To want to go home early as no work?

[Polarbearflavour]

New ish job. No IT yet as they are useless. Nothing to do.

I’m just sitting alone in my office playing on my phone. Most other people have already left. AIBU to go home and study for my (work related) qualification?

I am SO bored. Been here over 4 hours just doing nothing. I’ve read any related files and folders that I can find. Should I just sit here until around 4pm doing nothing so that I can say that I was at my desk all day?

Time, effort, I live somewhere with not a great number of decent jobs.

When I had a job like this I deep cleaned the office

Oooooh dear. This is an example of how women in general hold themselves down in the workplace, as if 'the system' didn't do that well enough for them already. Sigh.

I feel awkward as I don’t want to be seen as skiving off early when I’m new to the role

^Doesnt matter you don’t have much to do, I am surprised someone new to the role would even contemplating skiving off.

People are jumping on OP but actually it's incredibly bad form on the part of the employer to not at least ensure IT access and a vague itinerary of training for the first week. And the fact that her shadow person is just allowed to go MIA whenever they fancy.

None of these are Ops fault.

I don't envy you, Polar. I had a job like that once (private sector, incompetent management) and it was soul destroying. Days seem eternal when you don't have anything to do.

If you're really happy like this then crack on, but my mental health is so much better now I go home feeling like I accomplished something.

I'd go back and take a good book.

I had 2 jobs where for one day a week there was sod all to do. I got through loads of great books !

I wish now! Run off feet all day everyday.

I'd take your own laptop in on Monday and a memory stick and ask so done to load it with policies and procedures. It's probably something you're going to have to read up at some point so make the most of us interrupted time. Even make notes on improvements to them. I agree with others though, it's poor form on their side.

if my previous Civil Service is anything to go by this will be another non job ... I have had 5 roles in the CS and they have all, without fail, been bullshit jobs

And then they whine about "the savage cuts"

That's because the wrong things are being cut.

My work is like this but it’s private company with a healthy profit. I’m a team lead so I have to create work for my team to look busy. You could call it initiative or you can call it lack of directions. I put into my apparaisals about the projects I have started my team on. Problem is if the project requires a change of process somewhere else, you can’t actually get it deployed easily. There is only so much internal reorganisation you can do.

So it’s not just a problem with the civil service with lack of direction.

And I agree it’s her line managers fault. I always make sure I’m in the office the first day the person start. Also have all the right forms filled in so they get IT and laptop all set up. It’s part of being a good line manager. Clear directions and work.

I too have a civil service non job. It's soul destroying sitting at my desk trying to think what I can do to while away the next 6 hours. Not what I signed up for and not happy about it. Showing initiative is actively discouraged by managers.

My last job was like this I hated it . Honestly some days nothing to do except online shopping , the day used to drag . I changed jobs to a much more fast pace environment and I love it . I'd definitely raise it with a manager if it's the norm and if it is start searching for a new job .

You'll already be at home but in our workplace we tell the CS to go home when we leave at 1pm.... why on earth no-one has bopped their head in already and said go is beyond me.

I feel your pain with IT but if you are already CS then your login should still work???

Tell them that as there's no IT you would like to work from home?

Work from home doing what if she has no IT....just as laughable at everyone saying email your manager....

In the MOD you need to log into the computers, not log into a website. When she says she has no IT, it is exactly that.

If this has been the case in all the Civil Service jobs you've had, why have you posted twice about this new job in a week. Aren't you used to it by now?

It sounds to me like you're shit stirring.

OP if it's so hard having a boring unproductive job, put your earphones in and listen to this week's Book of the Week and contemplate busting a gut for the minimum wage.
You could do a lot with the time you are being paid to do B all. Read a book. Write a book. Sort your ur photo files on your phone. I don't know, use your imagination, just stop thinking what a bad deal you've got.

Book of the Week - Maid, Episode 1 - @bbcradio4
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00024nn

Hi combatbarbie, someone did eventually say “don’t hang around.” At 2pm. I’ve been told not to go in until later on Monday as they don’t start until much later!

Most people on camp had left by 11:45. The guard laughed when I finally left and he let me out.

Iused2BanOptimist - I posted an earlier post about novel writing. I already have one published novel. I am working on the second. But ideally I would like to go to work to actually do work. I’m quite lazy but if I had tasks to do I would do them! But I’ve had no guidance and no IT so...

My old account is apparently being migrated over. Why it takes several weeks to do this I have no idea. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Somebody else posted I was “shit stirring.” 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m sure many civil servants have busy, stretching jobs. I’ve not found that to be the case. That’s my experience so no part of that is stirring. I’ve merely posted on here to gather opinions about my situation.

I used to work as a legal secretary. Most of the jobs I had were very hectic and I really enjoyed them. One of my last jobs, though, was a bit like yours at times, I was regularly searching around for jobs to do. I hated it and it led to me quitting. I agree with PPs that it's actually quite tiring not having enough to do, as the time goes really slowly. I like busy days when the time goes really quickly.

I have a good friend who still works there and apparently it's mad busy now. I obviously joined at the wrong time.

I can absolutely concur on the non-jobs being rampant throughout the Civil Service, usually due to sad little men deciding they need people under them (the endemic sexism is another story). I think most of the posts I had could have remained unfilled without any real detriment. It's shit, and utterly demoralising. Such a waste of skills - I think the gutting of HR is a factor here. You do get 'trapped' - particularly in areas without much else job opportunity-wise, if you need the flexibility, etc.

I had been thinking about going back, but no,I just can't face it.

In the civil service it's often quite different being in an operational role and a non operational one. So if you're working in policy, for example, you're are often being reactive, responding to your minister or other ministers bringing up stuff. Things go quiet on your policy areas, and you can't always jump into someone else's work when that happens. But if you're out there delivering the work of the department (collecting tax, administering benefits), you're likely absolutely slammed.

Most of the time at my job i don't know which way is up its so manically busy. I have my own jobs to do then im expected to assist others. drop everything and do stuff they cant do i earn barely above minimum wage.

If we aren't busy we are expected to find something to do. That might be admin tasks (yawn) or deep cleaning the place.

On rare occasions we get to sit on our backsides for half an hour or so.

I am intrinsically bone idle lazy though and would be like the OP.

Op do you reckon you should be looking for a change of career?