Resource allocation efficiency as an indicator of boredom, work performance and absence

Boredom has been implicated in a range of unfortunate behaviours from absenteeism to substance abuse. Here resource allocation efficiency is proposed as a proximal indicator of both boredom and work behaviour. Clerical volunteers (N = 89) completed a series of computer-based tasks in which puzzle-so...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inErgonomics Vol. 40; no. 5; pp. 515 - 521
Main Authors DYER-SMITH, MARTYN B. A., WESSON, DAVID A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Taylor & Francis Group 01.05.1997
Washington, DC Taylor & Francis
Taylor and Francis
Taylor & Francis LLC
Subjects
Absenteeism
Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Boredom
Efficiency
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Mental Processes
Occupational psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Resource allocation
Work
Work condition. Job performance. Stress
Human
Occupational environment
Resource allocation
Problem solving
Boredom
Absenteeism
Performance
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Summary:Boredom has been implicated in a range of unfortunate behaviours from absenteeism to substance abuse. Here resource allocation efficiency is proposed as a proximal indicator of both boredom and work behaviour. Clerical volunteers (N = 89) completed a series of computer-based tasks in which puzzle-solving speed was taken as an indicator of resource allocation efficiency. Individual variability in puzzle-solving speed correlated, as predicted, with accuracy of work (r =-0.35, p< 0.01) and days absence (r = + 0.26, p< 0.05) as recorded in annual staff appraisals. Both these behaviours are considered boredom sensitive. These experiments suggest a direct way of predicting the consistency of key work-related behaviours.
ISSN:0014-0139
1366-5847
DOI:10.1080/001401397187991