...to not come into work tomorrow?

[WizzyBee]

I work part time Tues - Thurs in a technical design job. I have little control of my work load and at the moment have nothing to do. Last Thursday I sent an email to line manager and various other managers asking for some work for this week as I had eeked out some work and had not been told what I was working on next. Got to work this morning and there were no responses to my email. I've asked around a few other people for work but no one has anything for me to do.

This is far from the first time I have sat at my desk browsing the internet and watching the clock and I am fucking sick of it.

I've spoken to my line manager about it before but nothing has changed.

Shall I email the managers again and say I'm not going to come in until they have something for me to do?

Presumably you won't expect to be paid if you don't go in?

If it’s just the nature of your job then I think you have to suck it up. Is there anything you can find to do that would be interesting or useful?

You could obviously ask to take holiday but you can’t take time off and still expect to be paid.

Why should I take leave, paid or unpaid if the company can't find me work to do?

I see your point - they’re paying you to sit there and do nothing, they may as well pay you to sit at home and do nothing but it’s not quite how it works. Have you looked around for another job? Can you go for a promotion?

The managers here don't seem to care that I am being paid to do nothing.

It is seriously driving me nuts. I am bored, wondering if I am not being given work because I'm crap at my job and I hate coming into work.

One positive is that I have applied for another job today.

I think if you highlight to your superiors how little you have to do, you may soon find yourself at home on a more permanent basis!!

There are apprentices, technicians, Engineers (me!) and senior engineers all doing the same kind of work. There is no point trying for promotion. I would need to get chartered but don't have relevant experience and frankly can't be arsed. Its only another 10 years till I can retire.

What @crunchymum said. Do you want to talk yourself out of paid employment?!

I think if you highlight to your superiors how little you have to do, you may soon find yourself at home on a more permanent basis!!

That would be an interesting case for dismissal. They are desperately trying to recruit engineers for this office but would sack me because they haven't got enough work?

Don't push too hard for them to find a solution as the obvious one seems to be making you redundant.

Can you undertake a little self-run project to showcase all the various elements of your skills?

Doesn't need to mean anything or be functional (as whatever is applicable to your job), just pure "look how good I am at X, Y and Z techniques"

Well does everyone else have enough work? And why do they but you don't?

Why would they be recruiting when there is no work?

I can see how this must be soul destroying but if you're serious about not going in and telling them why then I wouldn't be at all surprised if they soon started redundancy proceedings.... you'll have saved them a job by demonstrating the business case for your own job being surplus to requirements.
Personally I'd keep asking for the next project or piece of work and keep an eye on applying for other roles!

Can you ask to work at home?

Unless you have a wfh agreement, if you’re not in work and work appears for you then you can’t do it. If you’re at home you’re unavailable for work so would need to take some sort of leave.

Are you looking for a new job? Can you just sit at your desk job hunting?

They are desperately trying to recruit engineers for this office but would sack me because they haven't got enough work?

Are you an engineer?

Can you do the work they are recruiting people to do?

Of course you should go in.

Maybe it says something about you that you can't take some initiative without direction?

Yes I can do the work that is going on in the office and that they are recruiting for. Its just that there are no projects available at the moment. There is something in the pipeline but I have to wait till it has been approved. Until then I jsut get told, sorry, there is nothing to do.

It is a highway design consultancy. I can't just conjure up jobs to do on my own initiative..

Anyway. Home time in 8 minutes.

Hmmmm.

Help a colleague?
Design some training for juniors?
Do some mandatory training?
Offer to do some staff rotas?
Redesign a notice board or information display?
Offer to write some information leaflets for clients or public.
Organise a social

I could go on.

That would be an interesting case for dismissal.

What you described was more akin to redundancy.

Would they even notice if you didn't show up? Do you share an office? Could you go in in the morning, leave a jacket on your chair and then head off out? It is soul destroying. Been there. As I had my own office I just brought magazines and chilled for the day - pre internet access.

Use the time to either study for a new qualification, or to update your CV and search a new job.

You are paid to do anything you like in the office, you should make the most of it.

I'd check with them they were ok with me using the time to study and learn something new, then get stuck into an online course of some description.

That would be an interesting case for dismissal.

It's pretty standard redundancy if the work isn't there.

I'd check with them they were ok with me using the time to study and learn something new, then get stuck into an online course of some description.

Agree with this. Also use the time to do any life admin you need. I do get why it's frustrating but lots of people who are under huge pressure and run ragged in their jobs would swap with you in a heartbeat.