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Original poster

Pointless office jobs

287 replies

Probablygreen · 10/11/2026 17:51

I returned to work today after a couple of weeks off, and I know it takes a few days to get back into the swing of things, but I’ve just thought, all day, that this is a completely pointless existence and I don’t know how I’m going to do it for the next 30 years.

I work in an office based role, and as part of the senior leadership team, earn around £80k per year. The role is not necessary. Without me, nobody would die, the world would carry on as it always has, even the organisation itself would be perfectly fine! I attend meetings where we talk about whether we should or shouldn’t do something. Nobody cares! Just do it or don’t, it makes no difference either way. I feel like I’m not the only one - 99% of office roles fit into this category.

But I’m stuck. I’d love to do something more meaningful, but I need the money. My husband is a carer for our son, and there are no jobs that I can think of that would scratch the itch for the same salary… so do I just suck it up for 30 years? It all seems so ridiculous, how did we as a civilisation end up here?

I’m not depressed or anything, I’m perfectly happy when I’m not at work, but does anyone else feel like this?

OP posts:
11thday · 12/11/2026 20:22

You clearly aren’t slt

BeLemonMoose · 12/11/2026 21:39

Intelligence is not correlated with pay. There are plenty of senior managers who are not at all bright.

Smokeywater · 13/11/2026 07:33

I think once AI is in use that a lot of the skiving will come to light - DS is in the Met and Palantir dug out lots of people taking more than annual leave entitlement/ fiddling annual leave entitlement etc - but if you are in Scotland you will probably keep your pay - apparently we spend £27 millions on unemployed but paid civil servants. And now they are going to pay huge payouts to get them to leave their jobs. Couldn't make it up.

SplishSplash123 · 13/11/2026 11:43

TheAngryPuxie · 11/11/2026 17:51

I woild love a job like thst with that salary. I am a teacher snd exhausted all the time and envy the people sitting in offices all day rather than dealing with rude, abusive teenagers all day for less than half the salary. Think yourself lucky.

Plenty of teachers make a move to public sector office-based roles, why not make the move!

MunchieScrunchie1 · 13/11/2026 20:52

PuppyMonkey · 11/11/2026 18:39

I find these threads fascinating. How are there companies and organisations out there still paying people like OP lots of money to do bugger all? Why did they recruit someone to do a job that doesn’t need doing? Why is nobody noticing that someone is being paid to do nothing all day? I’m a bit jealous of you yes OP. But mostly baffled that money goes to something that’s not needed. I wouldn’t feel very secure if I were you OP, surely someone will eventually notice and make you redundant.

In the meantime, you could use your time to make nice lists of things you can spend your £80,000 on. Or just go on MN all day.

It has to be a public sector middle management position. Even though OP has said it's private sector to hide the fact. Pen pusher.

dayslikethese1 · Yesterday 00:55

I think you should probably save while you can and keep your costs low OP, I suspect all these type jobs won't be around for long.

CoffeeAndCats3 · Yesterday 01:13

Well if your job is as useless as you say, odds are the organisation will cotton on at some point and you'll get made redundant. Particularly at that salary level. I know so many friends/family who have been laid off recently form white collar jobs.

I'd be banking as much cash as I could until the inevitable happens.

dracn · Yesterday 01:48

I think this is quite common, and it’s frustrating as often these jobs are extremely well paid, and those who study and work hard for certain promotions and qualifications don’t get these salaries as easily.

It’s prominent at my place and you can always tell who these people are as they throw themselves into the nonsense that’s all over the intranet. Usually they head up the Pride Network, or spend all their time yapping on about the menopause or hidden disabilities. They also are the ones who “like” all the posts by senior leaders.

We also have people who seem to do nothing. There’s a man who walks around with an iPad all day, taking pictures of communal areas for some reason. There’s are people who walk around putting stickers and posters up. There’s a woman who wanders around aimlessly. They all work for the office’s maintenance company but there are still never any teaspoons and overflowing bins.

Then there’s HR who seem to spend every other day celebrating a birthday/retirement/wedding/birth/pregnancy/engagement etc.

Perimenoanti · Yesterday 10:29

dracn · Yesterday 01:48

I think this is quite common, and it’s frustrating as often these jobs are extremely well paid, and those who study and work hard for certain promotions and qualifications don’t get these salaries as easily.

It’s prominent at my place and you can always tell who these people are as they throw themselves into the nonsense that’s all over the intranet. Usually they head up the Pride Network, or spend all their time yapping on about the menopause or hidden disabilities. They also are the ones who “like” all the posts by senior leaders.

We also have people who seem to do nothing. There’s a man who walks around with an iPad all day, taking pictures of communal areas for some reason. There’s are people who walk around putting stickers and posters up. There’s a woman who wanders around aimlessly. They all work for the office’s maintenance company but there are still never any teaspoons and overflowing bins.

Then there’s HR who seem to spend every other day celebrating a birthday/retirement/wedding/birth/pregnancy/engagement etc.

Lol this is hilarious. Its literally the same in my company. I always wonder how they find the time for the women's network and such nonsense. The ones who write long LinkedIn posts about some silly insight they had. Some strange new initiative so they can get budget for a free breakfast, or invite some motivation guru to give a talk about what not.

TRIEDEVERYOTHER · Yesterday 20:51

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Iheartsouthpark · Yesterday 20:56

My part time job is like this.

I work 3 hours a day.

I do fuck all in reality. I basically forward emails that could just be sent directly. I honestly don’t know why the fuck I am there.

I keep my mouth shut though, I sit in an office alone and I think eveyone has forgotten me or my job exists still. I keep my head down as the hours are great, and while it’s not well paid, I need the money.

I just read it pootle about on the Internet 😳

ETA - I was really sick last year. I forgot to call in. I didn’t go in for three days and no one noticed. No one called. I just went back when I was better and carried on. No one said a word.

Doomscroller3 · Today 12:51

Anthropologist David Graeber came to the same conclusion and after an essay on it went viral he wrote the book 'Bullshit Jobs'. Very illuminating and highly readable! https://davidgraeber.org/books/bullshit-jobs

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