Not having work to do

[KinderWild]

I work in the public sector at a mid management grade (I am not new to grade). On return from mat leave, the work I used to do wasn't available. I was given a few projects but didn't have a lot of work so I requested a managed move.

I moved to an area where there was supposed to be lots of work similar to what I did before.
Since I joined I have been given one task - to build up a large document. This involves speaking to people about what they are doing and documenting it. I am finding it soul destroying. I have been doing it for 4 months.

On asking to have more work, I have been told to figure out where I could add value beyond this task. I have tried but there aren't really any gaps in projects and what I do is being covered by others albeit with other job titles.

I have spent the week shadowing people doing their (technical) jobs that I am unqualified to do, trying to be helpful. I didn't add much, I ended up doing the admin. I have been at this grade for quite a while and want to make the move to the next one but nothing I am doing will give me any evidence to use.

My confidence is pretty low. I am neurodiverse and find that having a defined thing I am responsible for is quite a core part of me feeling settled and able to excel at work. I am struggling to not interpret this as a judgement on my abilities.

Has anyone had a similar experience and how did you handle it?

@KinderWild they are honouring your entitlement to a job but not giving you a role.
Apply for a job on level transfer terms.

I have been in this situation twice in my career, neither recently but I do remember it was soul destroying. The first time was particularly frustrating, it was early in in my career and I felt like I wasn’t being given a chance. I finally found somebody willing to give me a chance and then as this was a big employer, I managed to get a move to another department and I was always busy thereafter.

The second time was later but still a long time ago, this was a different multinational and they were restructuring management and my activities were being moved to another location. So I found I had less and less to do. For this one, in the end I got them to pay me off, as in I asked them to make me redundant. Got a nice payoff and started again somewhere else.