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Boredom Proneness: Its Relationship with Subjective Underemployment, Perceived Organizational Support, and Job Performance

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Abstract

Purpose

The current study examined the relationship between trait boredom (i.e., boredom proneness), subjective underemployment, perceived organizational support, and job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Self-reported levels of boredom proneness, subjective underemployment, and perceived organizational support were collected from a sample of healthcare employees (N = 110). Job performance data were obtained from archival performance ratings provided by supervisors.

Findings

Consistent with expectations, boredom-prone workers viewed themselves as underemployed, perceived less support from their organization, and received lower performance ratings from their supervisors. Hierarchical regression analyses confirmed the above results even after controlling for age, race, gender, and education.

Implications

Understanding how an individual’s dispositional traits (i.e., boredom proneness) relate to workplace perceptions (i.e., perceived organizational support and subjective underemployment) and job performance helps expand the construct space around each of these important variables. This study provides evidence suggesting that an individual’s proclivity to experience boredom is related to their own perceptions of subjective underemployment and perceived organizational support. Furthermore, boredom proneness is related to supervisor ratings of job performance. These results have direct implications for the design and implementation of selection programs and employee training interventions.

Originality/value

Boredom is a recognized problem in the workplace that frequently carries a significant financial burden for organizations. Additionally, past researchers have noted the negative impact of boredom proneness on the performance of simple vigilance tasks. However, this is the first study connecting boredom proneness and job performance using data drawn from workers employed in a complex work domain (i.e., healthcare). This is also the first study to examine the relationship between boredom proneness and workplace perceptions such as subjective underemployment and perceived organizational support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management, University of Central Arkansas, 210-B BBA, Conway, AR, 72035, USA

    John D. Watt & Michael B. Hargis

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  1. John D. Watt
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  2. Michael B. Hargis
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Correspondence to John D. Watt.

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Received and reviewed by former editor, George Neuman.

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Watt, J.D., Hargis, M.B. Boredom Proneness: Its Relationship with Subjective Underemployment, Perceived Organizational Support, and Job Performance. J Bus Psychol 25, 163–174 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-009-9138-9

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