What can you do about boredom?

Dilemma

“I have a job at a nice company, go to work with pleasure every day and see some colleagues as friends. I am also happy with my salary. In terms of content, I only miss a challenge in my work: it is very executive and actually not enough to fill the working week. I have raised that a few times with my manager, but there is little changing because I don’t want to do it. are with my nice workplace? ” (Vrouw, 23, name known to the editors).

Make your job tailor -made

Although there is talk much more often about overloading and the risk of a burnout, there are a lack of challenge, boredom and under-tax in the workplace also serious problems, says Toon Taris, professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at Utrecht University. “Good research into underload is unfortunately quite rare. We think it is a risk factor and can lead to course, absenteeism, stress, a burnout or even one bore-out.  »

A bore-out is a form of extreme boredom at work and leads to physical complaints that are comparable to burnout complaints, such as fatigue, emotional exhaustion and headache. Career coach Marjon Tjepkema regularly sees these complaints in her practice among people who work below their level for a long time. This is common among gifted people, in which Tjepkema specializes, but not exclusively. « Meaning is an important part of your work, in addition to variation in the work and an income. If you don’t have the idea that you are doing something valuable, it can lead to failure. »

Fortunately, in many cases boredom is something to do, says Taris. « It is easier to influence the challenge in your work than on other factors such as your colleagues or salary. » He therefore advises to start the conversation with the manager, to find out where the problem is exactly: are there really no more tasks or does he not want to delegate extra activities because he thinks the employee cannot handle it yet? « That can be a difficult conversation, but it does outline perspective. »

And regardless of the outcome of that conversation, nothing stops you from taking the initiative, says Taris. « Look for a challenge within the organization. Are there things that remain? Maybe there is a course that you want to follow or you can become a member of the works council. » These matters also help build qualifications and visibility within the company. « If you have the time and capacities, use it. »

Tjepkema agrees with this advice to Jobcraft: Restructuring your job so that it better meets your needs and talents. « Look where your qualities are and then look for a project or something within the organization that you can contribute to. » According to Tjepkema, whether this step of jobcrafting succeeds depends on the deployment of the manager and the type of organization. « In innovative organizations, a lot is often possible, but a conservative manager can also bother everything. »

Find another job, although that is also risky

If customization is not possible, Tjepkema advises an employee urgently to look for other work. « Meaning is essential for job satisfaction, I wouldn’t ignore a lack of challenge. »

According to Taris, the employee must make a choice: accept the situation as it is, or look for other work. « Many people think such a situation is fine, you can also look for a challenge outside of your work. And certainly with young people it can be worth waiting for a while: they are often eager for ambition, but you don’t get CEO at once. » But if there is already a germ of dissatisfaction, another job inside or outside the organization might be a better idea, says Taris, although that is risky. « You know what you have, but not what you get. Other work can also be disappointing. »

When searching for new work, it is important to investigate your qualities and to think about exactly what you miss in your current work. This way you can look for work that really suits you, says Tjepkema. And it is good to realize that the ideal job is rare: « You don’t have to get everything out of that one job. A combination is often also possible: for example, a simple job for a few days a week that provides certainty, supplemented with another project, a study or a study, volunteering or more time for your family. If the deepening is not in your work, but then you can get it anywhere else. »

So

Being challenged in your work is an essential part of job satisfaction. A lack of challenge must therefore be tackled: initially by the manager to ask for extra tasks or by taking the initiative to supplement the work with other jobs. This can vary from participation in the works council to a new training. If that extra challenge cannot be found within the current position, it may be wise to look for a new job – although that also entails a risk. For example, in another place, colleagues can disappoint.

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