Editorial

Chairman of the bored

Do you frequently find it hard to concentrate? Does your mind wander while you’re in meetings? Are you drowning in paperwork? In other words, do you often find the workday day boring—a tedious grind to be endured rather than enjoyed?

If you do, you might take comfort from the fact you’re not alone. A recent study by Dr Sandi Mann of the University of Central Lancashire says there’s an epidemic of boredom, and it’s affecting workers far beyond the traditionally mechanised, repetitive industries.

It seems that mounting paperwork, endless meetings, pointless bureaucracy and information overload are numbing workers—even in supposedly fast-paced and exciting jobs.

Mann believes that boredom in the workplace could be more damaging to workers than overwork. She’s not alone in her thinking. Another British researcher, psychologist Martyn Dyer-Smith, says people can become “literally bored to death” as boredom has the same impact on the body as stress.

He says highly skilled people may be particularly vulnerable to boredom. Once they’ve perfected their skills, they are able to perform their jobs with little or no attention or effort. With little intrinsic stimulation in the work itself, their health may suffer.

Often, too, as people climb the career ladder, they move on from their real strengths and interests and, increasingly, find themselves trapped by the minutiae of day-to-day administrative tasks.  

Does it have to be like this? ‘Creativationist’ Sally Blyth certainly doesn’t think so. She’s a keen advocate of encouraging creative thinking in the workplace and giving free rein to employees’ creativity. Unfortunately, as her article on page 22 explains, organisations often stifle creative drive—albeit sometimes unintentionally. This not only serves to suppress the potential of people, but also of the organisations they work for.

When a person is able to let loose their creative flair, Blyth says, those jobs that didn’t seem to require creativity can either become much more creative and/or take on a new appeal when looked at through creative eyes.

Of course, no one expects that every minute of the working day will be stimulating and motivating. But if organisations were to encourage and welcome creativity, they may well find they have the perfect antidote to the boredom epidemic.

Lyndsey Swan
Editor

Contents

Cable company well-connected
Steady leadership and a strong people focus are the cornerstones of a stable workforce at Taranaki-based Olex New Zealand. Jackie Brown-Haysom talks to key staff about the company’s recipe for success.
 
Qualified success
The executive education market is thriving as employers increasingly seek staff with tertiary business qualifications. Lyndsey Swan learns about the range of courses available and what they offer students.

Valuing an MBA
MBA. Is there value to individuals and businesses lurking under this three-letter acronym? Should you bother doing an MBA? Should you hire someone who has one? Two recent surveys make a compelling case, says Patricia Fulcher.

Holiday time
Annual leave entitlement is due to increase to four weeks a year from 1 April but many are still unclear about what this means. Katie Elkin clears up the confusion.

Creativity at work
Organisations should be encouraging creative thinking and giving free reign to employees’ creativity, says Sally Blyth. She’s coined the term ‘creativation’ for a combination of creativity, inspiration, innovation, motivation and intuition, and says that when all these parts are operating it’s a very powerful equation.

Pass it on
If it’s not core business, the trend today is to outsource it, says David Maida. He finds out why outsourcing—and especially recruitment outsourcing— is becoming a popular solution for many organisations.

Contractor or employee
Outsourcing tasks and operations allows organisations to be more focused on their core business, say Karen Spackman and Nick Belton. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using independent contractors rather than recruiting employees, and explain the legal implications.

History lessons
The interview is the most common method of selecting new staff, but is it really an effective predictor of on-the-job performance, or can we do it better? Mike Hughes explains how to improve selection decisions using competency-based interviews.

Talent acquisition—an in-house answer
Our people are our business, says Matt Pontin, and we should think twice before outsourcing recruitment. He argues that an in-house recruitment centre is a winning solution in the war for talent and outlines the approach Fulton Hogan has taken.

Radical collaboration
Everyone gets involved in conflict at times—unless they are ‘in denial or overly medicated’, says Jim Tamm. But, if you learn appropriate skills to deal with it, conflict can become just another part of the negotiation process, he tells Miriam Bell.

DEPARTMENTS
Recruitment: Outsourcing talent woes
There are various reasons why a company may choose to outsource one or more of its functions. One of these is dealing with talent shortages. Dave Stewart looks at why outsourcing is becoming an increasingly popular option to take.

Workplace dilemmas: Constant companions
An office romance between a line manager and a direct report can present a threat to group morale, says Kate Boyte. She looks at this and another workplace relationship that can prove problematic.

Leadership: Recipe for success
Effective leadership is one of the key platforms underpinning AgriQuality’s day-to-day performance. Vanessa Lorford-Brown shares the organisation’s recipe for inspirational leadership among its different business groups.

Health & safety: Safety training that works
There is a dizzying array of safety training courses and materials to choose from today. But all too often the knowledge they provide quickly grows stale and people slip back into old habits. This does not have to be the case, says Marnie Macaulay.
 
Learning & development: Mentor me
A recent survey shows mentoring is building momentum in New Zealand, but largely on an informal basis, say Wendy Baker and Aly McNicoll. They outline the findings.

Case in point: Quality control
What happens if a worker fails to adhere to a company’s quality control standards? Blair Edwards discusses a recent case where the Employment Court found in favour of two senior employees dismissed for negligence.

Workplace wellness: Your job or mine
In any workplace there will always be people with health issues, says Kristen MacKenzie. But whose problem is this and do workplace wellness programmes have a role to play?