Work related question

SnShne322 · August 2015

So I've been at my new job for 2.5 months. It's going great. I love my boss, my coworker is great. The problem is, I have a significant amount of down time with exception of leading up to month end and through month end. So for around 2 weeks out of the month, I'm doing a lot of internet browsing, sometimes a couple hours a day. I know my boss and coworker are busy and I've expressed to both of them multiple times that I'm happy to take on more, learn new things and take up on any of the menial things they can pass off to me until I'm better trained. I even just had a one on one with my boss last Thursday and she praised my progress and my fit in the roll.

Is there anything more that I should do to let them know that I want more work? While they don't discourage occasional internet browsing, I don't want to get caught doing it too much. And the way our cubes are set up, it can be obvious to anyone who is really looking. I just feel like an asshole having so much downtime when they clearly don't have it.

This post is brought to you by how little work I have to do today.

angelashly · August 2015

I would talk to your boss again. I wouldn't pose it as hey I would like to learn I would say...I have been here for a while now and I feel that I am ready to take on more. I find myself having more downtime and I know that I am up for more tasks. Is there something more I can be doing? Or more training I can get to do other tasks?

That way they know that you are not getting in over your head or just thinking that you need to be helping them.

SnShne322 · August 2015

That's almost word for word the conversation I've had with my boss several times. I just might need to keep it up. I would really, really hate to be seen as not pulling my weight.

pinkybooklover09 · August 2015

As a boss, I really love it when people are proactive and take on more without me having to hand hold them through it. I have an assistant right now who was hired 2 months ago and does well at the things she's been trained on, but also takes on more without having to be directed. If this backfires or she oversteps, it's incredibly easy for me to reposition or refocus her but it's helpful that she has a good foundation of what she's supposed to do.

I hope that makes sense.

SnShne322 · August 2015

pinkybooklover09 said:

As a boss, I really love it when people are proactive and take on more without me having to hand hold them through it. I have an assistant right now who was hired 2 months ago and does well at the things she's been trained on, but also takes on more without having to be directed. If this backfires or she oversteps, it's incredibly easy for me to reposition or refocus her but it's helpful that she has a good foundation of what she's supposed to do.

I hope that makes sense.

It makes perfect sense. I hope I'm doing a little of that. Every task is documented and divided. I didn't realize this fully until today. I told my coworker that I was going to work on a task a particular task this afternoon and he got a little weird about it and showed me a list I'd never seen before of who was supposed to do it (it's rotated monthly). He suggested I leave it alone. Not in a bad way, but it made me feel a little bit strange.

That's a great idea, I'll look for more ways to be proactive.

MrsC7 · August 2015

I'm in the same position having been in my new role now for about 2 months. Sometimes I think the hesitation to give the new person more work is multifold:

1. They don't want to scare away the new gal by giving her too much work. It's a bit backwards since they hired us to do the work, but there it is.

2. It's more work on the manager to formally shift work to the new gal. Like @pinkybooklover09 said, it's easier to rein in than to push forward. In the mean time, we're going to step on a few toes on the way to being proactive because we don't know all "the rules" yet.

3. We don't know all "the rules" yet. Sometimes it's easier for others to just keep on keepin' on even if they're overloaded simply because they know how it's supposed to be done. Giving it to the new gal requires effort (to train, explain, etc.) Again, backwards logic, but there it is.

I think these are just growing pains of starting a new job. In a way, we have to prove ourselves. Soon we'll be regretting we asked to take on more work AMIRITE? :P

Just my $.02

SnShne322 · August 2015

I think you're spot on @MrsC7 That's exactly how I feel.

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