Strange problem at work....

Zazen999

I have never been in that situation; but I have been a manager so I'll give you my take on it.

You are the only female; so I suspect that the manager just doesn't know how to manage you and doesn't want to put you under undue stress.

I think I might be inclined to take one or some of the following approaches.

a - Hi boss, how do you think my induction into the promotion is going, I feel like I have the lie of the dept now and can take on some more work?

b - Hi boss, is there anything I'm missing here; as I don't seem to be getting as much done as i hoped, could I workshadow X or Y to get a feel for their work loads and learn a bit more about Z.

c - Go through your job description, and draw up a list of what you have done so far, what you want to do next and what you think you might need training for; and put it into an action plan and ask for a meeting to go through it with you.

d - look at what projects the dept has, and get closer to the detail so that you can offer your colleagues a hand [and ask for work shadowing directly in order to assist them]

e - sit tight and bide your time

f - just scream loudly one day '!!!!!! give me some work to do you bunch of ********'

g - see your boss every day and say 'I'm doing this and that; I should be finished by 10 - is there anything I can be getting on with after then?'

meritaten

or you could sit and dream up another way of saying 'I am in procurement'! I wondered at first if you were pimping for the company then realised you were what used to be called a 'buyer'! lol joking hun, just joking!
I used to work in hospitality (barmaid) and some evenings it was just two old men with a couple of pints each all evening!!! believe me, four hours on your feet doing nothing made for a looooooong shift! so i do understand.
some great suggestions above - cant really add to that - but would anyone notice if were to do a course or something like that? to me spare time is to be used to expand my knowledge - If I had access to the internet or a pub quiz book i wouldnt complain about time wasted!

MyRubyRed

I find it odd that you don't have agreed and measured objectives aligned to your job description. Can you post it by the way?

MyRubyRed

meritaten wrote: »

or you could sit and dream up another way of saying 'I am in procurement'! I wondered at first if you were pimping for the company then realised you were what used to be called a 'buyer'! lol joking hun, just joking!
I used to work in hospitality (barmaid) and some evenings it was just two old men with a couple of pints each all evening!!! believe me, four hours on your feet doing nothing made for a looooooong shift! so i do understand.
some great suggestions above - cant really add to that - but would anyone notice if were to do a course or something like that? to me spare time is to be used to expand my knowledge - If I had access to the internet or a pub quiz book i wouldnt complain about time wasted!

I started out in Government Procurement . It involves training and examinations.... a lot of hard work with a good future and a good salary.
Also worked in "hospitality" as a barmaid too (whilst doing the day job) long hours but good fun and loads of time to read quiz books and talk to the two old men in the bar.

OP should have a job dercription and a set of measurable objectives assessed on a regular basis. She/he should discuss with Manager/HR asap....or take up hospitality work

kr15snw

Had a job like this.

Never thought I would get bored of Facebook and MSE, but after 6 hours a day on it in work (my office was out of the way of the others so I got left alone all day) I was so bored it was suicidal!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Start studying, as a precaution against redundancy...

SingleSue

I too had a job like this after returning to work after eldest was born.

My problem was I was taking over the role the bosses late wife did...and she always made the work last all day...I always had it completed within the first 30 minutes of arriving. So that upset the boss straight away and he saw it as some kind of slight on his late wife.

I tried asking for more work but he wouldn't even let me answer a telephone, let alone do more of the 'intelligent man work' (I had been in the business for many years and knew just as much as the men).

I stuck it out for 2 years (as the hours suited the childcare) until they sacked me for becoming pregnant.

euronorris

You mentioned that your Manager is always very busy. Is it possible that he isn't all that good at delegating work? Sometimes people have trouble letting go of certain things, especially work wise!

Tell him what you have planned for the day, then say that after that you will need more work. Offer to take some work off him (I'm sure some of it is above your grade, but not necessarily beyond your capabilities). He will most likely welcome the offer, will see your being proactive and you will then have a chance to show how much more you're capable of.

I also think Zazen's suggestions are great!

euronorris

MyRubyRed wrote: »

I find it odd that you don't have agreed and measured objectives aligned to your job description. Can you post it by the way?

Not sure why you find that odd.

They SHOULD be in place for everyone, but I have come accross many, many companies who still don't bother.

Savvy_Sue

euronorris wrote: »

Not sure why you find that odd.

They SHOULD be in place for everyone, but I have come accross many, many companies who still don't bother.

Mine change so often I'm never quite sure what I'm supposed to be doing, but then I have the opposite problem to the OP these days ...