Bored At New Job

[BoredInTheOffice]

Started a new job a couple of weeks ago. Corporate based, public sector, in a team of 2 me and my superior.

Direct supervisor is on annual leave. I have been left hardly anything to do. The tasks I was left (send a couple of emails) took me half an hour. No one else is in the office or on Teams to even ask for something to do. I don’t have my own workstream or direct responsibilities yet as I am still learning and and shadowing supervisor.

I have completed all online training such as fire safety, health and safety etc. Tried to tidy up and organise some files and God I feel like I am losing my mind. I’m here for the next 7 hours.

I know it’s part and parcel of starting a new job. The first weeks are always slow. But I have read absolutely everything there is available to read. All policies etc.

How can I fill my time for the next 7 hours?

Chat to us on mumsnet!

There must be something you can do. Read general info about the company - report and accounts, investor relations stuff.

Investigate the software. Do training on existing software - there must be something new you can learn. Look at industry news. Be proactive about meeting people in other teams you’ll have to work with - set up coffee chats and lunches.

As above. Plus take a 2 hour lunch break

And - HORROR - do some personal planning

Holiday research, birthday/xmas presents, check your bills are on good deals - anything online. Better than sitting there bored & frustrated - but only an hour or 2 of this

You can also set up email folders & filing system for yourself

Aha…… this is your “can work under own initiative” test😁

Seriously now… if you work in the public sector, do some research around getting to know your public? Local demographics, liaison groups, past and current projects, any marketing opportunities, etc……? Not sure exactly what you do, but perhaps some of this stuff might help everyone in your team?

Isn't there a colleague who would like some help?

Thanks guys. Luckily nearly time for lunch 😁

Already read LOTS of previous work/info. Feel like I’m going insane, when you read so much nothing else will go in.

It’s NHS, which I’ve worked at for years, just at a new Trust. Been on full days induction/training/ know all the systems we use as used them before.

Already have intro meetings set up with teams I’ll be directly working with and involved with.

Already have my own email filing system, SOPs to go through, handovers etc.

No colleagues are here physically. I’ve emailed and Teams messaged colleagues but no responses as of yet. Don’t want to call as they’re in different meetings that aren’t relevant to my line of work. So just trying to be patient.

It’s frustrating as I can’t get stuck in with physical work as I don’t know enough about what’s going on to be able to contribute. It’s all very legal/complaints based etc without being too outing. I need my direct supervisor to guide me with proper protocols and procedures. I don’t want to jump the gun and fuck anything up. No one’s fault, it’s life.

I know I’m being whiney and this happens to most people when they’re new and managers are on leave, it’s just I love to be busy and would much rather be snowed under than be twiddling my thumbs.

It's the NHS, they pretty much expect you do to nothing in your first month... well, that's not quite true. They expect you to spend an entire week and possibly two to just do mandatory training you can do in 3 hours. I lost count how many times I did fire safety and infection control. I don't need to spend half a day going through the course and taking notes.
Are you the office? Take a long lunch and read a book.
If you are at home, do some laundry and take a dog out or something.
I was begging to give me my own caseload by the end of week one but didn't get it till week four and that was just one task per day (2h work max). I hated hated hated it. But after a month or two it got nice and busy so I love it now almost 4 years in.
Bug some colleagues to shadow in the coming days too. Even if they are in adjacent departments, it really helps to understand how other departments work if you normally have to communicate with them regularly. Plus it fills your time nicely.

@Catza yes totally agree. It’s so slow at the start, it’s my 4th role in the NHS and have always worked in Trusts in the same region so a lot of stuff is already familiar.

I think today is just an unlucky day as I’m in the office alone as not got equipment and DSE assessment for remote working yet.

Hopefully I won’t be writing a thread in 4 months time that I’m too busy and stressed haha.

if the boss is not in, just take half a day and go home, whose going to know?

I'd do half hour reading /tidying etc for job. Then 1 hour personal admin or reading and repeat. I'd take an hour lunch too.

ChatGPT - write a book, open an amazon publishing account (free) and go for it.