Effective HR strategies to combat bore-out

How to prevent bore-out among your employees

Burn-out—the result of being overwhelmed by a structural workload—unfortunately needs no introduction. But are you familiar with bore-out, the counterpart to burn-out? It is much less well-known, but just as dangerous for your employees and your organization.

You can suffer from a bore-out if you are structurally bored at work, working below your skill level, and/or are not sufficiently challenged.

It might not sound that bad—being able to sit back and still collect your paycheck. Yet the consequences of a bore-out can be quite serious. You can become literally and figuratively ill from it. This is evident from the following symptoms:

• Feeling of exhaustion
• Underperforming
• Low self-esteem
• Excessive worrying and a short temper
• Lethargy
• Lack of initiative
• Procrastination and inability to get things done
• Headaches and muscle aches
• Loss of appetite

A bore-out is certainly not reserved for stereotypical bureaucrats or people counting down the days to retirement. Managers who struggle to delegate, hospitality or retail staff with too few customers, or university-educated employees in jobs that are too easy can just as easily be consumed by a bore-out. And then you have a real problem on your hands.

Many candidates for a bore-out try to fill their working hours with other activities. This can be anything:

• Pretending to be busy (the pseudo-commitment strategy)
• Going to the restroom more often and for longer periods
• Hiding behind the computer with routine tasks like cleaning up emails
• Taking longer breaks
• Spreading work over much more time than necessary (the stretch your work strategy)

These are, of course, false solutions. They might succeed in hiding how bored someone is from colleagues, but the employee does not benefit, and they eventually end up in a downward spiral. Moreover, it does not benefit the organization's productivity.

Fortunately, there are better solutions to prevent a bore-out! As a manager or HR professional, you can play an important role in this.

1. Make it a topic of discussion

Yes, here it is again: the meaningful conversation. Personal attention for every employee is truly an important factor in preventing impending dissatisfaction or absenteeism. So, have regular conversations with your employees. Ask specifically what gives them energy, both at home and at work. Does their current job sufficiently align with their personal talents and ambitions?

If things are going well, you don't need to worry, but you have at least given the necessary attention to your employee's well-being. If you notice that things are not quite in balance, it is time for action.

Work with the employee to see how you can ensure more energy-giving tasks are incorporated into their daily work. Perhaps tasks can be redistributed among colleagues, or the employee can take on a project that might not (yet) be in their formal job description but aligns well with their personal talents and also offers added value to the organization.

A little creativity and thinking outside the box can sometimes make a world of difference in terms of job satisfaction.

2. Offer more challenge

Does the employee want to take on more responsibility? Check if a change in workflows or delegating tasks differently can provide a solution. For example, it might be a good idea to have the employee supervise an intern, or they could take on a mentoring role.

If the employee is looking for the next step on the career ladder, include their career goals in a personal development plan. Offer the right training and approach the employee as soon as a suitable vacancy arises.

3. Rotate

Nothing is as soul-destroying as doing the same thing every day or having too little to do. With that in mind, it is a good idea to take a critical look at your staff scheduling, and adjust it where necessary.

Ensure sufficient task rotation. Certain jobs may be less enjoyable, but they are simply part of the work. If it is possible to assign these tasks to different colleagues each time, resistance will give way to a sense of shared responsibility.

A little downtime is nice, but too much becomes tedious. So, if you know that some departments or locations consistently attract few visitors, or do so at certain times, don't always schedule the same employee there. Rotate it among different colleagues.

4. Develop a varied training offer

Of course, it is important to keep your employees' professional knowledge up to date. After all, understanding the latest trends and developments ensures that you can stay one step ahead of your competitors.

But offering training and courses that are not directly job-related also has its benefits. Every time you learn something new, you are stimulated to apply it in practice. That keeps an employee sharp and motivated.

It is therefore a good idea to put together a varied training offer. In addition to technical or theoretical knowledge, training courses that focus on personal growth or well-being should also be part of your training menu.

Keep in mind that learning should also be fun. Include some lighthearted, fun items or short "knowledge snacks" that you can consume in between tasks on your training menu. This increases the chance that the employee will seek out further development on their own.

5. Record agreements and keep monitoring

A Personal Development Plan (PDP) is a useful tool for recording and effectively following up on the agreements made with your employee. Regularly check to what extent the PDP, the work environment, and the employee are still a good match and adjust the plan where necessary.

Are you and the employee unable to reach a suitable solution together? Then consider bringing in an external coach, who can provide a fresh perspective on a job description or career development. If you notice that the employee is suffering from mental or physical complaints, advise them to see their GP or seek advice from the company doctor. Prevention is always better than cure!

Need smart online solutions?
Whether it concerns recording and following up on a PDP, smart management of a job board, or putting together an attractive training offer: there are countless online possibilities that can help you prevent a bore-out. Feel free to contact us to brainstorm together.

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