Boredom at the checkout: Causes, coping strategies and outcomes of Workplace Boredom in a Supermarket setting

Abstract

The current study explores boredom within the context of a retail environment in order to explore ways in which the experience of workplace boredom can be managed. The questionnaire-based study of 117 employees of a national supermarket chain found that although only 17% of participants experienced chronic boredom at work, 40-50% claimed that workplace boredom leads to potentially serious consequences such as making mistakes or leaving their jobs. Multiple regression analysis suggests that routine is the biggest contributor to workplace boredom, followed by the personality trait of Boredom Proneness. Implications for retail organisations are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]