How to have a conversation about voluntary redundancy

[Llan349]

Hi, wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to approach a conversation about my current role with my manager.

I have been with the company 7 years, after a recent merger and round of redundancies my role remained however I have been very quiet with little work for the last five months. My colleagues/peers are very busy.

I have continually asked for more work only to be given excuses around the chaos the business plans are in due to the merger mean they don't have direction fore. Alternatively I'm given meanial jobs to do way below my experience level, which I have done to show willing. Nothing fills my day and I work a four day week so would expect to be maxed out. I'm also promised more experience in areas that I have expressed interest in but nothing materialises.

I'm fed up, my confidence is low and I feel isolated. How do I ask to have a serious conversation about this to determine what happens next? Ask HR to get involved? Ask for voluntary redundancy as my role is clearly not needed?

It feels unfair that I feel I need to look for a new role when this has happened to me and they aren't managing any of it properly.

TIA

I went directly to HR and asked if redundancy was possible. They agreed to it. Technically they could probably have found me another role, but decided it wasn’t worth having someone demotivated hanging around. I’d been there 7 years too. I bypassed my manager as she was leaving. It was probably a bit unorthodox but I thought it was worth a shot.

Speak to HR.

Could you do a training course in something of interest or even take a second job you can do during your alleged working hours? They are choosing to you employ you to do virtually nothing so probably won't notice. Esp if you wfh to an extent.

Thank you for the thoughts!