There is a woman I know who works in the accounts payable department at one of my clients. She’s in her late 40s and she’s been doing the same job for at least 10 years. Entering payables, reconciling expense accounts, matching documents, calling suppliers.
Sound boring? Not to her. She’s happy, enjoys the routine and appreciates her employer. She’s not “rusting-out” – the latest workplace buzzword.
An employee who’s rusting-out is bored with their job. They do the bare minimum. They contribute half-heartedly. “Burnout is often equated with overwhelm, but rust-out is far more common and not just related to workload,” according to Fast Company. “It leaves people feeling under stimulated, disconnected, and just going through the motions.”
Rust-out is real. Some managers fail to develop people. Some workplaces become stagnant. But not every employee who feels bored is a victim of bad management.
The accounts payable woman above works at a company that distributes industrial gases to manufacturers. She is one of about 150 employees. No disrespect, but a company that distributes industrial gases is not exactly the most exciting place to work. And yet this company is no different than the countless small and midsized businesses that make up the foundation of the US economy.
These companies sell gaskets, corrugated containers, coated films and foundry molds. They construct metal-framed buildings. They fill in tax returns, serve hamburgers, replace piping and repair cars. They clean offices, strip parking lots, transport containers and make rigging equipment. They test sewage systems, set rodent traps, recycle used pallets, clean kitchen hoods and inspect fire extinguishers.
A negligible number of the 34m small businesses in this country actually do something interesting or turn into a SpaceX, Airbnb or Uber.
The fact is that most businesses are boring. Jobs are boring. And yet payables need to be processed, receivables need to be collected, calls need to be answered, quotes need to be sent, taxes need to be paid.
Sure, an employer can create a more festive atmosphere. Some of my clients have the kind of personality that lights up the room when they enter, and this cheers people up. Others offer “fun” benefits like sponsoring a softball team, bringing in pizza and allowing workers to bring their dogs to work (I don’t advise this!).
A not insignificant number of my clients offer clear upwardly mobile career paths. But let’s face it: when all the smoke clears, they are still installing commercial doors, replacing pneumatic pumps, shipping animal feed and delivering toxic chemicals. There’s only so much one can do to make things exciting. Or eliminate “rust”.
So no, the onus on reducing “rust-out” isn’t entirely on the employer. It’s really up to the employee. What do they want out of life? Do they live to work or work to live? Is their job a means to the end or a dead-end?
If you’re working for a small or midsized company, you yourself can break free of rusting-out. Your company may be selling boring things, but I promise there are more interesting things that you can possibly be doing if you want a change. Identifying – and then bringing to the owner’s attention – the kinds of needs that you could address that are over and beyond your job may be a way to move into another area of the company that’s more interesting. If you work for a bigger company then your options are even greater (although you may feel like your impact is less).
Or maybe you enjoy going to work at 8am, entering payables all day and leaving at 4pm. Maybe you’re not upwardly mobile or don’t want the stress of a new challenge. Maybe you accept the fact that there’s only so many people who can be rock musicians, baseball players and movie stars. The rest of us need to find other ways to find purpose in our lives. No employer can manufacture purpose for another human being. At some point finding challenge, meaning and fulfilment becomes an individual responsibility.
