✅ Embracing boredom can boost creativity, productivity

On November 11, deputies responding to a 911 call from Advanced Process Technologies in Cokato, Minn., found 20-year-old welder Amber Czech dead at her workstation. Czech's co-worker, David Bruce Delong, has been charged with her murder. Surveillance video shows him bludgeoning her with a sledgehammer. Delong confessed to planning and committing the act, reportedly telling authorities he 'just didn't like' Czech.

The murder has led to calls from the National Association of Women in Construction and North America's Building Trades Unions for stronger measures to protect workers from violence. NAWIC has called for a cultural shift to reject hostility toward tradeswomen, while NABTU has emphasized the need to address harassment and violence on job sites.

Kanoe's take. We don't often run stories like this one, but the circumstances of Amber's death -- and its long-term implications -- are too important to ignore. A 2025 report from Traliant shows that workplace violence is increasing, with 30% of employees reporting they have witnessed a violent act in the last five years. In 2024, that number was 25%. This is sobering. How is your organization getting ahead of this? What are you doing to create a safe workplace environment? 

AI is quickly replacing some entry-level roles, and could alter the traditional path to career advancement for young workers, experts say. Matt Beane of the University of California, Santa Barbara, notes that the "expert-novice" model, where new employees learn from seasoned colleagues, is being undermined as companies prioritize AI for efficiency and cost savings via automation. Entry level tasks are disappearing, and the shift could lead to a shortage of experienced workers for managerial roles in the future.

Many companies are seeing a boost in valuations as they tout the benefits of AI, but much of it is "AI theater," according to Andrew Reid, founder and CEO of Rival Technologies. AI can solve actual business challenges, rather than just create buzz, Reid says, highlighting practical applications for AI, such as processing unstructured data and automating repetitive tasks, that turn previously time-consuming work into actionable insights. Reid advocates for experimenting with AI in a focused way, ensuring it enhances productivity and delivers real value to customers, rather than a superficial add-on.

The world of work will by hybrid; i.e., get ready for more of the same: The workplace of 2030 will be "digital first, physical second," with location flexibility, fewer live meetings and greater integration of artificial intelligence, says Gleb Tsipursky of Disaster Avoidance Experts. Tsipursky predicts that strategic hybrid work will become the norm and that AI will transform job roles, requiring skills such as problem framing and workflow design.

Gallup's Vibhas Ratanjee and Dean Carter discuss the need for regenerative leadership to address workplace fatigue, noting that only 20% of employees feel connected to their workplace culture. They emphasize the importance of human-centered HR practices that focus on employee well-being and personal growth, drawing on Carter's experience at Patagonia, Sears, Kmart and other companies.

Modern life has vastly reduced opportunities for boredom as we fill nearly every idle moment with digital stimulation. Eric Markowitz of Nightview Capital reflects on how a moment of enforced boredom during a long car ride led to a creative breakthrough, suggesting we should embrace boredom as it can spark insight and problem-solving, making it a valuable part of personal and professional productivity.

Matt's take. This one hits me hard. I struggle to sit in silence and often find myself reaching for my phone for no apparent reason. The only time I really let my mind wander is when I'm outside, on a hike, sitting by a lake or pond or soaking up some sun. And much like the author, I find myself doing some of my best thinking in those moments. But it feels like something I -- and probably most of us -- should try to do more.

Kanoe's take. When the Bluetooth on my helmet went wonky during the ride home from Northern California a couple of weeks back, I had to ride for several miles in silence. My ADHD brain rebelled immediately; it wants sound and stimulation constantly. But nature can soothe that fidgety beast. And it did. I opened my visor to feel the wind and watched the sun sink into the ocean. I fixed my Bluetooth when I stopped for gas, but when I got back on the bike, I kept it off. Silence can be golden.