The Effects Of “Bore-Out” and The Benefits Of Flexi-Leave: TOP 5 Trends From The World Of Work

We’ve all heard about burnout. But being chronically bored at work can have just as damaging consequences – and experts say we need to talk about it more. What exactly is “bore-out?” Well, it’s related to burnout and the long hours, poor work-life balance, and glamorization of overwork. “Bore-out” is chronic boredom, and a number of factors can contribute, including working in a demoralizing physical environment, feeling underchallenged, and more.

“Boreout is different from burnout in the sense that bored-out employees rarely collapse out of exhaustion. Bored-out people may be present physically but not in spirit, and people can keep doing this for a good while,” says Lotta Harju, an assistant professor of organisational behaviour at EM Lyon Business School, France, who has studied boreout for years. How can you fix “bore-out”? Experts suggest prioritizing worker wellbeing, and other workplace problems. Read more at BBC.

From unlimited paid vacation to four-day working weeks, firms are embracing more flexible time-off policies. Fintech firm Mambu, for example, has a summer four-day work week policy for offices across the globe. That’s in addition to several weeks of paid vacation. Other companies, like Netflix, offer a “No Vacation Policy,” where employees can decide how much time off they need. Read more here.

The employment landscape is shifting, and companies are starting to hire for future jobs and future skills – and that means that degrees aren’t always necessary. In the U.S., for example, there’s a significant labour shortage that may expand over the next decade. What if employers are screening for the wrong qualifications? “For far too long hiring has been based on your last job, degree, or who you know,” says Jennifer Shappley, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at LinkedIn. “Today, we’re seeing that more and more companies are looking for relevant skills, and this thinking is very quickly expanding the pools of available talent.” The four-year degree isn’t going away, but firms are starting to hire more on skills and abilities instead of degrees. Read more at Forbes.

Wall Street is facing a growing divide: some firms are asking employees back to the office, and others are telling people they can work from home. Titans Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan are taking more of a strict approach, telling staff to return to the office five days a week. But their rivals are ready to pounce: companies like Citigroup are offering workers flexibility, touting that a softer approach will help them poach top talent. The return to office issue has been particularly prominent for large U.S. banks, where culture is at the heart of the debate. Read more on the Wall Street Journal.

The U.S. labour market is finally picking up after an early lull in the spring, adding 850,000 jobs in June. It’s the biggest gain in 10 months, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, as workers’ wages rose briskly, both signs of robust demand for workers. Slowly, workers in the U.S. are coming back to the labour market, and employers are desperate to hire, leveraging higher pay and other benefits like signing bonuses. Read more at the Wall Street Journal.