Not enough work to do

Jox

This might seem like a nice problem to have but I don't have enough work to do in my job and spend most of the day surfing the net!

I have worked for a company for 4 years, it's a small office, just 4 of us.

My previous manager used to have lots of meetings and calls and travel and I used to arrange these for him.

I also used to help his family with their personal matters.

He left in March last year and the present boss doesn't ask me to arrange hardly anything.

I ask constantly for work to do as sitting in the office from 9.30am - 6.30pm without much to do is tedious beyond belief.

I earn good money (I am very happy with my salary and even get a bonus every year - it's not masses of money but I'm happy with it), I get to work at 9.30am which is perfect.

But I'm not happy, I need to be kept occupied and feel like I'm making a contribution.

I've asked HR (based in another country) for their advice and help - I asked 2 weeks ago and was told they would get back to me in a few days, I didn't hear back, emailed again after a week, and was told they would get back to me, still no word.

It's frustrating and embarrassing! I'm biting my nails because there's not much else I can do.

Just a vent really...

agrinnall

If nobody cares what you're doing during working hours then I would be using the time to look for another job that will be more satisfying than the one you have now. Or spend the time doing some sort of training, perhaps you could register for OU courses?

cmw1212

I feel your pain I am in a similar position (it is just one of those jobs which is sometimes busy but mostly quiet ) although I am only temping.

Jox

Thanks agrinnall, I do look for other jobs but I'm not prepared to take a drop in salary and I haven't seen any jobs that are paying what I am earning.

Though having said that, for job satisfaction, it might be worth a sacrifice.

I will look into courses, thanks.

Jox

I used to be very busy and stressed in previous jobs so this is probably what I would have wished for back then, but having nothing to do and having to stay in the office is another sort of stress!

Especially as I have tons I could be doing at home, but the job finances the home!

getmore4less

Look for ways to improve the business, save money, bring in money etc.

What about looking to do work that some of the others or your boss

Any training you could be doing to improve your skills for the business(and yourself)

What do the other 3 do.

Jox

Thanks for the suggestions getmore4less.

Whenever we need to renew insurances like for travel, contents, employers liability etc I negotiate with the companies to reduce the prices.

I shop around for travel, stationery etc - am very money saving for the business!

The other 3 have finance degrees and I am in an admin role.

I am supposed to be supporting them in their roles but they're not consistently giving me things to do, though I do ask them.

I change the toner in the printer and make sure the paper is topped up and bind a few presentations and do the filing, otherwise I could probably work from home and get it all done in an hour!

I will look into training and see if there are any courses that can be done during the day that will get me out of the office and help me to contribute more to the business at the same time.

Takeaway_Addict

You just need to be wary about making it obvious that you don't have enough to do otherwise they may look to make you redundant or shorten your hours to save costs etc.

Take some initiative as mentioned and looking at training etc.

Or could you maybe look at asking for shortened hours and getting a better life work balance?

Its a tough one.

Jox

Hi Takeaway-Addict, yes, it's true, I'm wary of them saying "ta-ta then if you don't have anything to do", but I want to find a better solution for my own happiness and for the sake of the business.

I've been here for 4 years and don't want to just walk away, I have left other jobs in the past when I haven't been happy but what is keeping me here is that the salary is more than what I need.

I will have to have a word with my manager soon, I will perhaps suggest the shorter hours and look up courses to see if they will allow me the time to do these or even fund them if I'm lucky.

My manager has been going to the gym during working hours so perhaps he is not very busy as well... although the 3 guys stay in the office until after 7.30pm most evenings.

I generally leave at 6.30pm so I can spend some time with my husband but the 3 guys don't seem to want to spend much time with their families in the evenings.

I stayed late one evening so that I wouldn't always be the first to leave the office but when they showed no signs of going home at 7.30pm I left...it takes me over an hour to get home and I have the cooking and tidying up to do at home as well! My husband has a hard, physically demanding job so I don't expect him to do too much in the house, my role is sedentary so a bit of tidying up is my exercise.

God knows how I'd cope if I had children, but as I don't have any I'm looking for more fulfillment for the 9 hours I spend at work.

dizzyrascal

Do you have access to Photoshop or InDesign software. You could teach yourself those programs as the net is full of good tutorials and it takes a while to develop real expertise.
What about learning a new skill like marketing or web design, again there are lots of online tutorials to follow which help and develop your knowledge.
You could sign up to Lynda.com and follow lots of tutorials in almost any area. It's not expensive (about £28 per month) and it has limitless resources.
Once you have those skills there might be a way to use them to help the company.

Jox

Thanks dizzyrascal, that's really helpful, I will look into this.

I would like to learn different skills.