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 used to work with someone that, in a previous role was in a similar position and he did a degree through the open university and read loads. I don’t think I’d fess up, leave when you want a challenge and get bored otherwise enjoy your free time!

I agree with seeing what flexibility you can get.

If you could do compressed hours over four days or if that's too difficult a nine day fortnight and have every other Friday off.

If you can switch a bit to WFH then it makes being online for the required time easier.

Having proper free time rather than time pretending to work will be more enjoyable and you'll still be able to get everything done.

With zero planning in place on where all those people will be employed.

Ha ha, they stopped it after a month when I pointed out what a piss taker he was. The plan was to keep him on for a year "just in case" 🤣

The best thing was the look on SLTs faces when I told them census was complete and submitted on the day it opened. Let's pretend that's 31st January for a 25th Feb deadline. I tidied the data, ran the reports, and sent them to admin team. It was submitted that day, and then confirmation of success is on 3rd Feb.
Om the 5th of Feb, SLT kind of cringed in a meeting and said "dare we ask... How is census going....? I know it's complicated...." Their jaws dropped to the floor when I told them it was done and successfully returned in the 3rd. "But...but... It takes weeks?? Sally in admin usually sits with him for hours. We submitted it late last year".

Turns out he was adding things up by hand. You have to know things like "how many 11/12/13/14... Year olds there were in school on X date.?" He spent DAYS doing this and always getting it wrong. So yea it would take most of February before. 🤣

It's all documented... I was bored 😂😂😂

Hmmm. True..

I'd say just stick around for as long as it suits you. The database will need tweaks due to performance as data increases, different reports may be requested etc. But i would make sure I dolid a bit of consulting on the side and increase qualifications for when you get fed up and want to move on.

Teach me your skills. Don't know what they are but am interested!

While you have a young child, I would just carry on. It exhausting doing a full on day job, and then coming home to look after a young g child.

I think after a while in a job, it's what you can do, not necessarily what you do. You are paid for your expertise and to take the rap. Don't worry about it

I am also a school governor... have been for 30+ yrs, cannot tell you how happy this makes me! GIAS financials can keep me happily entertained for hours!

Set up a group of local data specialists and become the go to person in your LA or Academy, we have recently done this with our local DSLs, amazing how powerful they have become with the Social Work team... You have secret powers and are an amazing person in the world of acadaemia.

I’d be checking my contract to see if I could be contracting on the side. And asking to work from home for a couple of days to do my own stuff. And probably doing a couple of training courses. They’re clearly happy to be paying you for a much better job than the previous person was doing. Enjoy your good fortune.

This got me thinking of how I would advise someone in a computer science/IT role where I work who’s good at automating and streamlining tasks, and is now actively looking for more work. I would be very appreciative if they came to talk to me and the other frontline workers (rather than managers) to see what other data handling tasks could be improved for us, you might have already been doing this though

Be careful. If you 'confess', your employers might decide to fire you and hire someone else to cover the couple of hours of work you do. They would be taking advantage of your hard work automating so much. You have pretty much made yourself redundant. If I were you I would build in some sort of kill switch so that sure, they can fire you, but if you go then your systems go with you.

I did something similar years ago in my then new job. I'm saving the company double my salary annually as a conservative estimate, so the way i see it is that ive covered the cost of emploing me. Like you, there is no proportional prospects.

I always offer to assist colleagues, and routinely offer to take on any duties that my line manager might need, and always willing to help out. In my down time I do some udemy courses, go online, and do things like meal plan and online orders, pay my bills and sort out life admin stuff.

Some weeks I've extra tasks like last week and was busy but otherwise I'm far from overworked.

Hmm, there is an endpoint to this though, isn't there - at some point you'll leave, and someone will say, Er, what exactly was Bob doing all day?

And even if it is in the private sector, we're all probably paying for this one way or another, so I couldn't do this.

Can you not bundle all this up under your name/school name/whatever and roll this out to other schools?

Our LA did that years ago with some other software they created. Nice little earner plus training opportunities for more money

Can you do some extra consulting on the side from home?

Can you do some Consultancy work? Share your systems and efficiencies?

Im an Assistant Head who only gets the basics of Excel so this sounds amazing to me!

Can you answer this OP?

Maybe when you move on someone will notice and it will ruin your reference or maybe someone will join the team who will be aware of the potential to automate and will offer to do it or something?

I mean, if you're confident there will be no negative consequences I would just sit back and enjoy it!

This is the dream. Get your life admin done, and yes try to WFH 2 days! I feel sorry for Phil a bit. I hope he is non the wiser. It wouldn't do him much good to find out how inefficient he was at this point.

You are blowing my little mind right now and I’m going to have to go play with some of this reporting stuff…

Id say wfh but use the time to start your next move - once your daughter is out of primary school etc - maybe start your own business/ consulting in the future as there is a LOT of businesses that would love this type of data. Well done

Sounds like you are in sixth form or FE sector. Depends on your Principal ... you could always offer a service to other colleges if wanted.

Wfh 2 days a week. Stay up a business in your free time.

I'd look to gain competence in the fast growing sector of Machine Learning / AI. You've got to think ahead for your future career once your own kid is less dependent and this is an obvious area for you. Take a look at what professional certifications might be suitable for you and get learning - there are loads of good options out there.