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?

Do you have anything to do with timetabling? This is a useful ability for Data Managers that can be the basis of consultancy work in future. If you don't already produce the timetable you could ask to get more involved with it. What is your NOR? Could you look at changing your MIS for a cheaper more efficient one? To be honest you shouldn't need all the power BI stuff with a good online MIS, as it would have dashboards/reporting built in.

Is being super efficient and asking for stuff to do 'dossing'?

I haven’t RTFT (yet), but for the love of god, don’t confess.

You are now in a position to take a J2 (and maybe a J3). Welcome to the world of OE.

https://www.reddit.com/r/overemployed/s/DM2BFh1bpW

I think you've brought your money's worth to your employer.

You've not been shy about the fact that you need more tasks. I don't think you need to shoot yourself in the foot.

I'd be thinking big picture / long term - things that will be helpful for your career. This job won't last forever. What is going to look good on your CV?

Can you take on a big project, such as something that does require getting access to HR?

A relevant online qualification? I thought that was a good idea.

Do you have regional meetings with other people in the same/similar job as you? It would be good to set one up and be able to share your knowledge. I would consider consulting other Independent School. Now more than ever they want to make efficiencies.

Such levels self-promotion and smugness are wasted in the education sector...

Lucky you,,don’t knock it !

I think it depends on what's stated in your contract. Are you expected to work a certain number of hours? If yes, I would confess.

You're doing a brilliant job and they are lucky to have you and your seriously impressive skills. That's what you're being paid for, please don't have any qualms about it. I'd say you're priceless. Kudos.

I think you could spend the working from
Home days developing an online course explaining how you do what you do and researching how to market it to schools. Or developing a consultant business and using lunch breaks etc to do remote consulting

Im contracted 9-5. I'm there and available for that time.

Sand bag it - what fresh hell is this?

I'd implement operation Pay Rise. Document what you're doing, update management on the new things you've introduced, and start bringing them proposals of other things you could do/have started doing.

Introduce the new information gradually, present it as new expertise/innovation (skilled up, experimented, implemented, verified results), and use it to leverage successive significant salary increases for not much more work and still lots of free time.

I would use the spare time to do a course for kicks e.g. creative writing!

Also, why is being not very good, time wise and accuracy wise (like Phil), not what people are concerned about and that their 'tax payers money' was being used to do a not very good job and impacting others (stress of reports not being done). Seriously wrong focus.

The responses on this thread are really interesting.

A thread a few months ago was someone who was WFH and getting all their work done in half the time they were paid for, asking other people if they spend some of their WFH time doing housework/ chores etc if they get everything done.

The poster was absolutely slaughtered for being lazy.

But here, because you have worded your post in a certain way that makes you sound impressive (and IS impressive tbf), 80%+ of people are agreeing that it's fine for you to sit back and do very little.

No judgement from me, it's just interesting the change in opinions on what is basically the same thing - someone doing their job efficiently in less time and making use of the leftover time as they wish.

I suppose so. But also they know I can do more than he ever did.
I ask for stuff, I actively seek work, I just do stuff as a proof of concept and present it and it might get taken on. I talk to various departments and find their needs and try to help where I can. But I can't (and won't) so their job for them. Like I could probably absorb the EO role and probably the tracking role but why would I? They wouldn't pay me their salaries (i.e. they wouldn't pay me £30k extra for the EO role and another £45k for data tracking.... ) they might try for a £3k rise instead! So..

@IroningBoardAgainstTheWall Is your school part of a group? Schools are desperate to save money and create income, so I’m thinking you could put together a good case for SLT about selling your skills to other schools, but with their linked prep / sister school / whatever as the free test case to show the impact you can have.

Only issue with that, is that it would be good for you but possibly put less skilled people in other schools in a difficult position. They could even lose their jobs or at least have their hours massively cut, once you’ve set up the automation.

But it’s win/win for your SLT - income, and kudos for being so efficient.

I'd continue to use the time to upskill. You might learn stuff that helps you create additional time-saving ideas for the other staff, which will make you extremely popular. Or you could quietly research some ways for the school to bring in some extra cash, if you can do it without stepping on anyone's toes. Which will also be very welcome. I've got a pile of CPD and systems training outstanding and I would love to be quiet for a bit to catch up, and maybe even get ahead.

What @LogicalImpossibility said, or does the school have a requirement to offer something to local state schools and you could become their fulfilment of that?

If I were that quick and effective at my job, I'd set up as a freelancer. They'll still employ you as you're too good not to, but on your terms so you can work from home etc. Then you're also not bound to hours so can have other clients.

Of course you should confess!
There are plenty of efficient people around who work their contracted hours!
And enjoying your free time if you WFH???? 😂 That's the reason companies want their staff back in office

Omw amazing!! I'm jealous lol you're not being dishonest unless you specifically say "wow I'm so busy all the time."

You're being paid to do a job and you're doing it. I don't get why it matters how long it takes, much better than people who stay in work just to put in "face time."

Take it! Work to live not live to work!

Is it dossing though? The job for which op gets paid to do is getting done.
Op sounds extremely clever and resourceful, why shouldn't she get paid almost like a licence fee every month for the system she has put in place and for maintaining it.

You work in education, where funding is generally short. You have identified a way to cut costs and improve efficiency - well done. You will still be needed to fix things when they go wrong or when new reports are introduced, but in the meantime the moral and right thing to do would be to extend your efficient ways of working across education more widely, perhaps to other schools/unis (you don'ts exactly where you work)..

You should, in the course if this, be rewarded for your "out of the box thinking" and "innovative skills", etc, maybe even becoming an "efficiency guru".
But please don't sit back on your laurels and keep taking the salary. The country is in dire need of improved efficiency and skills like yours, so please please think big.