Job Boredom: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract: Work-related boredom is a topic of increasing interest, and a growing amount of empirical research has investigated its correlates over the last few decades. This article extends previous research by providing a systematic review of the literature on job boredom, examining the applied definitions and measures, its most common correlates, antecedents, and outcomes as well as the processes linking job boredom to these correlates. The results revealed significant inconsistencies at the most fundamental levels, in terms of conceptual, theoretical, and methodological divergence among studies. Based on the findings of this systematic literature review, we provide an overarching definition of job boredom and integrate it into a general model of workplace well-being, thus contributing to the development of an integrative theoretical framework of job boredom. We specifically offer a systematic overview of psychological processes underlying the experience of job boredom and its associations and provide future research directions.