This text is part of the special Syndicalism booklet
Everyone can get bored from time to time at work, and that’s normal. But some are bored. Staying in a job that does not stimulate us can even lead to bore out. We discuss it with Annie Boilard, Certified Human Resources Advisor (CRHA), specialist in leadership and the world of work at the head of the Annie HR Network.
First, what is boreout?
It is a psychological disorder that can be linked to depression, explains Annie Boilard. THE bore out is in the same family as the burnoutbut instead of being caused by overwork, it is caused by boredom at work.
Is it frequent?
A recent QAPA survey from Adecco says that 76% of French people are bored at work. This poll caused a lot of talk and was taken up in particular by Le Figaro. In Quebec, I have already seen similar figures. But that does not mean that all these people are in bore outbut we’re still talking about a lot of people who are bored at work, so it’s worth looking into.
What are the elements that are likely to cause boredom at work?
Generally, boredom at work begins with routine and repetitive tasks. Also, not having a defined mission or clear objectives does not help. For example, someone who fills out forms, but isn’t sure what it’s ultimately for, may wonder if their job is important to someone. Employees can also fall into boredom when they feel they are not learning anything in their job, or are overqualified.
The first symptom that often appears is a slowing down of the pace of work. It’s as if boredom comes to sabotage its effectiveness. All day long, you don’t feel like doing your tasks. Then, in the evening, we are tired. Tired of doing nothing. Of course, to worry, the symptoms must persist over time. We all have parts of our work that we like less, or more difficult times, and that’s normal.
What happens if we let things get out of hand?
We end up with sleep disorders, as well as a loss or gain of appetite. There is anxiety setting in. Then one can go to burnout. Many people will feel guilty, because they will tell themselves, for example, that they wanted this job, that they are well paid, but that they are not satisfied. This creates even more demotivation, even devaluation.
First, you have to ask yourself if this is the right job for you. If you are a very creative person and you have a very routine job, you will definitely be bored. If so, it is worth considering changing jobs. But, if you’ve been working in the organization for 20 years with good working conditions, you’ll probably want to stay. At this point, it is interesting to return to the source. Why did we choose this job? Maybe it’s because several of his friends work in the organization, we carpool and have dinner together every day. The meaning of his work may not be found in the tasks, but in the relationships with colleagues. It is good, too, to take the time to recognize and name what is going well. Then we can talk about it with his boss. Sometimes, he will be able to modify his task, for example to add more challenges. Setting up an ongoing feedback process can also help.
It is certain that he must be careful from the recruitment to avoid bad matches. He can also think of automating certain tasks. Providing training can also be motivating, as can allowing experienced employees to train new ones. Another possible solution: the manager can try to make his employees shine more. If we take the example of the form again, it ends up necessarily being used for something in the end. Sometimes the next team breaks out the champagne after landing a major contract, but the person who filled out the form in the first place is unaware that it all started with a job well done. You have to bring the information back to the beginning of the chain, so that everyone can feel proud of what they have accomplished.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.