Better bored than burned-out? Cynicism as a mediator between boredom at work and exhaustion

Boredom at work occurs in the context of low demands and resources and can have a host of negative outcomes for employees. However, the existing literature is lacunary concerning the mechanisms underlying the link between boredom and its negative outcomes. Based on the concept of tedium, this study examines the link between boredom at work and burnout, with a particular attention to the possibility of indirect effects. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 452 adults working in Switzerland. Our study's results showed that the link between boredom at work and exhaustion was mediated by cynicism, representing a disengagement from work. These findings are discussed based on the conservation of resources theory and several practical implications for organisations are highlighted.