Have you ever had a job where there’s no work to do? What happened?

[Anonymous]

I started a job earlier this year that I was really excited about. Long story short, I’m about eight months in now and there is very little work to do. At first, I was constantly raising my hand to get additional tasks, but at a certain point this got demoralizing. Now, I do the limited work I do have on my in office days and on my WFH days, study for a certification and apply for other jobs. I’m always available if someone needs help and offer to help when requested, but I can’t just make up work to do.

I’m grateful to have a job, but it’s kind of discouraging and very boring.

Has anyone else had an experience like this, and what ended up happening?

[Anonymous]

This was me and I got laid off about 11 months in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was me and I got laid off about 11 months in.

This is what I’m afraid of. But why would you hire someone under those circumstances. So stupid.

[Anonymous]

This is so weird. So your manager and coworkers also have nothing to do? Or just pretending to be busy?

[Anonymous]

Yes; that happened to me. I got hired as a consultant at one of the big ones. Was never very busy and sometimes had no work. Laid off within a few months. Actually, half the office I worked in got laid off within the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was me and I got laid off about 11 months in.

Did you find a new job? Same line of work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was me and I got laid off about 11 months in.

Did you find a new job? Same line of work?

No, I’ve been looking since April and having no luck so far.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it was stressful because I felt like a caged animal. Boredom is its own form of stress. Eventually left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so weird. So your manager and coworkers also have nothing to do? Or just pretending to be busy?

I think a combination of the two. People seem to think I have work to do, but I don’t!

[Anonymous]

Yes this happened to me. Basically a few people were hired in anticipation of a planned project that did not pan out due to external circumstances. I tried to use the time to learn about the field (I was newer to it at the time) and to take on projects in another section (luckily there was openness to that). It ended up working out fine as I later transferred to the other section. But the specific roles and office dynamics matter a lot.

[Anonymous]

I'm PP and wanted to add that you can also try to use the time for work-related external stuff - I'm a lawyer and joined bar committees, attended free events, etc.

[Anonymous]

I only have about a half’s week’s worth of work to do, but I WFH so I just handle household stuff the rest of the week. I’m the only employee on a particular project so I’m not super worried about losing my job because as far as I can see the company wants to continue the project. I help out as much as I can with other stuff too, it just doesn’t fill up my week.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I got laid off along with a bunch of others.

[Anonymous]

yeah. I made up projects for myself and eventually spun that off into a lateral move. I later left that agency and joined one where we have actual work all the time … and it is SO much better! Never going back.

[Anonymous]

It was slow for our group for about 6 months and then the group was eliminated. The manager was moved elsewhere in the company and the rest of us were laid off.