I’ve really messed up at work

It’s mad that OP’s managers aren’t just happy they can manage workload across all teams better with some re-jigging. Speaks to a really toxic workplace.

When my new accountant sorted out some automated reports I was thrilled with the time savings. She’s clearly more able than her predecessor so I’ve just loaded her up and freed up some of my time (which in turn my boss has filled.

My suspicion is that she's concerned that you might be making others look bad......

Ah you have upset the apple cart by pointing out you could do more! It shines a light on everyone not doing more! It’s a typical thing.

I worked in a government job when I was 22. We had a team of 8 people. The work each day literally took 20 minutes. The rest of the day we tried to look busy. Even worse, it was flexi time so many stayed late each evening to build up their flexi time for days off! It was soooooo boring! But the government had to justify the jobs so we all pretended and spent all day every day gossiping. Or going to the store cupboard for paper/staples/paper clips etc to chat with the poor guy who had the full time job of managing the stationery cupboard. We also stopped off several times a day to the post room where another guy spent a full time job franking 100 pieces of mail per week…

You are showing them up by being too ambitious!

Also in public sector - my current job isn’t a full time one and in the past it has been done at a higher grade (which also annoys me). I’ve raised this several times with my manager to find me something else to do but no joy so far so I have gone and found myself other things to keep me occupied. I’ve spent way too long sitting doing nothing and volunteering for things that no-one else will when I could be useful elsewhere.

This is not a you problem-they need to find you something to do and if they can’t, look elsewhere.

Doesn't surprise me. I have worked in many positions in my life including the NHS (generally hard working people). When I worked a role for the local town and city council, I have never seen so many bone idle people. The managers were the worst. It was an eye opener. I was the same, I had to try and make an hours stretch 8 hours. I hated the job too as the places were often toxic.

I had a line manager like this once. It was unbearable not having enough work to do and if I’d volunteer for things, she’d overrule me and tell them that her department didn’t have capacity to take anything on. It was utterly bizarre. I think her main worry was that we’d take on too much, fail to deliver it and that would make her look bad. I got out from under her as quickly as possible.

Then spend one day a week doing the job, stay quiet about it and enjoy the rest of your free time

Could be this too 👍

My first instinct when. I read your post was that she might be threatened by you. I could be right. Is she wanting to keep you in a little underachieving box so that you get bored and demoralised, and leave I wonder? Just my thoughts!

Idk why you moaned about being paid to do nothing and made your boss look foolish for hiring you in the first place but no you’re not unreasonable

100% this

I had a job like that in the civil service. They upgraded it from HEO to G7 and managed me out. My replacement went on maternity leave as soon as she took over and they didn’t replace her while she was away.

I've just left a workplace where I had similar frustration, I had skills and experience that once they took me on, I wasn't getting to use. I was ultimately left sitting chained to a desk all week and struggling to keep busy just so I could muck in with answering phones, it drove me mad, I was unfulfilled, I felt dread on a Sunday night at what a long, boring week I had ahead. It was seen as a bloody insult when i asked if I could get involved with more stuff!

I was in that job for 18 months and I always felt unsettled, unhappy and worried for the future because I could not hack the idea of being in that job for the rest of my working life.

People on here criticise that we paint ourselves as somebody to be made redundant by highlighting that we could take on more but if our task allocation is so limited that we have nothing to do most of the time, it does make us vulnerable to redundancy because they aren't stupid, employers can gauge what workload you have a week!

And you can't just sit there in the office writing a novel or running and eBay shop!

Shes fuming because last person in the role made it seem like a full time role? I dont think she would be fuming at you for being a team player and raising your extra capacity, if anything I'm sure you will be praised for your honesty

I do not think you are cut out for the civil service. Get a job in the private sector where they will load you up until you break.

Abso bloody lutely. God forbid someone cuts through the shit🤣

This sounds like someone who doesn’t have a role. Just sort of floats around “multiple departments” picking up scraps here and there.

I love it when a poster starts a thread with a title like I’ve really messed up at work and straight out the gate they are resolute that they have, in fact, done nothing wrong.

A position that only becomes further entrenched with every passing post.

Ok so what did you actually say because you’re being very woolly about that

So naive............

You seem to just float between departments picking up bits and pieces with no definitive role.

It is not normal for an employee to move so frequently between different departments like this I’ve bedded in and worked between multiple different departments in that time.

So why isn’t your manager advocating for you?

I wouldn’t worry about it, you are being paid with tax payer money, your manager won’t really care, not her business, public sector spend money like it going out of fashion which is why we are skint. Ride it out and enjoy the perks of being virtually unsackable.

Your managers are blanking you?