Lack of workload - change of role

joloto69

In March I was employed by a secondary school as a data and exams assistant. I've worked in schools for 15 years and wanted a bit of a step back. At interview the head and business manager welcomed my experience as they had many projects for me to work on. I'm still waiting for those. The Data Manager told me she had no work for me and had told them that ( she only works part time) and the exams officer only needs help at exams time and when then only pre and post an actual exam. They are now saying I can work 16hrs a week in the main office but, as the Office Manager calls it, just covering whistles and bells (phones and the student desk) with no allocated tasks of my own. It turns out the job was put together simply as a contingency in case of illness.  I'm beyond furious and obviously looking for other posts, I've been proactive asking for work but get things like sticking labels on books in the library. 

It's beginning to take a toll on my MH and I feel more stressed than I did when I was a busy PA. Anyone ever been in this position? I

Elliott.T123

Please don't take this as being confrontational but what is it you are actually stressed about? I can understand being bored but I honestly cant get my head around what is stressful about the situation.

Make the most of it, enjoy the down time, sit and read a book at your desk, play solitaire on the computer, learn a new language.

As I said, boredom absolutely and completely but there is no reason to be stressed. 

Charlotte_Ca

I can feel you as I've been in a similar situation before. In the beginning it was busy and didn't have time to do what I had to do and then towards the end of my contract things slowed down a lot. Some days I was finishing the work within 2 hours and then only if an e-mail was to come in, I would have some work to do. I was totally unmotivated and was just spending time on my phone. 

If they don't mind you reading a book or browsing the website, then there is nothing else you can do until you find another job. 

It's not nice on them hiring people and not giving them enough work to do. 

kempiejon

When this happened to me - I changed departments and in the process about 1/3rd of my task were absorbed, outsourced or dumped. For a few months I enjoyed to easy days.
I used to say there are much worse things at work to be than bored.
I get it than some people need to be defined and fulfilled by their job but I was happy to swing the lead on their dime.
Then boredom and lack of achievement does start to wear especially the longer I was in the role and the few bits I could get stuck into became samey. I took time to look at what I could do with my time waiting for the next proactive task to pop up. Self improvement using online learning resources was an absolute treat. I picked up skills I never would have encountered in the workplace, fattened up my CV and filled my hours productively.

I guess @joloto69 you need to be happy with a low work load or find your own activities to fill your time. Meanwhile look for another role.

I guess another option would be to openly do nothing, read a book, wander around the place looking for people to chat to and the bosses might notice you are massively underused and find something better or make the role redundant.

joloto69

Elliott.T123 said:

Please don't take this as being confrontational but what is it you are actually stressed about? I can understand being bored but I honestly cant get my head around what is stressful about the situation.

Make the most of it, enjoy the down time, sit and read a book at your desk, play solitaire on the computer, learn a new language.

As I said, boredom absolutely and completely but there is no reason to be stressed. 

We are all wired differently. I don't understand it when the office say they are stressed when they have had 4 phone calls in an hour and a handful of emails. Being bored is stressful to someone who likes to be busy!

Savvy_Sue

I remember a similar time: two new people were taken on to help with computerisation of vehicle records for a large local authority. Only the person who was supposed to be getting this going was too busy to get it going. Meanwhile I fiddled about, helping out where other people were busy, checking card indices were actually in the right order, even re-filed all the accident reports 'tidily', with the holes punched in EXACTLY the right place, and reading them as I went along. 

We both left within a year, and I learned an important lesson: Never Argue with a Bin Lorry. The Bin Lorry will ALWAYS win.  

For the OP, can you see any projects of your own? Have you made your line manager (the office manager?) aware of your unhappiness? The Head? Maybe there's a Head of Dept or the SENCO who could really use some admin help? Are there tools for timetabling which people might find useful? Otherwise it's back to the job search ... 

joloto69

Savvy_Sue said:

I remember a similar time: two new people were taken on to help with computerisation of vehicle records for a large local authority. Only the person who was supposed to be getting this going was too busy to get it going. Meanwhile I fiddled about, helping out where other people were busy, checking card indices were actually in the right order, even re-filed all the accident reports 'tidily', with the holes punched in EXACTLY the right place, and reading them as I went along. 

We both left within a year, and I learned an important lesson: Never Argue with a Bin Lorry. The Bin Lorry will ALWAYS win.  

For the OP, can you see any projects of your own? Have you made your line manager (the office manager?) aware of your unhappiness? The Head? Maybe there's a Head of Dept or the SENCO who could really use some admin help? Are there tools for timetabling which people might find useful? Otherwise it's back to the job search ... 

I think the phrase I'd use is ostrich head in sand!  My line manager knows I read and just gets on with her work. They are all aware and I think probably realise they shouldn't have advertised it as f time. 

I've offered help in all areas (which is how I got to stick labels on library books!), done work related course and applied for other jobs.  I've even sharpened pencils which is almost as good as exact hole punching! 

Appreciate your input thanks 

LightFlare

joloto69 said:

In March I was employed by a secondary school as a data and exams assistant. I've worked in schools for 15 years and wanted a bit of a step back. At interview the head and business manager welcomed my experience as they had many projects for me to work on. I'm still waiting for those. The Data Manager told me she had no work for me and had told them that ( she only works part time) and the exams officer only needs help at exams time and when then only pre and post an actual exam. They are now saying I can work 16hrs a week in the main office but, as the Office Manager calls it, just covering whistles and bells (phones and the student desk) with no allocated tasks of my own. It turns out the job was put together simply as a contingency in case of illness.  I'm beyond furious and obviously looking for other posts, I've been proactive asking for work but get things like sticking labels on books in the library. 

It's beginning to take a toll on my MH and I feel more stressed than I did when I was a busy PA. Anyone ever been in this position? I

I dont know what the role of data and exams assistant is - but you say you wanted a step back and appear to have got that.

Do you get any type of reviews or appraisals that you could discuss this within ?

joloto69

LightFlare said:

joloto69 said:

In March I was employed by a secondary school as a data and exams assistant. I've worked in schools for 15 years and wanted a bit of a step back. At interview the head and business manager welcomed my experience as they had many projects for me to work on. I'm still waiting for those. The Data Manager told me she had no work for me and had told them that ( she only works part time) and the exams officer only needs help at exams time and when then only pre and post an actual exam. They are now saying I can work 16hrs a week in the main office but, as the Office Manager calls it, just covering whistles and bells (phones and the student desk) with no allocated tasks of my own. It turns out the job was put together simply as a contingency in case of illness.  I'm beyond furious and obviously looking for other posts, I've been proactive asking for work but get things like sticking labels on books in the library. 

It's beginning to take a toll on my MH and I feel more stressed than I did when I was a busy PA. Anyone ever been in this position? I

I dont know what the role of data and exams assistant is - but you say you wanted a step back and appear to have got that.

Do you get any type of reviews or appraisals that you could discuss this within ?

Thanks. I certainly have! I used to have a data and exams assistant in a previous role and outside exams time she was flat-out assisting in data but things were run very differently. I knew I would be less busy but was anticipating more substantive work plus the promised projects to pad it out. I anm yet to have any kind of one to one or probation meeting despite asking. Its the first school I've ever come across this in - usually everyone is super busy!!!

littlegreen

I took a job a few years back that was meant to be step up but was basically a full time role where I needed to put in max 5 hours a week. It also really too affected my mental health, I would cry most days. I tried asking for more but soon gave up and after 6 months found something new. I was able to "wfh" once a fortnight and I would basically do housework. When at work I would basically read and drink a lot of green tea. I also tried to time my lunch so that I got slightly longer so at least I had something to do (go for a walk) I feel you. Honestly just bring in admin from home you can get done

joloto69

littlegreen said:

I took a job a few years back that was meant to be step up but was basically a full time role where I needed to put in max 5 hours a week. It also really too affected my mental health, I would cry most days. I tried asking for more but soon gave up and after 6 months found something new. I was able to "wfh" once a fortnight and I would basically do housework. When at work I would basically read and drink a lot of green tea. I also tried to time my lunch so that I got slightly longer so at least I had something to do (go for a walk) I feel you. Honestly just bring in admin from home you can get done

Thanks it's really soul destroying isn't it! I have registered with some agencies so hopefully that will bring some opportunities 🙏