Work stress: 3 sources of rustout

When we think of a stressed person, we tend to think of somebody who is overloaded with work. Overload is a common source of stress but it is not the only source. Stress can also result when knowledge and skills are not used fully. Employees whose talents are not fully utilised can become bored, lose motivation and develop apathy about their own performance and that of the company. This is the beginning of rustout.  If it is not tackled rustout gets progressively worse and can lead to depression and other serious issues. Rustout is not just restricted to those in employment. Job seekers, particularly the long-term unemployed, have been known to experience the symptoms of rustout.

Sources of rustout

Rustout arises due to failure to fully utilise the knowledge and skills of the individual. The following are the 3 main sources of rustout:

1. Insufficient work load

Pressure and challenge stimulate the mind and body. Having sufficient work challenges us and allows us to set goals. We can track our performance against those goals. We can see that we are making an important contribution. When we have too little work, we have no way to measure our contribution. We may feel of little value and our self-esteem suffers. Boredom and apathy quickly follow.

 2. Insufficient challenge

While the quantity of work applies a level of pressure and challenge; it is not enough just to be kept busy. There needs to be a degree of difficulty in the work which motivates us to perform to our best and encourages personal growth and progression. Overcoming the challenge allows us to feel a sense of achievement.

 3. Insufficient variety

If our work lacks variety it can become boring and mundane thus failing to maintain our interest. If we perform the same task(s) repeatedly, the work becomes easy. There is no stimulation of mind or body, no sense of achievement, no motivation and eventually we will have no interest whatsoever in our work. Our focus shifts to surviving the week’s work and collecting our pay.

Rustout is a common form of stress. If you are experiencing stress, check out Stress Free Living.

Stress is usually associated with too much pressure i.e. burnout. However, rustout is just as dangerous. A healthy work life requires an appropriate quantity, quality and variety of work. Too little of any of these factors and we take our first steps on the path to rustout. Rustout can be devastating as it is difficult to diagnose and can be even more difficult to resolve.