, the difficulty is often not staying put, but the feeling of having no choice,\" he says. Those affected experience less control, ponder more, and develop an increasing sense of futility. Studies confirm this, showing that the well-being of individuals who want to change jobs but cannot diminish significantly. Rigotti warns of a vicious cycle: helplessness reduces the willingness to actively seek alternatives, and the absence of change reinforces the feeling of helplessness. The effect can be seen in various ways in the workplace. Some employees withdraw psychologically, identify less with the organization, contribute fewer ideas, avoid additional responsibilities, or limit themselves to contractually required actions. Others try to maintain their performance for as long as possible, paying with exhaustion, rumination, and a lack of recovery. High resilience, or a strong inner resistance, can help, but it should not be seen as the ability to endure as long as possible.",
  "summary": "Aus Angst, nichts Neues zu finden, verharren viele bei ihrem Arbeitgeber, obwohl sie unzufrieden sind. Im schlimmsten Fall kündigen sie innerlich. Experten zeigen Auswege auf.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Handelsblatt",
        "title": "Kündigung: „Ich langweile mich zu Tode in meinem Job“ – Die Gefahr der inneren Kündigung",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/kundigung-ich-langweile-mich-zu-tode-in-meinem-job-die-gefahr-der",
        "published": "2026-08-25T11:04:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}