Strange problem at work....

euronorris

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

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 ...

Oh, don't get me started!

One of mine, at the request of my Manager, was to show more confidence in myself and my abilities, to make more decision, ie., not get my emails checked all the time as it's not needed. Well, guess what, now I'm always being asked why I didn't get this or that email checked!! Arghhh!!!

I wouldn't mind if I had messed up or something, but I haven't. It's just a difference of opinion of how the email is worded. And, I deal with my client every day, my Manager doesn't, so she's not in the best position to judge how an email to them should be written. I write them in a way to get the best and fastest possible response from them.

katieclampet

I can sympathise with op. I am at work today, nothing to do, so I am trying to fill time in. I have done filing, wiped and dusted, sorted out stationary, done my shopping list, and am now on mse, I will be going home in another hour and a half. Luckily it is not usually like that, otherwise it would be very long days.

I think some advice, re studying sounds good. How about an online or OU course?

katiex

missgiggles2008

Hi all, sorry was away from the computer for a day or so. Just a few extra details in reply to your comments and by the way thank you so much!
Firstly I work for a massive company which to put it bluntly, there is very very little chance of redundancy - if there are they you just get moved around rather than lose your job. I am studying CIPS at the moment and have day release which is a god send, but the lectures are every other week. I can use the internet but because the security is very tight due to the nature of the company i work for I can only look at it in my lunch hour.
Currently I go into work, first make a list of things to do for that day, including a spreadsheet of accounts so I know every day exactly how much I have in my bank/savings. My boyfriend also sends me his uni work so i can check for spelling etc before he hands in, as he is dyslexic. My work consists of as and when i have an email with a problem generally so always have my inbox on screen! Other than that I read this page at lunch and keep up to date with news etc.
My line of approach is pretty much bide my time, I have a meeting tomorrow morning with my team of 4 titled "reattribuition within the department" so fingers crossed!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and insights!

kittendothroar

I used to do a well paid admin job, that once I had sorted things out to my liking and standards, became very boring! I ended up food blogging to help pass the time and mainly emailing one of my girlfriends all day! There are only so many times a day unfortunately you can dettol the desk/ filing cabinet/ door handles or re-file the cabinets/ tidy the cupboards.

Then last April I got made redundant without warning and now work my !!! off doing shifts for the NHS on a lot less money, wishing I could do nothing all day! We are never content with what we have

richardvc

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

The last thing you want is for people higher up the management chain or in HR to know that you're underemployed

Good point !

ailuro2

missgiggles2008 wrote: »

.

My boyfriend also sends me his uni work so i can check for spelling etc

I have a meeting tomorrow morning with my team of 4 titled "reattribuition within the department" so fingers crossed!

you could spend a bit of time checking your own typing / spelling.:rotfl:

I'd read up company manuals, methods of work, anything left lying around that refers to how the job is done.

Go visit your boss and ask if he needs a hand with anything as you got your work finished a bit earlier than expected and have time to help out....

if he says you can't do XXX you might have read the method for it and be able to say you can give it a try.

From their point of view maybe they just don't know how to ask you to do the more menial things for them as they don't want you to feel insulted.

Ellie2758

I had a job like this when I was in the civil service. I ended up doing A levels by correspondence course, during work time. It isnt ideal though. The best thing is to look around for another job I guess.

Good luck!

Chinkle

Ok, so if you are sure that you aren't putting your head above the parapet for redundancy, read on ....

Firstly, are you sure your department colleagues are busy? Could they be slackers who are happy to pass the day pretending to be busy? If you start highlighting how slow things are it might get their backs up.

If they are genuinely busy you need to find out why they aren't willing to delegate. Is there a valid reason for this ie you can't touch this work until you have completed your training?

If you aren't getting anywhere with your department/line manager speak to HR. Maybe you can take on something else within the company that will earn you brownie points in the long run - set up/join a social committee, write articles for internal communications journals/intranet - or if this doesn't exist ask about setting something up. This will help get you networking with colleagues in other departments too.

SandC

My thoughts were as chinkles - are your colleagues really all that busy? It's not necessarily that they aren't busy, but if you are an efficient person then it can really seem like others have a vast workload when actually it's not all that different, just it takes them an age to do.

I've got a new job before now where the previous holder was 'let go' after just six weeks in cos they couldn't cope with the workload. Yet the lady before her and me both managed it okay. Then there was the next one where I was promoted and the lady who got my job immediately had a load of stuff taken off her duties.

But anyway, doesn't help in the day to day but hopefully you can muscle into your bosses workload a bit (many managers have problems delegating and some are worried that their staff don't show them up!).

missgiggles2008

Hi all, just had an update, the meeting went ahead as planned, and I am moving to another team, and my manager said "you will be working with .... because she has more work that you can get involved with more" - needless to say i am over the moon! Thank you for all your comments and thoughts, hopefully the move will be a positive one.

Thank you all