A woman in her late 40s works in the accounts payable department at a client company, entering payables, reconciling expense accounts, matching documents, and calling suppliers. She has been doing the same job for at least 10 years. Sound boring? Not to her. She is happy, enjoys the routine, and appreciates her employer. She is not 'rusting-out'—the latest workplace buzzword.
An employee who is rusting-out is bored with their job. They do the bare minimum and contribute half-heartedly. According to Fast Company, 'Burnout is often equated with overwhelm, but rust-out is far more common and not just related to workload. It leaves people feeling under stimulated, disconnected, and just going through the motions.'
Rust-out is real, but not always the employer's fault
Rust-out is a genuine phenomenon. Some managers fail to develop people, and some workplaces become stagnant. However, not every employee who feels bored is a victim of bad management. The accounts payable woman works at a company that distributes industrial gases to manufacturers, with about 150 employees. A company that distributes industrial gases is not the most exciting place to work, yet it is no different from the countless small and midsized businesses that form the foundation of the US economy.
These companies sell gaskets, corrugated containers, coated films, and foundry molds. They construct metal-framed buildings, fill in tax returns, serve hamburgers, replace piping, repair cars, clean offices, strip parking lots, transport containers, make rigging equipment, test sewage systems, set rodent traps, recycle used pallets, clean kitchen hoods, and inspect fire extinguishers. A negligible number of the 34 million small businesses in the US actually do something interesting or turn into a SpaceX, Airbnb, or Uber.
Most businesses are boring, but jobs still need to be done
The fact is that most businesses are boring. Jobs are boring. Yet payables need to be processed, receivables collected, calls answered, quotes sent, and taxes paid. An employer can create a more festive atmosphere. Some clients have the kind of personality that lights up the room, cheering people up. Others offer 'fun' benefits like sponsoring a softball team, bringing in pizza, or allowing workers to bring their dogs to work (not advised). A not insignificant number of clients offer clear upwardly mobile career paths. But when all is said and done, they are still installing commercial doors, replacing pneumatic pumps, shipping animal feed, and delivering toxic chemicals. There is only so much one can do to make things exciting or eliminate 'rust'.
'The onus on reducing rust-out isn't entirely on the employer. It's really up to the employee,' says Gene Marks, a small business columnist. '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?'
Employees can take charge of their own fulfillment
If you work for a small or midsized company, you can break free of rusting-out. Your company may sell boring things, but there are likely more interesting tasks you could do if you want a change. Identifying needs beyond your job and bringing them to the owner's attention could lead to moving into a more interesting area. If you work for a bigger company, your options are even greater, although you may feel your impact is less.
Alternatively, you may enjoy going to work at 8am, entering payables all day, and leaving at 4pm. You might not want upward mobility or the stress of a new challenge. You may accept that only so many people can be rock musicians, baseball players, or 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 fulfillment becomes an individual responsibility.
