To have pretty much automated 90% of my job and pretend I'm very busy?

That was years ago but there was a group of us doing similar tasks, quite repetitive.
Automated it as much as I could. Did 5x as much as the others.

I got told I wasn’t doing my job well 😳😳😳

I like this idea 👆

You smashed it!! Congratulations! I think you should request a work from home and start a side hustle and make a retirement fund. Also say that you need and assistant and hire me to chill out too please. Seriously, you should do some courses and follow your life’s dreams.

Can you come and work for me please

in my career there hasn’t been anything more demoralising than the brief periods times that i’ve not been busy. That hasn’t happened in years, and now i’ve got work coming out of my ears, but I prefer it that way. So i’d have to ask for other work

If you fancy moving elsewhere at some point in the future might be worthwhile investigating stuff like Fabric, Data Factory (there's a Fabric version of that which I keep meaning to look at, but it probably needs a bit more time to bed in) etc, basically keep on top of all the new stuff Microsoft are bringing out in that area. Logic apps is also good, but depends on budget as automations created using that cost per use, which power automate doesn't. Might make work a bit more interesting?

O.P, life is short and a rollercoaster. Enjoy this set up is what I say. Do your life admin, online food shop, planning of weekends etc, whatever takes your fancy and so you can enjoy evenings and weekends with your daughter. The only thing I personally would worry about (but I am a worrier!) is if they ever found out etc...

Check your contract if you are doing outside work or training during your work hours? Doesn't sound like something you ought to be allowed to do and if you get caught it could all come crashing down on you........

With a small daughter don’t confess! Use the time to up skill or network for another better job.

Keep the job!

I would however have to plan to stave off mind rot. Make a daily shedule to nurnm through your time.

Eg.
9-10 actual work, check emails, do ad hoc tasks for the office.
10-11 training
11-12.30 - break to watch you tube/ film/read mumsnet
12:30-1:30 lunch
1:30 - 2:00 work work
2:00 - 3:00 write book
3:00 - 4:00 - side hussle
4:00-5:00 house hold admin

Also, yessss to working from home as much as you can.

If you leave, you will need to deactivate most of your automation so they dont realise and also so they need to get you back for substantially more money as a consulting fee....

I'm jealous. Definitely ask for condensed hours and WFH. I'd do some courses, more exercise, and gardening. Maybe set up some passive income sources - some kind of templates or fan merch sold through Etsy, RedBubble etc.

Yanbu.

They paid the predecessor £x for the output, they are paying you the same £x for the same output. Thay you can do it in less time is irrelevant imo. They still get what they are paying for.

I had a similar task handed down "this takes me two shifts" very very manual. I was able to extract some reports, feed it into a table and it would spit out the same info. Took about 20mins.

Did I tell anyone? Obviously not

you would be insaine to confess!!!

request home working 2-3 days a week and use this time to further upskill/ retrain/consult - whatever!
also watch a ton of netflix

enjoy the fact you have literally made your life easier!!

Just get a second remote it job and earn twice as much

I’ve been in a very similar job. This is what the job is. You’re paid for your expertise and you’ve used it. You still need to be there in case something goes wrong or in case something needs to be changed or upgraded. I stayed because it paid well and fitted in with the rest of my life but I did try and learn new skills, did lots of training, documented everything for my successors and future proofed as much as possible.

If you are in a school the done thing is to ask the Head if you can take on a second job. Just in case you are thinking of going down that route...

Seems like a no brainer to me! You're on a cushy number there OP.

You beat the system! Stay until you retire as far as I'm concerned. They pay you to do a job which you've already excelled at and due to your skills you can just chill most of the time. Who cares how much time it takes? Just plan your exit if you ever have to train anyone to take over because then you might get rumbled!

Can you get a second job and keep them both running at the same time?

I'd bring in another laptop from home and start running a side business from my desk!
I knew of an IT man who had so little to do he started up a private chauffeur/car hire business and controlled it from his desk at Shell Oil HQ!

God no, sounds ideal op! Keep schtum, especially whilst your child is young!

You've asked for more work so it's not like you're taking the piss.

Try and wfh and then you can do more interesting things with your time! 😁

Definitely don't leave!

maybe ask for two days a week at home as you say.

You do need to be a little bit careful. I automated a process in one place and one person wad disappointed - I think they were pretending they took all day to do that particular task. I didn't single them out, just said in a meeting that everybody could be more efficient if they did this task differently. Some were delighted - but one person very much wasn't.

Brilliant job on automating workflow and you could certainly get consultancy work just advising on that. May I ask - have you done this all using one program please?

Keep offering up your time for other tasks and don’t do something that could get you fired (such as a second job during the same hours) and enjoy an stress-free job!

OP you are brilliant 😁
I have to know what Phil's reaction was like?

There was someone on here last year doing three jobs and she was still part time.