Work dilemma

[rachhere]

1 hour ago, TiffToff88 said:

I'm sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm currently having a bit of a dilemma myself at work.

 

I've been in my current job since the start of September, but over the last 2 weeks things have gone very quiet and I've had literally nothing to do. My line manager has given me no work but kept himself very busy. I'm still at the early stages of my time with the company so I'm still learning what's what. But it seems like we're either too busy for anyone to take the time to show me what to do or barely have any work on so they're keeping everyone else busy rather than giving me any of the work.

  

I'm torn on whether to just carry on as things are and be bored out of my mind getting paid to do bugger all (which I feel guilty about taking money for nothing) or risk going above the managers head and speaking to the Directors. The downside to that would be them saying something along the lines of not needing me any more.

 

I was unemployed for 3 months before getting this job after my last company closed their UK office and don't want to be unemployed again as money is already tight and I would definitely end up not being able to keep up mortgage payments and other bills.

  

Whats the best course of action?

That's really tricky... it's hard to know what to advise specifically without knowing what exactly you do and how the office works.

 

If I were in that situation I would think about work that I had done previously and make a point of saying to my line manager 'can I help with XYZ today', or think about something that you know you should be doing long term and ask them specifically to help induct you on that area of work...  It could be if they are that busy they are struggling to manage their own workload let alone think about training someone else... if you come in with suggestions for them it might make it easier.

 

How you do that (via email or in person) I guess depends on the size of the office, where you are situated in relation to one another and how people normally communicate...Email would have the advantage though that you have an audit trail of trying to kick them into action, although I think sometimes these conversations can be a bit more chilled if had whilst making a cup of tea!

 

I definitely wouldn't leave it though as I would worry it could be used against you in the future.  

 

 

[Wolfox]

On 29/11/2018 at 08:56, TiffToff88 said:

I'm sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm currently having a bit of a dilemma myself at work.

 

I've been in my current job since the start of September, but over the last 2 weeks things have gone very quiet and I've had literally nothing to do. My line manager has given me no work but kept himself very busy. I'm still at the early stages of my time with the company so I'm still learning what's what. But it seems like we're either too busy for anyone to take the time to show me what to do or barely have any work on so they're keeping everyone else busy rather than giving me any of the work.

 

I'm torn on whether to just carry on as things are and be bored out of my mind getting paid to do bugger all (which I feel guilty about taking money for nothing) or risk going above the managers head and speaking to the Directors. The downside to that would be them saying something along the lines of not needing me any more.

 

I was unemployed for 3 months before getting this job after my last company closed their UK office and don't want to be unemployed again as money is already tight and I would definitely end up not being able to keep up mortgage payments and other bills.

 

Whats the best course of action?

You spend a long time at work…. Far too long to be bored out of your brains…

 

Look to see what you can take on to support independently of being given work by your line manager…. Go and find ways to keep yourself busy…. If that doesn’t work it’s not a place to to hang around

 

its a real truism…. It’s easier to get a job when you’ve got a job…. Start looking if things don’t pick up as opposed to waiting for something to happen 

Edited 1 December 2018 by Wolfox