Demoralised and demotivated at work...HELP!

Plans_all_plans

Hi all

Well it's as the title says really: I'm bored stiff 95% of the time as there's not enough work for me to fill my (part time) hours with. I'd like to know how to approach this with my manager please.

I'm due to go on maternity leave next year so I don't want to say anything if it means my hours can be cut by my employer (they don't know I'm pregnant yet). If they can't cut my hours (I have a contract) then how should I approach this? Has anyone else broached this subject at work?

Thanks.

dmliverpool

Hmm the added issue is your maternity leave. If you tell your manager that you are not busy then he/she will 100% find you something to do, usually something that you won't like to do or to help the business further. It depends, I normally say they is no point in being in a job you don't like but the recession (That we are in now!) has taken away the choice of being as choosy with work.

They can change your contract with three months notice, like this or not.

Count yourself very lucky, and just relax for a year, get all the benefits that come with the new bambino and then move on to a better more well paid job. I.e. play the system and get paid and have that quality time with you new born lol, I would lol.

P.s many employers may not touch a woman with child, as you'll be off in a few months.

ohreally

Say nothing, now is not the time to raise this.

SevenOfNine

Be careful. I identified the need for more work (also P/T) and got some of the BORING stuff others didn't want to do & wished I'd kept my gob shut. Eventually my post was cut and I was made redundant!

Obviously the whole thing was more complex than I've put here, & to be honest I made a decision not to be bothered about being made redundant. However, unless you feel the same I'd keep quiet until AFTER your mat leave.

magenta22

Well I am pretty much in the same position as you.

I had that very chat with my LM yesterday and said how I don't have enough work to do, she didn't know what to suggest because as she said, they are giving me all the work they can and I am getting it done. They are asking other people in the department if they have anything that I can do for them and they don't.

It then brought up about what the person I am covering for did all day and how when I suggested that perhaps people are giving work to someone else rather than to me - they said that they don't think that they are busy either and are monitoring that too! Opened a can of worms I think. (but when they spend most of their time standing around chatting, on personal phone calls, waltz into work 10-15 minutes late most days and take up to 2 hours for lunch!)

So I would normally say that you need to bring it up with your boss cause there is no point being bored, but as you are pregnant I would suggest keeping quiet. Maybe if your colleagues say that they are 'overworked' (as woman I mentioned above always says!) you could ask if there is anything you can help them with. Just think to yourself as you are pregnant, you will soon be on maternity leave