Do You Have Zone-Outs In Your Office?
Sometimes when the work is just not that challenging staff members become bored or zone out. Ironically, it is the very stability that attracted them to them to the work in the first place that is now driving them to boredom requiring an intervention.
You know the problem is increasing when the following signs begin to occur on a regular basis.
-Tardiness
-Long lunches
-Leaving early
-MIA during the day
-Not following
-Take on a task and never do it, never turn it over to anyone
Although some jobs are not exciting by nature there are things that can be done. First, and foremost make certain you do not have someone with a sanguine temperament assigned to a job heavy in task and light in interaction. However, a person with a phlegmatic or melancholic temperament would be ideally suited to such a position, in that they derive their satisfaction from a job well done rather than social interaction.
With those things in mind, you might consider the following strategies.
1. Provide more challenge.
-a higher quota
-an assignment requiring greater attention to detail
2. Ensure the level of competence.
-make certain this individual has not be given a job that is beyond his level of expertise
3. Add a little drama.
You may wish to pair them with the “grandstander” for a while.
-The drawback here being, a “grandstander” can only tolerate mundane operations (unless it is a job which receives a great deal of prestige and acknowledgment) for so long before they become a problem themselves.
4. Vary their job assignments.
-make certain they are capable of successfully completing each assignment
5. Name dropping.
Mentioning their names in meeting situations will perk up their interest.
While any of these strategies will be effective in the short term, it is of paramount importance that you assure yourself you have persons of compatible temperaments in your job assignments.