I have worked for the same employer for over 15 years.
During my time I have been promoted 3 times. I have developed my role and gone from managing no one and having few resources to managing a team of 13 and a high profile public service.
Last year, for complicated political reasons, I found that my responsibilities were to be cut in half and I was expected to take on a reduced role. My hours, job title and salary would however remain the same.
I protested and fought this with the help of the union. Finally I got my employer to offer me a redundancy package. But they also said they didn't want to lose me and would offer me a new job at a higher grade and increased salary instead. I accepted this new role.
The 'new job' is in fact my old job with any organisation-wide responsibility removed. So it is much easier - and much less interesting because I can't actually achieve anything. Anything I suggest is turned down.
So, I have a good salary and a very good work location and nothing to do (except very easy basic stuff). My DH says it's a no brainer - less work for more money - what could be better. But I feel unhappy.
I have thought of doing a PhD to use up the time, or some other kind of retraining while still there, but it's hard to do that because I still have all the basic menial stuff to do (pleasant - just not very taxing!).
If I could just accept it and switch off from the whole ambitious thing and feeling I need to develop I guess I could be happy.
WWYD? Thank your stars you have such an easy job or feel humiliated and leave?