How to Tell Your Boss Youre Bored (and What You Need Next)

How to Tell Your Boss Youre Bored (and What You Need Next) According to Gallup Daily, 51% of employees are actively looking for a new job or watching for new job opening. And not being challenged is a top reason people leave their jobs.Harvard Business Review noted, research shows that higher engagement in its various forms tends to predict a range of positive organizational outcomes, such as individual job performance, kollektiv effectiveness and customer satisfaction ratings. Meanwhile, lower engagement has been linked to a range of problematic outcomes, such as increased turnover, absenteeism and stress. Despite the organizational benefits of engagement, global estimates indicate that fruchtwein employees are not fully engaged at work.As leaders, we talk about employee engagement and how to improve it. But sometimes, when it comes to the granular level, we need to be reminded that our reports need more. Before you walk up to your boss to say youre bored, take some time to plan out the conversation. Its an important topic, and deserves extra thought to ensure you can clearly explain your position and your solution.Here are some steps to take1. Evaluate what you do on a daily basis.Identify the most boring and repetitious aspects of your position.Identify your strengths.You can ask a coworker to also identify your top strengths to give you an outside perspective. Are their aspects of what you do that a more junior person may view as a challenge? This may free up your time to work on something new.2. Identify what you want.Is it a new challenge, with increased opportunity for learning a new skill or learning a different area of the business? Do you feel that the role youre in now is a mismatch for your skills? Are you looking for an immediate or future promotion?3. Come up with solutions.Yes, multiple solutions at a minimum, two. You want this to be a constructive conversation. If you come to the table with only one solution, it could be viewed as an ultimatum. By providing multiple solutions, youre able to direct the conversation and show that youre open to a variety of possibilities and youre willing to work towards the best outcome for you and the team. Keep the conversation positive. By providing solutions and staying positive youll be viewed as a problem solver rather than someone who just doesnt like their job.If youre looking for more responsibilities identify potential projects or improvement areas for your team that you could lead. Think about what youd like to gain from the experiences as well. What new skill or perspective will you gain? How will that help your career now and in the future?If youre looking for a promotion identify opportunities within your company that you think youre a good fit for based on your strengths. Dont just invent a new job create a framework to build on what youve done and explain a positive outcome that will be created for the team based on this opportunity.Schedule the conversationSet aside 45 minu tes to an hour. Know that the conversation might need a second meeting after youve presented your insights.Be open and honest Be transparent in both what bores you currently and what challenges lie ahead. Dont try to sugar coat or hide any potential obstacle you may face. You want to build trust with the conversation. There is always a learning curve with new opportunities.Make it a long-term plan, not a quick fix If youre looking to walk out of the first meeting with a well-defined new career path you will probably be disappointed. Think of this as a leap forward in enhancing your career with your company. A quick fix wont provide lasting challenges or results. You want to create a plan that will grow with you in the future. That needs a regular assessment to ensure it stays aligned with your goals and the companys goals.The CEO at a prior company told me one of his biggest frustrations was when a high performer would come to him to resign without ever having a conversation like t he one above. Its impossible to read peoples minds and managers and leaders want to know when someone is willing to take on more responsibility. Before you give up on your company and become part of the 51 percent, give them an opportunity to meet the challenge. You will probably be pleasantly surprised by the outcome, if not youll know you gave it your best.