To feel depressed...nothing to do in new job!

[PoisionIvy22]

Today marks 3 weeks since I started my new job. At the moment, everyone is remote but the company are going to be acquiring some new office space as of September and then people can go in on a rota basis.

The first week was slow and was mainly me just getting to know the rest of the team (it's a small company, there's only 10 of us) and getting trained up on the databases etc, all good.

Last week I thought I'd be able to get stuck into doing some work and although I had a couple of busier days, most of the time I really didn't have a lot to do.

This morning I logged on to find zero emails in my inbox and only a couple of small tasks to complete which only took me until 11.30! My work basically gets assigned to me by other people in the company, except I think I'm beginning to realise that actually they don't want to assign me work as they aren't overly busy themselves.

My role is a new role, created purely because people have been moaning about how busy they are to the CEO. Well that's all very well and good but it doesn't seem like they've actually been telling the truth as 3 people over the course of the last week were saying how 'quiet' they were when I spoke to them

On Friday afternoon I had a word with the boss and just said that I like to be busy and am happy to take on additional tasks or if he needed help with anything to just shout etc. He said thanks and he'd have a think about what I could possibly help with as he's snowed under at the moment and yes, could do with a hand.

This morning I was on a call with a couple of my colleagues and they'd obviously been talking about it as they mentioned that he was looking to potentially try and train me up on a couple of things. They seemed quite put out and were obviously not pleased. I'm not sure what they expect me to do though? I keep saying things like 'I'm just doing X,Y & Z at the moment but will be finished that in a couple of hours if anyone has anything they'd like me to do?' No one replies or sends me anything. I'm starting to wonder why on earth I've been hired?

I'm also not sure where I stand with what I can actually do during the day if I don't have any work, despite asking for it. For example the dishwasher needs unloading and a pile of laundry needs putting away, but obviously I don't feel like I can go and do this because I'm meant to be working.

I just keep thinking that although this is tortuous, at least I'm at home and not in an open plan office having to try and look busy, but come September I think everyone is going to be asked to go in a couple of days a week and it really will be awful then if I'm still this quiet.

I know it's early days and I could potentially be worrying about nothing but I really am starting to think that there's just not a lot to do and the people shouting about how busy they are, were never actually that busy and that's why they're so possessive over their work and are reluctant to hand things over. I'm really worried that I'll be made redundant and I really, really need this job I was so excited for a new challenge but now I just feel demoralised and bored, not to mention that I'm not helping the company in anyway by being here.

I don't really know what I expect from this post to be honest, just to vent more than anything. Also, to ask what do other people do if they WFH and have quiet periods?

Hi OP, that does sound really tough. I had similar in my job to begin with, but it did pick up quite quickly. In my case people just needed to trust that I would do things properly / thoroughly. Hopefully yours will pick up too. In the meantime, don't feel bad about doing the occasional bit of housework. Also it might be worth doing some online learning relevant to the role / organisation (Open University Future Learn has some good stuff for free, but there are loads of other providers out there). I hope it works out for you!

Thank you @LincolnshireLassInLondon. Yes, actually that's been my train of thought too, that perhaps they just don't trust me to do things yet. Every single bit of work that I've completed, I've asked for feedback on or have said if something isn't correct, please let me know. Apart from a couple of small errors (and this particular part of my role is subjective so there is room for slight error) I've had good feedback. It's just frustrating because I'm never going to learn or get into the swing of things if I'm never allowed to do anything!

I think sometimes the issue when your actually really busy is that you don’t have time to train someone.

If you know something is time critical and it’s going to take 60 mins to do it but 90 minutes to show you and then you do it - people will just do it.

It’s really not helpful in the long run, but it might not necessarily be that they don’t have work - just not work they can easily pass on. In the office you can volunteer to shadow people to pick things up but it’s more difficult remotely.

It also seems like you maybe don’t have a defined role - you’re just there to help, it might be that everyone else thinks someone else will give you work?

Is there a way you can volunteer to take over specific recurring tasks or areas (difficult to say without knowing the job) then You have ownership of that and tasks will begin to arise out of that?

I think you’re doing what you can - being proactive. I’d keep looking at job ads in case something better came up.

Is there anything you can look at online to familiarise yourself with procedures or any online training? Your boss sounds like needs help but too busy to show you.
I’d keep volunteering and make it known you are happy to help.

Definitely put the laundry and the dishwasher on!
Today I have done one load of laundry, hung it out etc, put away some clean laundry, emptied the dishwasher, cleaned the hob, started sorting out the spare room for when my friend comes to stay (found a dead mouse, ordered mouse traps!!)......just try not to be away from laptop for more than fifteen mins at a time then just say you were in the loo/making tea if anyone calls and you miss it.

I just feel really upset this afternoon. I don't understand what they think it is I'm doing? They must know I've got no work and I can't keep pestering them or I'm worried I'll lose my job.

This sucks I can feel my confidence / self- esteem slipping away by the minute.

Definitely going to have to start doing some stuff around the house, I can't sit here glued to my desk like a lemon all bloody day.

Don’t let it affect your self-esteem op, it seems that you’re being proactive and doing all you can at the minute.

As others have said, look at doing some relevant online training/reading. I’m guessing that, as it’s a small company, there’s no intranet but there presumably is a website you can familiarise yourself with?

Also, I’d have a word with your boss again in a few days - not in a complaining type of way but in a “I’m eager to learn/help/be busy sort of way.

And as a previous poster has said - keep looking for potential new jobs.

Good luck :)

I’m getting flashbacks to a job I once had where I was so bored I decided to clean the fleet cars, inside and out! The role was a project coordinator role but sooo quiet! I reorganised paperwork, relabelled filing trays, tidied cupboards - everything I could think of before resorting to car valeting! Only 3 cars and fortunately the job did get busier!

I guess my main worry is that if everyone in the company WAS exaggerating/ lying about how busy they were and the CEO realises this and realises that, actually I don't have a lot to do, that he'll just make me redundant, hence why I'm loathe to keep mentioning that I have nothing to do!

I'm going to say something once every few days but I think anymore frequently than that and I'm putting myself at quite a risk. I worry that if it does all go belly up, that I've only been here 3 weeks! What on earth would I say to any new, prospective employer?! It really wouldn't look very good on a CV!

My job isn't always busy so I'm laying on the sofa and had a nap, I also do any housework needed and pop out now and then but we are needed as if someone goes sick no money will be made, I have times when I'm really busy but was a killer sitting in the office trying to look busy.

Bit it wouldn’t be your fault if they made you redundant, and you could explain that on your cv.

@Ugzbugz, honestly if I wasn’t 3 weeks in, I’d concede I had nothing to do and nap on the sofa too, but I think it’s different being established in a company/ role and having earnt the trust of your employer and being a newbie.

I think if I could relax in the knowledge that the company were 100% happy with me and that they know there’s lulls in work/ don’t mind if I have quiet periods and what I do in them then I could relax but atm I’m just worried that they’ll have a go at me for not being busy all day/ and/ or make me redundant!

Something very similar happened to me too. The company switched from monthly reporting to quarterly reporting and I had nothing to do for 2.5 months.
Luckily, I was in my 20’s and a mysterious guy took a fancy to me and we started flirting over email.
Sorry op. That was no help to you at all but it took me down memory lane.

I had the same thing with a previous job. I was hired (along with a few others) essentially because an external consultant had said the team needed more resource (thanks a lot!) and probably because the managers in the team had moaned about being sooo busy, as they did when I was there. From day one, I was so bored and was just doing menial tasks with my requests for more work/offers to assist falling on deaf ears. I was also sat next to my moany (and very lazy) boss, who turned out not to be busy at all, just lazy.

After a few weeks/months, I felt empowered to push to work on projects and to be a bit more ‘demanding’, but it still felt like crumbs and I could feel my self esteem (and employability) slipping away. I ended up leaving after about 10 months - not ideal, but had been at my previous job 5 years, so felt that demonstrated that I had the potential for longevity. I just went for interviews and came up with a good rationale for leaving so soon (that wasn’t that I had no work to do and a crap boss!).

Sympathise with your situation and would suggest sticking it out for a few more months if you can (for CV reasons), then once your probation has passed being a bit more pushy about wanting more work, etc. Then start looking for something else if that doesn’t get you anywhere. The right employer won’t mind about you leaving your existing role so soon.

I never moan now about how much work I have on and how busy I am nowadays (after my previous experience), other than the odd discreet moan to a friend. It used to rankle so much when I’d hear the managers in the team constantly moaning about how they had too much work and ‘needed more resource’, when I was sitting there twiddling my thumbs. I’d much rather be busy than not.

I lasted a month in a job like this. It was soul destroying. Felt awful handing in my notice as the team was very sweet and kind but my god I wanted to cry I was so bored

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit_job