BORED AT WORK? THERE'S A BIOLOGICAL REASON AND A SOLUTION

Are you feeling seriously bored at and with work these days? Do you feel dullness and lack of creative zest? Well, you are not alone as about 17% of the workforce group are disengaged from what they do daily? Why and how can this be solved?

According to a study done by USC, millennials are the least engaged segment of the workforce. Millennials also make up the largest portion of the modern workforce. If the pattern of disengagement continues, it is possible that bottom line losses could increase.

Workplace boredom can be so stressful and damaging. It can even create embarrassing situations. And it is quite alarming that boredom is a regularly occurring part of having a job for most.

You want to feel motivated. You want to derive a sense of meaning and fulfillment from your job. And you try so hard to get positive responses with your job, all to no avail. What if I tell you that your lack of engagement and interest in your job isn’t a case of motivation but that a biological issue?

Let’s discuss this biological reason and its solution. To be blunt, boredom is caused because the modern workplace has deactivated the seeking system which keeps workers purposeful, zestful and motivated. Let me explain.

All humans are naturally designed to want to explore, experiment, discover – the seeking system. This system makes us want to learn about our environment, extract meaning from our situations and explore our worlds.

When we follow these urges, we release dopamine – a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and motivation. We feel more alive.

But this modern system stifles workers’ desires to try and explore new things. Rather than increase workers' creativity and ability to self-express, modern jobs make you wary, anxious and less creative. However, it doesn’t have to be so. As an entrepreneur, CEO or supervisor, you can re-activate the seeking system by

1. Allowing employees to self-express. Include each worker’s perspectives into group decision-making.
2. Build a curiosity culture that enables employees to play around the boundaries of their individual tasks, so they can safely work with their personal strengths and intrinsic interests
3. Encourage your employees to discover meaning in their jobs by allowing their input towards the betterment of the company. This will also help to instill a sense of purpose in them.

As you follow these steps, you should be able to solve the problem of employee disengagement and get them actively interested in their various tasks. 

Sources: Gallup, USC, DailyPay

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