Managers are being urged to address "undemanding workloads" after a survey finds that a quarter of office workers are bored, Employee Benefits reports.

Research carried out by the University of Lancashire found that many workers were turning to chocolate and taking coffee breaks as a way to cope, while others admitted to having an alcoholic drink at the end of a dull day.

Half of those polled said they believed boredom led them to make mistakes and the majority of respondents confessed to concentration loss as a result.

More worryingly, half said that continued boredom might prompt them to leave their role and look for more satisfying jobs elsewhere. Hence Dr Sandi Mann, from the university's psychology department, is calling for managers to find ways to stimulate employees.

"Managers should look at ways of reducing sources of workplace boredom and at encouraging healthier ways of coping," she said, cited by Metro.

"Reducing the sources of boredom could involve enrichment programmes such as job rotation, multi-skilling and empowerment. Encouraging healthier ways of coping could include education or providing healthy snacks and drinks in canteens." 

The research also found that some people could be more prone to boredom than others, a test for which could be somehow incorporated into the initial candidate selection process,  Dr Mann suggested.