To have pretty much automated 90% of my job and pretend I'm very busy?

[IroningBoardAgainstTheWall]

So, I run a database and predecessor didn't seem to actually understand databases and what they can do so was working 50+hrs and not achieving very much. We'll call him Phil.
I took over and was warned how much work Phil did, he was very busy and he was actually in a retainer in case I needed his help or had any queries over certain tasks. I work in education and there's weekly, half termly, termly and annual tasks, quite cyclic and not difficult.

Within a month I'd automated the daily, weekly and monthly reports, added more useful ones and sent them out. During my first academic year, I'd introduced new systems to automate tasks for others, developed new ways of capturing and reporting data, linked systems to the main MIS to automate account creation and syncing etc

So basically I have very little to do anymore. I do ask for stuff to do, but there's nothing much really. I look for stuff to do but again, there's not much.Occasionally I'll get feature requests or specific reports.

But honestly I do about 4-6 hours of work a week...max, and that includes stuff that isn't really my job, like fixing printers and laptops and stuff.

Should I confess?

I had a job a bit like that once, it was an accounts assistant role and the previous person in the role spent hours every week compiling reports that could just be directly run from the accounts system in minutes.
I did keep asking for extra work to do but eventually just left because I was bored to tears every day.
This was an office based role though. If it was WFH I'm sure I'd have stuck with it a lot longer!

Do you want to progress? Could your orgn offer you to similar as a consultant? On more pay of course…..

It really depends on what you want from your job.

Are there opportunities for promotion? Would you want them?

Are you happy doing nothing or is it going to drive you mad?

Could looking for a new, better paid job be an option?

Great going! Maybe work on something else on the side of skill up in the free time? Sand bag it if you want or relish win and do a reveal and impress the higher ups. They may have something else lined up you can do if you like a challenge. Out of interest did you you the Microsoft stack for this (ie Power Automate/query etc)?

Tbh I’m not sure - on an individual level I think it’s fine, but it sounds like the sort of efficiency that should be rolled out on a national scale if it’s in education and your methods and procedures should be shared - it’s the kind of thing that could save millions from school budgets at scale.

It's also the kind of thing that could lead to a lot of redundancies

No opportunity for promotion.

Biggest reason not to leave is it's local (7 mins drive), flexible with little daughter, pays well. Easy life really.

Would have to probably travel 45+ minutes, and not get paid much more for my efforts if I moved...

I use my free time reading, planning holidays, life admin, watching TV/films. Bit of training, some extra remote work.

Thinking of doing a few more courses and maybe more consultant work.

If you don't already, WFH and enjoy the free time. Tap a few keys now and then and wait for the paycheque to plop into your account. Not your fault if you are efficient.

However, if you are bored and deskbound, look around for other inefficiencies and demand a promotion, large payrise to sort it out.

Or just stay schtum. Or move jobs.

What's your best bet?

Power automate. Reporting Services. Power BI.

And then some API stuff for linking to other services.

Private sector id say go for it.
But if in education I’m assuming it’s public sector so my taxes are subsidising your dossing.

It's independent sector.

Could you ask to go part time? I know it would reduce your pay but it means you'd still get everything done no bother and free up more time to do other stuff, be it hobbies or more training etc.

Don't rock the boat but start moonlighting and take on extra contract work.

I could...but why take the pay cut?

I could do a second job instead ha ha

I might request WFH 2 days a week ...

Could you ask to do a compressed working week? 4 longer days on, 1 day off at same pay. With WFH 2 days a week!

Why would you go part time for , presumably, part time money when you can err be part time, as OP is, for full time money? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot

I didn't really grasp what you do OP - I know what all the words mean individually but not put together 😀

Just keep doing what you're doing and use the free time to do whatever else you fancy

More power to your elbow I say. But if you haven't already, you could spend a bit of time documenting what you've done. For when you eventually get so bored you leave.

I'd keep schtum for at least two years

Knock yourself out then 😉
Maybe quietly offer to help others with some of your spare time if you feel a bit guilty

My advice would be:

-Ask to wfh, as much time as you can
-Get a privacy screen protector for when you're in the office (they help migraines but also mean no one can see what you're working on)
-Think about what you'd do if money was no object (start a business? Write a book?) and start doing that each day

Can you make a version that works with SIMS?

(and then send it to me)

Nice one! I'm the Power BI person at my place. Not sure if it's a great thing as everyone keeps coming to me to ask for reports to compile whilst I have my day job to do. So be warned!

Having said that, if you are a young professional definitely make use of the free time to skill up or take on something else (overemployed as they call it). Definitely helps if you WFH.
It also very much depends if you like your place of work and can see yourself moving up or if you are just using it as a stepping stone.

Either way, Good luck!

Echo work from home one or two days a week, and possibly take on a second part time wfh job on those days?!

I have this too. My predecessor was FT and made out that the job was so busy and stressful. It was stressful because she was embezzling £100k from the company.
She went to prison, I joined and revamped the department. I worked 3 days for the first few yrs and honestly not swamped then, I came from a high volume job to a low volume but more varied job. The owner wanted me FT despite there not being enough work as a "just in case" for reports and answering queries when needed.

During lockdown we all WFH, I decided to go FT because I didn't need a day at home to get on top of the chores anymore. I have streamlined and automated a lot of my role and have no more than 3hrs of work a day but being at home means I can get on with other stuff whilst still being on hand to answer queries when needed (very rarely). I think they'd let me go PT if I asked but they really like me on hand and contactable so are not bothered if I'm not busy (they aren't either) as long as the work is done to a high standard and on time, which it always is. We have a passive income business so not an active sales dept.

I struggle with not having enough to do at times but I try to enjoy the downtime that never had in other roles.