@article{ref1,
title="Boredom in the workplace: a new look at an old problem",
journal="Human factors",
year="2015",
author="Cummings, Mary L. and Gao, Fei and Thornburg, Kris M.",
volume="58",
number="2",
pages="279-300",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: We review historical and more recent efforts in boredom research and related fields. A framework is presented that organizes the various facets of boredom, particularly in supervisory control settings, and research gaps and future potential areas for study are highlighted. <br><br>BACKGROUND: Given the ubiquity of boredom across a wide spectrum of work environments-exacerbated by increasingly automated systems that remove humans from direct, physical system interaction and possibly increasing tedium in the workplace-there is a need not only to better understand the multiple facets of boredom in work environments but to develop targeted mitigation strategies. <br><br>METHOD: To better understand the relationships between the various influences and outcomes of boredom, a systems-based framework, called the Boredom Influence Diagram, is proposed that describes various elements of boredom and their interrelationships. <br><br>RESULTS: Boredom is closely related to vigilance, attention management, and task performance. This review highlights the need to develop more naturalistic experiments that reflect the characteristics of a boring work environment. <br><br>CONCLUSION: With the increase in automation, boredom in the workplace will likely become a more prevalent issue for motivation and retention. In addition, developing continuous measures of boredom based on physiological signals is critical. APPLICATION: Personnel selection and improvements in system and task design can potentially mitigate boredom. However, more work is needed to develop and evaluate other potential interventions.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0018-7208",
doi="10.1177/0018720815609503",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0018720815609503"
}