What to do with Idle Workers

[Ataxerxes]

Nobody else worldbuilders in bears and stages gladiatorial games?

Animals won't enter your borders. By the time my workers are idle there isn't much open space left for them to spawn.

 

[Farm Boy]

Nobody else worldbuilders in bears and stages gladiatorial games?

Only wolves, and only if the roommate gets up from the computer while sending out an unescorted settler.

 

[Greybriar]

When I have done all I can with my workers, I divide them up between my cities. They sleep there until they are needed, usually when it's time to build railroads or rebuild something that has been destroyed.

 

[vincentz]

Gift them to your enemies.. eh I mean friendly neighbourgs. They can then prepare the land you are about to conquer... eh I mean liberate

 

[Ataxerxes]

When I have done all I can with my workers, I divide them up between my cities. They sleep there until they are needed, usually when it's time to build railroads or rebuild something that has been destroyed.

I sometimes forget the most basic things. I often set the workers to "Build Trade Network" and they automatically sleep in one or two cities. Then as soon as something pops up, the rush to it. Then as soon as rails are available they all go to work.

This has a danger, however. They will also run to an enemy stack that has destroyed a tile improvement.

 

[Michael Williams]

Some more esoteric suggestions:

Idle workers could act as...

Spies, by running around with Open Borders.
Scouts, by moving through the fog of war. Don't do this if there are Wolves or Panthers running around.
Lookouts, by sleeping on a hill where it has great visibility (you need this to be safe).
Good Will Ambassadors, by helping your allies with repairs.
Lumberjacks, by chopping down far-away forests and jungles.
Prospecting, by building mines everywhere.. (you have a small chance of discovering rare elements.)

Or, you could build a road in every tile!

Just be careful with your unit costs and unit supply.

 

[nebux]

Prospecting, by building mines everywhere.. (you have a small chance of discovering rare elements.)

only if you work said mines, they don't discover when building the mine

 

[Louis the XIV]

My recommendation is downloading the Snoe Man mod which allows workers to build Snowmans. They are consumed in the process.

 

[Louis the XIV]

I meant snow man not snoe man.
Sorry I'm on phone and it doesn't let me edit