Bored At Work?
Yes, most of us get bored once in a while at work, but we don’t admit it—even to ourselves.
If your staff members are occasionally bored, it’s nothing that you need to be concerned about, and most leaders aren’t. However, if you discover your staff members are frequently bored, it’s time to look at why and what to do about it.
When asked why they are bored at work, the answer often given is that the person is doing the same task over and over again. And for knowledge workers, the most often shared reason for being bored at work is having to “sit through another long and meaningless meeting.”
Have you considered the effect of frequent boredom? Bored staff can negatively impact your organization’s productivity. Bored staff become disengaged, and disengaged workers can negatively impact employee retention.
Leaders need to be aware of the signs that bored workers exhibit. They can be apathetic. They may appear tired or restless. They may look as if they don’t have any energy or lack enthusiasm for their work. They may appear detached and begin to question the meaning of their work or their commitment to your organization.
As a leader, you want to ensure that your staff are engaged in their work as much as possible. You want to keep them motivated.
Recognizing the signs of boredom is a great first step, but how can leaders help staff members deal with boredom at work?
Acknowledge that it exists. No job is without those times when it is less than exciting and fulfilling. If only we could make that happen.
Talk about it with their team and let them know you understand that there are times—moments or hours or days—when they may get bored.
Set measurable, attainable goals with each staff member—ones that will encourage them to stretch their skills and develop their abilities.
Celebrate when goals are met and recognize contributions at meetings or employee events.
Encourage staff members to be adaptable whenever possible.
Take it one step further. What can you encourage your employees to do when boredom sets in?
Consider grouping routine tasks into one and getting them out of the way
Create a reading file with articles or ideas they’ve collected to increase their skills
If your workplace allows it, play music they find inspirational or motivating
Take a walk around the block or the neighborhood
Have lunch in a different restaurant or invite a new colleague to meet for coffee
Participate in a webinar or listen to a podcast
Schedule a meeting with their manager to discuss career goals
Build some fun into their workday
In a future blog, we will tackle how to make meetings less boring. Join us. In the meantime, check out The Decisive Manager which has more ideas on keeping employees engaged and motivated—pages 43 to 45 for starters, and our new eBook, Essentials of Employee Engagement, available on Amazon.