Should you embrace menial tasks at work?

Menial tasks at work. Let’s face it, they’re not always fun. Indeed, some see them as tedious and uninspiring ‘grunt work’.

No matter what your age, position or industry, chances are that not 100% of your role is 100% fun 100% of the time. Every job is a mix of smile bits and yawn bits, but that’s life.

How do you handle menial tasks? Do you shy away from them? Complain about them to colleagues? Procrastinate in getting them done? Or do you put a positive hat on and embrace them?

Senior managers typically advise that it’s important to do your job well and that’s all components of your job, not just the ones you favour.

This expert article explores the world of menial tasks—what they are and why and how you should embrace them.

What are menial tasks?

Menial tasks are often repetitive, lower-level work duties. They can (but not always) require minimal skills. Depending on your role, menial tasks can include filing, paperwork, photocopying, administration work, and dealing with inboxes. They can take up a significant portion of your time and take you away from more rewarding and challenging work. You might even think of them as ‘low value’ or beneath you.

Who likes menial tasks?

It may sound surprising, but some personality types embrace menial tasks better than others. For example, detailed personality types find tackling menial tasks easier and more rewarding than personality types who find detail annoying. Regardless of whether you like these types of tasks, it’s essential to stay on top of them, treat them seriously and take pride in completing them well, just as you would any other component of your job.

Why should I embrace menial tasks even if they’re boring?

Although menial tasks can be boring to manage, they’re key to productivity. They’re the oil that keeps the engine running smoothly. All tasks, no matter how small, are important to success. So you need to embrace menial tasks even if they’re boring. Read ‘How to develop a positive attitude at work’.

What are the benefits to me as an employee?

Completing menial tasks well is key, and it has many benefits. Here are some examples:

Showcase attributes—Doing your ‘base job’ well by completing menial tasks, highlights attributes to your employer. These include your ability to be thorough and motivated to support your organisation every step of the way.

Management trust—Managers often trust that employees who handle small things well will handle big ones well. Management understands that embracing menial tasks can build character and discipline. These qualities are essential for success and can help you stand out from your peers.

Increased productivity and time management—Staying on top of menial tasks increases your productivity, efficiency and time management. When your house is in order you can move through larger priorities and more meaningful work with greater ease. Read ‘How to turn unproductive into productive’.

Essential skills—Although they might not inspire us, menial tasks are essential skills. Developing these skills demonstrates your attention to detail, ability to quality assure, patience, and better time management. They also point to your strong work ethic.

Transferrable skills—Mastering menial tasks gives you a bank of transferrable skills. These are more important than ever in the workforce, especially if you want to apply for a lateral transfer, promotion, or career change. Chances are the menial tasks you’re performing will be needed in future roles and enhance your opportunities for advancement.

Mental break—Menial tasks, although repetitive, can give you a mental break from demanding and more stressful work. Switching to simpler tasks can give the mind a much-needed rest. They represent a valuable change of pace.

Appreciation and teamwork—Engaging in menial tasks isn’t beneath you. It’s part of work life and shows your appreciation for all that goes into maintaining daily operations. Willingness to perform any task, regardless of its perceived importance, demonstrates commitment and reliability as a team member. It can also build a more grounded attitude toward those who perform these tasks all day, every day.

Build relationships—Sometimes completing menial tasks is faster if a group of colleagues joins in. An example is collating an information pack your CEO might be distributing to hundreds of people at a conference. Joining in to get the job done can be fun and even introduce you to other colleagues. This can strengthen your bond with your team.

Culture of collaboration and mutual support—Participating in menial group tasks fosters a culture of collaboration, which is enriching. It breaks down hierarchical barriers which can be alienating. Read ‘Respect at work: How do you contribute?’

Opportunities to put forth suggestions—By engaging in menial tasks, you may identify inefficiencies or areas for process improvements. By suggesting these, you could potentially be responsible for innovation in your workplace that benefits the entire organisation. This may, in turn, lead to reward and recognition.

Final tips

• Switch your mindset from negative to positive and embrace menial tasks for their benefit. An improved attitude and initiative will go a long way in supporting you to get these tasks completed. Read ‘Techniques for changing negative to positive’.
• Avoid developing an ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude meaning ‘us’ = staff who deal with more important tasks and ‘them’ = staff who are expected to deal with less important tasks. This will alienate you in the workplace.
• Don’t complain about the tedious parts of your job. Tackle menial tasks with gusto. Do them well and be satisfied with the result. Read ‘Complaining at work: Take steps to manage’
• If menial tasks drive you nuts, be proactive and think of ways that you can manage them differently to relieve some pressure. Depending on the job at hand, it might be—for example—that you can periodically rotate tasks with others or leverage artificial intelligence or automation to eliminate them from your ‘to-do’ list.