Comments on: Most Workers Bored at the Office http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/most_workers_bored_at_the_office/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:05:42 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Matt http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/most_workers_bored_at_the_office/comment-page-1/#comment-54242 Matt Thu, 11 Aug 2005 06:49:42 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/11593#comment-54242 It's much more stressful to _look_ busy when you're actually bored than it is to actually use your full productive capacity. It's much more stressful to _look_ busy when you're actually bored than it is to actually use your full productive capacity.

]]> By: Gary Farber http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/most_workers_bored_at_the_office/comment-page-1/#comment-54239 Gary Farber Thu, 11 Aug 2005 06:01:35 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/11593#comment-54239 Thanks for not being too bored to notice! ;-) Thanks for not being too bored to notice!

;-)

]]> By: Herb http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/most_workers_bored_at_the_office/comment-page-1/#comment-54186 Herb Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:44:47 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/11593#comment-54186 Having worked for some pretty good companies, I found the most satisfying and productive work was those jobs that allowed me to use my thoughts, imagination and skills to perform my job without interference from management. I have observed from my various work endeavors that those where I was bored, were those where micro management was a common practice. I have also observed that many in upper management, (Directors, Vice Presidents, and even CEO's) keep personal around to help them with specialty projects that they were assigned to complete. For instance, a Director may have five to ten people who have special skills in various arenas that who are only called upon when their skill are needed. Therefore, many people sit around, get bored and are not productive when their skills are not required. Some call this practice "Politics", but I call it waste and almost company fraud on the part of management. Look at the Airline Industry and you will see what I am talking about. Poor management is very easy to spot. It is those that have to lay people off to make the bottom line at the end of their financial year. Those that are layed off are the personal overburden that are only there to make their boss look good. Those bosses that utilize this management "tool" are those that are usually promoted to their level of incompetence and are always in a CYA mode. You will also find that the sign of a company giong down the tubes is when customer service is curtailed. Boredom leads to low productivity which leads to low moral which leads to low quality that leads to less sales and lay-offs and then to bankruptcy. I really laugh when companies hire high paid consulting firms th study why production is low or why costs are so high. These consultants usually start looking at the production force when they should start at the top. That is where one will find the answer to most problems. Having worked for some pretty good companies, I found the most satisfying and productive work was those jobs that allowed me to use my thoughts, imagination and skills to perform my job without interference from management. I have observed from my various work endeavors that those where I was bored, were those where micro management was a common practice. I have also observed that many in upper management, (Directors, Vice Presidents, and even CEO's) keep personal around to help them with specialty projects that they were assigned to complete. For instance, a Director may have five to ten people who have special skills in various arenas that who are only called upon when their skill are needed. Therefore, many people sit around, get bored and are not productive when their skills are not required. Some call this practice "Politics", but I call it waste and almost company fraud on the part of management.
Look at the Airline Industry and you will see what I am talking about.
Poor management is very easy to spot. It is those that have to lay people off to make the bottom line at the end of their financial year. Those that are layed off are the personal overburden that are only there to make their boss look good. Those bosses that utilize this management "tool" are those that are usually promoted to their level of incompetence and are always in a CYA mode.
You will also find that the sign of a company giong down the tubes is when customer service is curtailed.
Boredom leads to low productivity which leads to low moral which leads to low quality that leads to less sales and lay-offs and then to bankruptcy.

I really laugh when companies hire high paid consulting firms th study why production is low or why costs are so high. These consultants usually start looking at the production force when they should start at the top. That is where one will find the answer to most problems.

]]> By: ICallMasICM http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/most_workers_bored_at_the_office/comment-page-1/#comment-54161 ICallMasICM Wed, 10 Aug 2005 18:21:35 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/11593#comment-54161 Those are the days when I checkout OTB 3-4 times. Those are the days when I checkout OTB 3-4 times.

]]> By: Gabe http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/most_workers_bored_at_the_office/comment-page-1/#comment-54157 Gabe Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:50:34 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/11593#comment-54157 Yup. Days where I have nothing to do wear me out far more than days when I'm swamped. Something I think this article may have missed, though, is the overall lack of meaningful work. It's hard to get excited about being a cog. Yup. Days where I have nothing to do wear me out far more than days when I'm swamped. Something I think this article may have missed, though, is the overall lack of meaningful work. It's hard to get excited about being a cog.

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