This has been the bane of my existence in almost every job I’ve worked. “Look busy”, “don’t stand idle”, “delegate tasks for yourself”. My dude, if it’s not on the job description and it’s not a task I was onboarded in why would I do it?
But in life we’re just supposed to somehow already know. And assume that we should lie about how we’re spending our time. I’ve fought with multiple managers because I’ll just leave when I get far enough ahead of my work that the only thing left to do is pretend I’m still working. I’ve been reprimanded for helping other areas instead of just still pretending to do work in my own.
It happens in enough fields that I realize, the culture isn’t broken. This IS how average people get through their careers. I’m the one who can only survive in roles that don’t have a hard endpoint for tasks. Because I’m broken in someway that I can’t stop getting ahead of my work and I can’t make myself lie about it.
Unless you’re in management, you don’t decide what you do. Management does. If your assigned tasks are done, report that to your supervisor. It’s their job to provide you with tasks; make them do it. They get paid more than you. Stop doing their jobs for them.
That sounds like a great way to get more work for the same pay.
What do hard workers get? More work!
thanks, I agree. I’ve just been punished for doing so. I didn’t stay in those jobs but I’m observing that it’s a reoccurring pattern
If you’re getting punished for not doing your boss’ job, that’s not a place you want to stay anyway.