I've stumbled into a 'unicorn' job - now help me make sense of it!

[Whataweirdsituation]

Hi all,

NC for this one! Bit of a scrambled thought process here so bear with me!

Also to get it out of the way, yes, this definitely includes a bit of a #stealthbrag - though not sure it counts if it is disclosed?

I'm a single mum to a primary aged DS. For the first few years of his life, I was working a really intense upper-management role in logisitics. Crazy hours, never really 'switched off', was constantly thinking about work whilst at work but also at home/weekends/annual leave. I was exhausted and very burnt out!

I angled for, and got, a Senior Manager level office job in a totally different industry around 4 months ago. 4 days a week in office, 1 day WFH. Great company to work for, 9-5 with no expectation to pick up anything out of hours, really supportive management who actively promotes taking time out for school events/WFH during school holidays/leaving early if having a rough day - all of which is totally unknown to me! Good pay, AMAZING perks, genuinely nice people....

My 'problem' is this. I like my role and what I'm doing (think a people/HR related role) - however my actual role takes approximately 5% of my work day. Part of this is down to the fact I work very efficiently and I have a large knowledge pool to draw from, but part of it must be down to the fact there's just not enough work. I have brought this up several times with my manager, who says she'll pass things along as they come up. I've been put on several other global projects not strictly in my remit and LOVE it, however those also do not take up a huge chunk of my time and my manager is reluctant to let me take on more than a few at a time as they are not within my scope. At first I put loads of time into planning for the future/creating detailed spreadsheets of improvements that could be made etc. Turns out that creates even less work for me now ;) According to my manager its been 'a hectic time to start' and will 'slow down soon' - so I don't think we're waiting on a load of extra work or a busy period, but more the opposite.

Part of the issue comes with the fact my predeccesor really struggled with the role and seemed to be busy all the time (??) - now I've come in and implemented a lot of improvements (tbh, very easy wins that look good as numbers) it seems to everyone I am just incredibly good at the job - I've been rated 'exceeding expectations' on my reviews so far. I will also point out I am very efficient at responding to all queries, go above and beyond to help where I can (obviously because I have the time and WANT to be busy!) and this has also been flagged as a positive to my boss multiple times. I don't think there is anything else I can do to increase my workload.

There's not really scope to progress here - I like the work I have to do and don't want to go for a different role at this company. That being said, I also don't want to leave - at least not for a couple of years - because I do genuinely appriciate the great work/life balance I have, and because they will support me complete a postgrad qualification which will help me reach the next stage of my career.

So I'm left trying to fill my days in the office 😂As you can imagine, I am very up to date with life admin, podcasts, my fave Netflix shows and every thread ever posted on Mumsnet. I've also joined a gym near the office, and run all my errands during the day. I've signed up to complete my CIPD L7 (Masters degree level) from September, which the company will pay for and support me with time to study, however this is a suggested 15h a week which will help but still not completely fill up my days.

I'm considering adding in a side hustle - not sure what it would be - something using my HR or events management experience. I've checked my contract and this is allowed (into commute times or the evenings, not techinally during work hours obviously. Though other members of my team openly talk about their additional jobs consulting etc). The money isn't strictly speaking necessary but would be nice, especially as bar cost of living increases, my salary will not go up for a few years.

I feel like I've spent so long starved for time, and now suddenly I have LOADS. Too much, because I'm not sure its great for my mental health to have so much time spent doing nothing.

So my AIBU is this:

YABU - enjoy the little work you have to do, don't add in anything else. (+ for suggestions of how to create more work for myself or who else to talk to)

YANBU - definitely try and fill your days with more, here are some suggestions of what I would do with this extra time!

YABU Enjoy it! Dh moved from senior leadership in a secondary school to a fairly high level admin job in a university and he had a similar issue. He could not believe how little there was for him (and apparently pretty much everyone else) to do. His role has grown a bit now, but he's still a bit bored. I'm still in teaching and very jealous! I don't get bored easily .

Exactly.

Are there any special interest groups you could help set up? Parenting? Carers? Women?
could you do a survey of all the junior staff on satisfaction? Weekly wellbeing check ins?
get a mental health first aider cohort off the ground?

conduct a baseline pay review for everyone and bring people’s salaries in line?

Your talents wasted here. What about having a go at running the NHS.

We have a health and well-being thing at work. Lots of webinars etc.

Worth setting up?

This is my experience. Of three decades of office work, I have only once had a job that fills my time. The rest of the time I am usually well under occupied. My current job, I probably typically work 5 to ten percent of my time.

I strongly suspect that the reason home working has been embraced is because an awful lot of staff don’t have enough work, and like getting on with their own things at home rather than being bored in the office, with nothing to do.

I’d actually like to go into the office, but I never do as I don’t have enough to do to fill my time.

It sounds idyllic. Personally I'd enjoy having time to really go deep on the Masters in September. Doing lots of reading, really digesting and integrating the new knowledge. Until then I'd just carry on as you are just in case the end of the busy time for others does mean more work for you. I'd also start writing the book I have had in the back of my mind for too long.

There is a saying in the trades that goes along the lines of

'Paying for the years not the minutes'

Essentially it means that you aren't paying the tradesperson lots of money for 10 minutes work you are paying them lots of money for the years of training and experience that means they can do that job well in only 10 minutes.

It's the same with you, try not to view it as an hourly wage for doing very little but your yearly salary as the annual price your employer is prepared to bring your experience and knowledge into their available resources to get shit done properly and efficiently.

I actually agree with this. If the job doesn’t pick up look at getting out quickly before you become deskilled. You need to be doing work you can sell at interview.

As for people saying, ‘do reading! Do training!’ What’s the point if you never have the work to apply it to? It’s on the job experience that employers are really looking for, it’s real life examples you need in interviews. That’s why under occupation is actually a curse.

I was in teaching for a long time and in my experience jobs are either ridiculously busy so you panic about doing the work or there's not enough to do.

I did quite a few not enough to do jobs in my early twenties and got bored so went into teaching,

It is likely that as you get known more work will come your way from more senior people; in the meantime personally I'd aim to try for wfh one day a week.

Slightly different take on it and I may be wrong but it doesn't sound like you learnt all that much from reaching burn out.

Here you are again seeking additional work, projects, workload, filing every inch of spare time etc.

Management are happy and all reviews are positive.

What are you actually doing this for? Are you trying to prove how capable you are etc? Does your brain need constant stimulation etc?

It's as important to learn to be relaxed and fulfilled without stress, chaos and heavy workloads. It actually sounds like you could be high risk for burn out again of the company fed you as much work as you want.

I suspect your manager might be concerned about this given your constant requests at only 4 months in. There's a balance to be had.

Do online training courses, mentor people, seek mentoring, etc. These can all be easily called back when things get busier, sone other commitments cannot. You're in a lucky position, but slow down, be selective and take it easy.

I have one of these jobs...WFH days involve dog walks, yoga, decorating, laundry, marathon training, holiday googling ..and a lot of anxiety about what am I missing that I should be doing ..but apparently nothing and I'm also exceeding expectations...

I've not read all the posts so you may have covered this, but give it time and WFH more if you can as it sounds a great fit. They might just be handing over slowly, waiting for new projects to start or maybe the new FY if work has wrapped up/ is in its end stages during your introductory period that you weren't really brought into. It could be a genuine lull and you might find it picks up steadily or with a rush, or you are about to make this happen as you get to know the business better and find out more stuff you can take on.

Your manager knows you're ready and willing to take on more, give her time and look out for new tasks and training opportunities yourself to keep busy for now.

Yes to reviewing policies and SOPs (if not done recently), maybe some corporate stuff, or extra curriculars like starting a social network

OP firstly - bloody well done. I"m also a single parent who's a couple of years into a career change (going well but I don't have enough time in the day).

Is it worth looking at whether or not you have been so overly busy until now that you are just too used to being busy? I certainly have stopped being able to relax, need to always be 'doing'

Depends on how old your DS is but keep in mind that you may need to ramp up the attention you pay to schoolwork and homework/sports activities as they enter senior school, and that extra time might be valuable. Also worth thinking about that your Masters may well take up a lot of your headspace when that starts.

I would probably focus on building up a side hustle - one you enjoy? - so that you always have another string to you bow to work on. Even one your DS can help with if possible?

Or spend a few hours each week working out with weights and safeguard your body against osteoporosis in the future?

Join whichever diversity/charity committees they might have at work, or likewise at a charity/church organisation (schools governor for underpriveleged school) > these are also valuable on your CV. Or as a last resort, join the PTA ;-)

Lots of options but I would give it a year of adding more to your life that benefits future you, before considering changing roles. From all reports from friends with teens, the most fun/easy years are the later primary school age, so don't waste those by asking for more tasks at work.

I’d spend the extra time making sure you do every training course, CPD etc.
And enjoy a slightly slower pace! I found myself in a similar situation once and it was extremely useful when I returned to work after having children and loved being able to work a bit slower and leave at 5pm rather then the 7pm I’d been used to previously. Ultimately, I got bored though and left for somewhere faster paced. Perhaps the same will happen to you, but enjoy it for now!

I feel you - my second job was a new role and I was totally underemployed, really I only had one week or work per month; it was initially OK after a stressful previous job with a horrible boss, but after scraping around for other things to do (difficult in a bureauocractic organisation) I found one small extra job and left after a year.

My current job (my 5th, after a long stint at previous one) is also a new post and also proved to not really have enough work, and a lot of it not very stimulating - and now it's being made redundant after me being there 18 months. It started slow, I spent a lot of time using training resources and researching, then it picked up a bit but even when it picked up most of the time I've been doing stuff a graduate could have done, not someone with 20+ years of experience! Still, as job hunting so far has shown, it's opened up a lot more potential jobs for me.

I did try to branch out into other things but in a really big org I just couldn't have access to all the parts of our business I'd need to do those things. I'm a fast finisher and did have quiet times in other roles - I've never been rushed off my feet for long but I find too little work more stressful than a lot!

I have no suggestions other than to look for other projects you can get on if they're there.

OP, I also have a unicorn job. Angling for more time WFH is my suggestion. I am fully remote so if I’m not busy, I go skiing (which for me technically is work because I need to test skis…).

I'd feel really ethically uncomfortable in that position because I'd feel that they could just outsource HR for a few hours a week for much less. (If they can't and/or it works out the same or more expensive, that's different).

In lots of ways it sounds lovely but also a bit de-motivating if you get a thrill and a buzz from being busy, hitting deadlines etc. A lot of people really struggle going from really busy and reactive jobs into slower paced stuff where you need to generate your own work. I’ve got people in my team who think they have not got enough to do but that is because they should be self/generating new work and angles rather than waiting for the shit to hit the fan and work appear for them to do.

Does your company have a youth mentoring or community engagement policy? As the HR bod you would be perfectly situated to create one.

DS1 works for a large company where every employee is encouraged to be involved in community engagement. They are each given 40 paid hours per year to use on community engagement, and it is part of their performance management.

Kids around here struggle to find work experience. DS just asked his manager if DS2 could come for work experience, and immediately 3
people offered to mentor him because it would help fulfil their community engagement requirement. It has also led to DS being asked to draft a proposal for how the company could offer a regular work experience programme to local schools. Which also fulfils several hours of DS1's community engagement requirement.

This!

You got a traumatic attachment to your old role. The old was far too much and stressing. They are paying you now for do what you are doing, in the overall business model it doesn't matter that much if you do it in 3 hours or in 8. Take advantage of your knowledge and keep improving things. Do your master and enjoy a bit of your life. The fact you weren't able to do it before doesn't mean that you can't do it now.

Congratulations for this new change and for all the improvements you are bringing to that company I'm sure they value your expertise.

Sounds amazing. I'm jealous! Enjoy, make the most of it as you have been doing. Try not to worry about it. You'll know when you need to move on.

I've said YANBU as I'm in a similar position in terms of how much time my actual work is taking up, and although it was great for a couple of months, I'm now totally fed up of it.

However, in my case the work should pick up soon.

If I was you...I'd make plans. Get ideas together. And if you can do something short term, or that can be put on hold, then do that. But aim to have that time free again when you start the course - it may take up more time than you're expecting, or you can make it take more time for better grades etc (or potentially finish earlier).

Alternatively, in the short term could you take on any mentoring etc at work? Or an intern/work experience?

And enjoy this summer, especially if you can work from home during the holidays. The work may change over the next few years, and you might not get another change at a relaxed summer with your DC.